Precollege Programs

Mints & Temperature: Cold Mouth or Cool Trick? | The STEM@Home Series

Mints and Temperature: Cold Mouth or Cool Trick?

• Presenter: Rylee Marks and Elle Winn, Undergraduate Students from Girls' Empowerment, Engineering, and Outreach (GEEO) Club. 
• Grade Level: Elementary School
• Background: Have you ever eaten something minty and then drank water? It's super cold, isn't it? But what we want to explore is whether your mouth actually becomes cold or if the mint is just causing a cold sensation. Let's find out!
• Zoom Link: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/97221257287
• Password:  340732

Think Like an Animal Scientist!

• Presenter: Dr. Kristen Davis Moore, 4-H Companion Animal Endowed Faculty, DIVE4Ag Program Coordinator
• Grade Level: 4th-10th 
• Background: Get a spark for learning! Explore how animal scientists solve problems to improve animal and human health and well-being.
• Zoom Link:  https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/96461999939
• Password:  690286
• Additional Resource: 4-H Spark Kits

Create a Cell with Homemade Playdough

• Created By: OSU’s Biochemistry Club
• Presenter: Lacey Donahue, Nicole Jones, Marin Monteith, Austin weeks, Olivia Worley and Maya Livni
• Grade Level: 2nd-6th
• Background: Join OSU’s Biochemistry Club in building your very own cell! Make your own playdough and fill it with snacks and other household objects while learning about the tiniest parts that make you human! Squish it, mold it, interact with it - and gain the knowledge of a young biologist.
• Zoom Link:  https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/99393872690
• Materials Needed: 

  • Note: a stovetop is used for making the playdough, alternatively, a microwave can be used

  • Supplies needed for Non-toxic Playdough:

    • 1 cup of flour

    • ¼ cup of salt

    • ¾ cup of water

    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

    • 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional)

    • Food coloring (optional)

    • One mixing bowl, one microwave safe bowl, measuring cup and spoons.

  • Supplies needed for organelles: if you do not have one of the items listed, any object of a similar shape and size works!

    • a piece of plastic wrap or foil

    • a marble or something spherical

    • a few pieces of string

    • a few pieces of tape

    • dried long pasta

    • dried beans or rice

    • beads or anything small

• Additional Resource: Playdough Recipe in case you want to make it ahead of time.

Fever Fighters and Cold Combaters

• Presenter: OSU College of Pharmacy Students
• Grade Level: 5th-8th 
• Background: It's cold and flu season! This session will cover how to avoid feeling under the weather and which over-the-counter products work best for fighting fevers and colds.
• Zoom Link:  https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/95699673582

Toxic or Non-Toxic?

• Presenter: OSU TEAM Tox, Graduate Students in Toxicology
• Grade Level: 6th-8th 
• Background: How do scientists learn how toxic something is? A toxicologist studies just that by using toxicity testing. Conduct your own toxicity test using yeast and watch the experiments grow before your very eyes!
• Zoom Link:  https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/95269545017
• Materials Needed:
  • dry active yeast
  • salt
  • sugar
  • heating source (e.g. heating pad)
  • measuring spoons
  • ruler

Pharmacy in Respiratory Health

• Presenters: Amanda Morrison & Janey Chen 
• Grade Level: 5th-8th 
• Background: In this amazing session, we will be discussing the pharmacists role in having healthy lungs!
• Zoom Link:  https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/99620390732
• Relevant Links:
  • How to Use the EpiPen® Training Device

Shape Magic

• Presenter: Branwen Schaub, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Mathematics OSU
• Grade Level: 6th-8th 
• Background: Can a 3-D shape only have one side? How about a flat shape with three faces? Learn how “magical” shapes work like a Möbius Strip and a Hexaflexagon, and astound your friends with their magic!
• Zoom Link:  https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/92089917105
• Materials:
  • tape or glue
  • printed hexaflexagon pattern
  • crayons/markers
• Relevant Links:
  • Shape Magic Google Folder