Science Festivals

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STEM + Families


What are STEM + Families Science Festivals?

STEM + Families Science Festivals bring together students and families to participate in science activities. Hosting an event is:

  • Fun: Shared hands-on science experiences.
  • Inspiring: Help all kids experience and explore activities and careers in STEM



Bayer

Host a STEM + Families Science Festival Program

By hosting a National PTA STEM + Families Science Festival program, your PTA will provide amazing opportunities for families to participate in shared, hands-on science activities. Help all kids and families experience and explore activities and be inspired to pursue careers in STEM!

STEM + Families Science Festival Program Toolkit

 

PTAs can host a successful STEM + Families Science Festival program using the following toolkit, which includes helpful how-to documents and sample templates.

As part of the PTA Programs at Home initiative, your PTA has the option to determine which model you want to use to best engage your school community: Real-Time, At Your Own Pace or Tech-Free.

Choosing Your Program Model

Real-Time Program Model


Planning

Planning Resources

Promoting

Promoting Resources

Hosting

Hosting Resources

Wrap-Up

Wrap-Up Resources

At Your Own Pace Program Model


Planning

Planning Resources

Promoting

Promoting Resources

Hosting

Hosting Resources

Wrap-Up

Wrap-Up Resources

Tech-Free Program Model


Planning

Planning Resources

Promoting

Promoting Resources

Hosting

Hosting Resources

Wrap-Up

Wrap-Up Resources





In-Person STEM + Families Science Festival Toolkit

 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, our STEM + Families Science Festival Toolkit helped PTAs facilitate in-person gatherings. We are preserving this toolkit below, and we hope to resume use of it when the Center for Disease Control advises that conditions are safe for group gatherings to resume.

In-Person Toolkit

This toolkit includes helpful how-to documents and sample templates you can use to make planning a STEM + Families Science Festival easy.

You can also download this Hosting a STEM + Families Science Festival From Start to Finish Guide, which includes the same information as the toolkit all in one PDF.

STEP 1: Plan Your Event 

Form a planning committee by inviting parents and teachers of STEM subjects to join. Recruit at least 10-15 volunteers to help during the Science Festival. Organize your tasks, create a budget and schedule deadlines. Reach out to local partners to gain donations and community volunteers.

General Planning

Choosing Experiments

Getting Volunteers

Hosting events like this is also a great way to recruit new PTA members! Consider having recruitment flyers like this one at your event.

STEP 2: Promote Your Event

Utilize as many platforms as possible for promoting your event. Translate documents into languages your school community speaks.

STEP 3: Host Your Event

Ensure that everything goes smoothly at your Science Festival! Offer take-aways to parents who attend to help them retain and build on what they learned.

STEP 4: Wrap Up

Be sure to thank your PTA, school staff, community partners and parent volunteers. Gather feedback, report your results to National PTA and use the findings to plan your next event. National PTA recommends offering an incentive for completing the survey (e.g. enter names into a drawing for a $50 gift card donated by a local merchant).

In addition to the Experiment Guides provided for the volunteers to use at the experiment stations, we have also provided Family Guides with experiment instructions for adults and family members to use at the experiment stations.

In-Person Experiment Guides and Family Guides 

Experiments are divided into three main categories: Biology, Materials Science and Chemistry.

Biology: Structure and Function 

Are You an Acid or a Base? *Requires preparation prior to event*
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Busy as a Bee *Best suited for grades K-2*
Experiment Guide  | Family Guide

Catching a Bird *Best suited for grades K-2*
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

It’s All in the Taste Buds
Experiment Guide | Family Guide 

Journey Through the Bloodstream
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Nails for Breakfast *Requires preparation prior to event*
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Materials Science: Energy and Matter

Balloon Skewers
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Bubbling Lava Lamp (en español)
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Ice Cream Chemistry
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Sticky Icky Slime
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Strange Acting Goop
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Chemistry: Cause and Effect

Alka-Rockets (en español)
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Cool Colors
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Dancing Raisins
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

It's Chemical
Experiment Guide | Family Guide

Martian Jelly
Experiment Guide | Family Guide



Science in Action

Check out these photos and testimonials from STEM Science Festivals.




Learn More about Making Science Make Sense®

Making Science Make Sense® is Bayer’s STEM-education initiative focused on science literacy.

  • Bayer is dedicated to changing the way science is taught and learned both in and out of the classroom.
  • At Bayer, it's about making science more accessible and less intimidating—to kids and adults.
  • Through its Making Science Make Sense® initiative, Bayer has been working directly with schools, teachers and students to expand access to science education for over 20 years.
  • Bayer is a proud Founding Sponsor of National PTA’s STEM + Families

Explore the Making Science Make Sense® Website

Make sure to check out the experiment cards and videos in the Science Library!

Making Science Make Sense

NEW! Do you own an Amazon Echo Device (better known as Alexa)?
Check out the Alexa Science Studio by Bayer that provides step-by-step instructions for our MSMS experiments.

National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service. No endorsement of Bayer is implied.



Sponsors

Bayer
Founding & Presenting Sponsor

Mathnasium
Founding Sponsor

Huntington Ingalls Industries
Supporting Sponsor