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All Charged Up

Anatomy of a Lifeform

Atmospheres in Balance

Dance of the Planets

Exceptional Perception

Fog-forest Biologists

Fossil Hunt

Garden Plan-it

How the World Works

Life on Earth

Mars Exploration

Micronauts

Moonstruck

Outer Space to Forest Place

Planet Trek

Redwood Biosphere

Rendezvous with Comet Halley (CLC)

Return to the Moon (CLC)

Renewable Energy

Rock-N-Erode - NEW!

Shooting Stars and Space Rocks

Space Station One

Sun and Stars

Surviving in Space

Voyage to Mars (CLC)

Water World

Watershed Ecology

All Charged Up

Imagine being 300,000 miles from home and needing to repair a circuit board. Your students will be glad they took this class! By reading schematics, building simple circuits, and learning basic concepts such as series vs. parallel circuits, students are introduced to the science of electrical power.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Supports the following State Science Content Standards:

Grade 4: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g

Grade 5: 1c

Grades 9-12: 5a, 5e, 5f, 11a
 

Open Court

Grade 4: Unit 5, Physical Science

What happens to your vital human systems in space? Students explore effects of microgravity on the human systems with a focus on balance, reactions, coordination and tracking ones own vital signs. Activity stations allow students to manipulate equipment and gather data about their own responses. Technologies such as science temperature probes, heart rate probes, digital blood pressure devices, spirometers, vestibular boards, and robotic training arms are utilized. This is a highly interactive session so students should dress comfortably.

Anatomy of a Lifeform

How have life forms developed over time? Students study the physical adaptations of animals in this comparative anatomy course. By dissecting a squid, they will examine the relationship of structure to function. They will also compare the human body to other life forms.

Supports the following State Science Content Standards:

Grade 5: 2a, 2b, 2d

Grade 7: 5a, 5b, 5c

Grade 9-12: 9b

Atmospheres in Balance

Grades 5-8
What is an atmosphere? How are life and air connected? How do humans impact air quality? Discover our relationship with the atmosphere around us. We will observe and record weather conditions outside Chabot, including the temperature and barometric pressure. Students compare Earth's atmosphere with the dense atmosphere of Venus and the thin atmosphere of Mars. Climate, climate change and ozone depletion are topics that will be covered.

Grades 9-12
In addition to the above, high school students will be introduced to NASA’s Earth Science program, including satellite observing systems, climate models and the basic principles of meteorology.

Bee Blast

This is the “all you ever wanted to know about bees but were afraid to get stung” class. Students will learn about the many fascinating features of a bee that will take them beyond the stinger. These experiences will include the construction of a bee model, the life cycle of a bee, behaviors and roles of the bee colony and how important they are to humans.  They will act out the building and guarding of a hive; they will see how important pollination is to plants and experience the sound a bee makes.

Other important skills that will be reinforced are: following simple directions, participating in group team work, cutting, gluing and use of the senses.

Dance of the Planets

Students learn planet features, planet lore and orbital motions, and make Solar System bodies out of craft materials. In a narrated musical performance, students dramatize the origins and orbits of the sun, planets, asteroids and comets.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Open Court:

Grade 3, Unit 1, 6 Astronomy

Exceptional Perception

The human eye is a remarkable optical instrument that enables us to observe our world and beyond. In this class, eye scopes let students see inside their own eyes. Perception tasks measure peripheral vision, color perception, and depth perception. The 3D and lentigraph holograms show how the brain can be fooled into seeing these images. 

Supplemental Teacher Information

Fog-forest Biologists

Using scientific inquiry skills to discover the unique relationships of plants, animals, and habitat in the redwood ecosystem, students will learn specific observation techniques. With the aid of data collection booklets and plant/animal checklists they will explore the possibilities of life in the forest.

Fossil Hunt

Was there life on ancient Mars? Could a Mars meteorite reveal anything about Mars’ past? What are some clues that have helped us unravel Earth’s ancient past? Explore some fossil replicas to reveal clues to our past. As teams of paleontologists, we will examine some of the most common fossil evidence using a key to identify each piece. Other activities might include: solving a dinosaur fossil mystery by creating and assembling detailed rubbings of the skeletal structures of velociraptor, triceratops and tyrannosaurus rex, go on an exciting computer simulated tour of a dinosaur museum to learn some of the latest findings about these fascinating animals, examine a geologic timeline, and compare replicas of dinosaur feet/claws.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 3: 3d, 3e

Grade 4: 3b

Grade 7: 3c, 3d, 3e, 4b, 4f, 4g

Open Court:

Grade 2, Unit 4 Life Science

Garden Plan-it

Earth is the only “green” planet that we know about. Why? Study the unique conditions of Earth that make it habitable for life. Students will study Chabot's outdoor Enviro-Garden, and discuss plant needs, garden microclimates, and useful and harmful garden insects and other creatures. Discover ways that personal, community and school gardens can conserve Earth's energy and resources.

How the World Works

It’s the best of our magnetism, light, and electricity programs, specially tailored to the younger set. Easy, hands-on activities include lasers and strobe lights. Students will use prisms, magnifying lenses, magnets, and their own curiosity.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Life on Earth

"Spaceship Earth" rotates and revolves through space, maintaining countless populations of organisms. In this class, students conduct their own observations of biodiversity in animals, improving process skills such as observing, communicating, comparing, categorizing, and manipulating the tools of science. Students use their five senses to focus on characteristics and behaviors, see stages of growth, and notice similarities and differences. They handle several animals and use balances and metric cubes to measure and record weight and length. A videocam microscope will be available for students to share images of living critters on a large monitor.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 2: 2a, 2b, 4b, 4c, 4f, 4g

Open Court:

Grade 1, Unit 1, 2 Life Science

Grade 2, Unit 3, 5 Life Science

Mars Exploration

NASA is planning its Mars-Nerva mission for the 22nd century, but your students can prepare to colonize Mars now. They’ll get to construct a stable landing structure, operate a simulation of the Rover, and examine geological specimens to determine if Mars is suitable for human life.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 5: 5a, 5b, 5c

Grade 8: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d

Open Court:

Grade 5, Unit 2 Physical Science

Micronauts

Imagine for a moment that your students are Micronauts (mini astronauts) aboard the International Space Station. One student is examining insects for radioactive contamination in an Isolation Chamber while another is examining rocks under a microscope. Another group of students is working within a glove box to classify objects. The Micronauts program at Chabot Space & Science Center allows your Kindergarten through third grade students the chance to combine their imagination with the skills they have gained through school to simulate a mission in space.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Moon Mania

Students will learn about the moon through a variety of activities that will allow them to observe and explore a simulated moon surface and collect rocks to examine. The activities are designed to allow the young learner to use their senses to sharpen their observation skills and also utilize psycho motor skills. Balance and coordination challenges await them as they descend into a “moon crater” to search for shapes and discover patterns. Students will simulate the changes in gravity on Earth and the moon, by recording how high they can jump. Students will learn why the moon looks larger than stars by looking at relationships in size to things on Earth. 

Moonstruck

Using hands-on activities and modeling, students examine why the Moon changes shape every night and how it orbits the Earth. They will study the Moon’s features on a "trip" with the Apollo astronauts, create a scale model of the Earth and Moon, and make a Moon activity book to take home.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 4: 3b, 5a, 5c, 6b, 6c

Open Court:

Grade 3, Maria's Comet (Maria's Comet is part of the Leveled Classroom Library collection of reader and is highly recommended for the Moonstruck class.)

Outer Space to Forest Place

Which plants and animals are unique to the redwoods? Explore our connection to our closest star the Sun and discover how our place in the universe is unique. Through discovery of our forest, students will come to understand the complexities of life on earth.

Planet Trek

Grades 4-7

Students use astronomy skills to find planets in the night sky. With hands-on activities and media, students model the planets to scale, explore cratering and other planet processes, travel to Mars with Pathfinder, record and study Jupiter’s moons, examine Saturn’s rings and “discover” a new planet.

Grades 8-12

Using scientific inquiry skills and hands-on activities, students identify planets in the night sky, model the planets to scale, and explore planet processes and landforms. Students simulate radar mapping of Venus’ surface, travel to Mars with NASA missions, record and study Jupiter’s moons, “discover” new planets, and examine the possibilities of life beyond earth.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 6: 2a, 2c, 2d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5e, 7a, 7b, 7c

Open Court:

Grade 4, Unit 3, 4 Astronomy

Grade 5, Unit 2 Astronomy

Redwood Biosphere

Living things depend on each other and on non-living things. Learn how life in the forest is interconnected. Why and when do we depend on nature? Learn about the life of a redwood. Build a redwood food web on this investigative hike.
 

Rendezvous with a Comet (CLC)

You are a mission specialist on a daring exploration of comets! Your mission’s goal is to plot a course to rendezvous with a comet and launch a probe to collect scientific data on the object. 

What may seem to be routine exploration is sprinkled with lots of surprises and emergencies, giving you insight into teamwork and problem solving.

Grade 5: 1c, 1g, 2b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6b, 6c, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i
Grade 6: 3a, 3d, 5a, 6a, 4b, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7g
Grade 7: 1d, 3e, 4b, 4g, 5g, 6a, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6h, 6j, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e
Grade 8: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3d, 3f, 4e, 5e, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f

Return to the Moon (CLC)

The year is 2015. For the first time since 1972, a crew of astronauts is returning to the Moon. This time, they plan to stay. Their mission is to establish a permanent base on the Moon to observe and explore, as well as test the feasibility of off-Earth settlements. Navigating their way into lunar orbit, students must construct and launch a probe, and analyze a variety of data gathered from the lunar surface to select a site for establishing the permanent Moon base. Students begin a new era in human planetary explorations during their mission to Return to the Moon.

Renewable Energy

Look at energy consumption patterns and impacts across the globe and decide what fuels we will need to power our world in the 21st century and beyond. Build some alternative energy machines and test run them along with your classmates. Explore the potentials of solar, wind, hydropower, fuel cells and more. Did you know that you could generate your own electricity? Find out how as we take an energetic look into our common future.

Grade 8: 1b, 2f, 3a

Rock-N-Erode

“There’s gold in them thar class!” We’ll head back to the Gold Rush days and do some gold panning and other hands-on activities to get to the core of why Earth is covered by so many different types of rocks and minerals.  Practice techniques that geologists use for identification and classification of rocks and minerals.  We’ll discover how volcanoes, mountains and water are all important in rock and mineral formation and erosion.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 4: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5c, 6d, 6f
History/Social Science: 4.3–3, 5, 4.4–2
Grade 5: 1b, 1d, 1i, 6a, 6h
Grade 6: 2a, 2b, 2c, 7a, 7b, 7e, 7h

Shooting Stars and Space Rocks

Grades 3-4
Using hands-on activities and dramatic media, students learn where meteors come from and why (and when) we have meteor showers. They examine comets inside and outside, learn about some famous and infamous comets, make a comet in the classroom, and simulate comet orbits. Examining collections of earth and space rocks, students analyze and categorize their collections, learn to tell meteorites from meteor "wrongs" (Earth rocks) and learn about the effects of recent meteoroid impacts on earth.

Grades 5-8
Using hands-on activities and dramatic media, students learn where meteors come from and why (and when) we have meteor showers. They examine comets inside and outside, learn about some famous and infamous comets, make a comet in the classroom, and simulate comet orbits. Students examine and classify rocks from earth and space and study meteorite characteristics. They explore the process of impact cratering on earth and throughout the Solar System and learn how life on earth has been affected by rocks from space.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 3: 1d, 1e, 2d, 3d, 3e. 4a, 4d, 5c, 5d, 5e
Grade 4: 3b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6b, 6c

Open Court:

Grade 3, Unit 1, 6 Astronomy

Grade 5, Unit 2 Astronomy

Space Station One

Have you ever wanted to experience lift-off in the Space Shuttle? Do you want to find out if you have the “right stuff”? This is the class for you! We use simulated robotic arms to manipulate objects in space, practice remote space station docking techniques used by the International Space Station, and measure pulse rates before and during tasks to see how your students operate under pressure.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Supports the following State Science Content Standards:

Grade 5: 5a, 5b, 5c
Grade 8: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d
Grades 9-12: 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g

Sun and Stars

Students study our sun and its effects on Earth and may observe the sun with solar telescopes. With hands-on activities and media, students compare our sun to other stars in the night sky and model the evolution of sun-like stars and other kinds of stars. They learn how planets form around stars; how other solar systems have been detected and investigate whether any of these might possibly have life.

Grade 9-12: 1a, 1b, 1e, 1g, 2c, 2d, 2f

Surviving in Space

What happens to the human body during long space flights? Using the latest research from NASA and others on physiological changes in space, students learn about the human systems through a series of whole group and learning station activities. They view segments from Shuttle missions that illustrate how human systems are affected by microgravity. Simulated blood typing, measuring blood pressure, heart rate, lung volume, and other respiratory functions, and other activities allow students to become familiar with the various systems. They use microscopes, digital blood pressure equipment, spirometers, computer probeware, and other technologies in gathering their data.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 3: 3a, 3b
Grade 4: 3b

Open Court:

In this fully hands-on class your students utilize 3-d globes to learn the layers of the Earth from the inner core to the crust.  Then students use puzzles and 3-d globes to understand the fit and movement of lithospheric plates through geologic time.  Students will investigate the driving force of plate tectonics with a hands-on science experiment that demonstrates convection currents in the mantle. Students “will be the earthquake” in a kinesthetic activity where they learn about the different types of seismic waves.  Finally, these concepts will be tied together as students create structures for a shake table challenge.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Supports the following State Science Content Standards:

Grade 4: 5a, 6a, 6d, 6f
Grade 5: 6h
Grade 6: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 3a, 3c, 4c

Voyage to Mars (CLC)

It is 2076, one hundred years after the landing of Viking I, and a now routine voyage to Mars has brought the latest human crew into Martian orbit. Control of the incoming flight has been transferred from Houston’s Mission Control to Mars Control at Chryse Station. The crew arriving from Earth on the Mars Transport Vehicle has been trained to replace the crew of astronauts that has run Mars Control for the past two years, and to continue its scientific explorations of the Red Planet.

Grade 5: 1c, 1d, 1g, 2a, 2b, 2e, 2f, 3b, 3d, 4a, 4c, 4e, 5b, 5c, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i
Grade 6: 1d, 1e, 2a, 2b, 3d, 4b, 4d, 5a, 5c, 6a, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g
Grade 7: 1f, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4e, 4g, 5g, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6h, 6j, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e
Grade 8: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1e, 1f, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3d, 3f, 4c, 4b, 5e, 6b, 8a, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f

Wacky Weather

The water cycle, seasons, and tools we use to learn about different weather conditions will provide experiences that will allow them to begin understanding this fascinating and ever changing topic.

Students will have opportunities to make weather tools, sing a song about the weather cycle, and be introduced to the reasons for the seasons as they observe and participate in a variety of activities. Since the weather is seasonal, the class will evolve to focus on the season in progress to allow students to connect the selected activities to the current weather conditions.

Water World

The search for water continues throughout the solar system. Where there is water, can there be life? Would a sample of Martian soil near an apparent riverbed reveal fossils from a time when there was liquid water? What kind of life forms would scientists be searching for in this soil? In this class, students will investigate some properties of fresh and salt water, manipulate water lenses, and observe life from our own watery world.

Supplemental Teacher Information

Grade 3: 3a, 3b, 3d, 3e
Grade 4: 3a, 3b, 6a, 6c

Open Court:

Grade 4, Unit 6 Life Science

Watershed Ecology

What is the connection between water and life? Where else besides Earth does water exist in our solar system? Let's examine water cycles on Earth. Study creek critters, their habitats, and their interconnections. Build your own underground aquifer or above ground river system, and explore the impacts of pollution. Observe Chabot's Enviro-Garden pond and take an in-depth look at Oakland's own Sausal Creek watershed.