Virtual STEAM Expo

Cuyahoga County Public Library is celebrating all things STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math)!

Join us in a virtual celebration of all things STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)! In this all ages, family friendly virtual event librarians will show off 8 fun and engaging STEAM activities and invite you to follow along at home. A schedule of activities and list of materials needed are listed below. 

The event will be held virtually via Facebook Live: https://fb.me/e/Rzk5W9Ec

Schedule and Activities:

11:00 am - Fractals are Everywhere

Quick facts about fractals with examples of where we can find them.

Ages 8 and up

Materials: 

• Paper to draw on
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Marker

11:15 am - Marbleized Paper Making!

Make “marbleized” paper that’s so easy yet so beautiful and unique every time!  We will use shaving cream and food coloring to create a stained “marbleized” design on a piece of card stock paper, which can be used for cards, scrapbooks, or other art-craft projects.

Ages 5 and up

Materials:

• 1 can of foaming shaving cream
• 1 shallow container: rectangular dishpan, casserole dish, plastic container (around 9x12, 8x10 size)
• Watercolor paper, card stock paper, or large index cards with a blank side (about 4x5 size)
• Large spoon or spatula
• Straw, coffee stirrer, chopstick, toothpicks, or wooden skewer
• A couple large popsicle sticks, a ruler, or flat-edged butter knife
• Food coloring (can be just one or several colors)
• Newspaper or similar to spread over the workspace
• Paper Towels (for clean up)

11:30 am - Screaming Balloon

Join us for a hands-on activity and a story.  We’ll explore sound and how we can harness centripetal force to make a balloon scream.

Grades K - 3

Materials:

• Balloon (with grown-up to help blow up balloon)
• Marker
• Hex nut (six sided, ¼” diameter) or something similar (packing nut, castle nut)

11:40 am - Fun Regrowing Store-Bought Vegetables!

Welcome spring with an easy indoor gardening project using common household materials.  Learn how to take cuttings from grocery store vegetables, plant them, and watch them grow!

Adults and children age 5 and up with a caregiver

Materials: 

• 5 plastic pots (4 – 6 inch diameter) with drainage holes*
• 5 plastic pot saucers*
• 6 - 12 quarts of potting soil, compost or seed starter mix
• Fresh, whole produce that is easy to regrow.  Celery, green onions, carrots, romaine lettuce and tomatoes will be used in the demonstration.
• Kitchen knife (with grown-up to help cut vegetables)
• Cutting board
• Water
• Access to a sunny window
• Towel (for clean up)

*Plastic or Styrofoam cups with a drainage hole punched in the bottom can be used in place of pots

*Plastic or Styrofoam bowls can be used in place of saucers

12:00 pm - Lava Lamp in a Bottle

Science is all around us! Build a "lava lamp" with us and explore density, buoyancy, polarity, and chemical reactions.

Ages 4 (with adult assistance) to 9

Materials: 

• Clean 1-liter plastic soda bottle or glass jar with smooth sides (size and volume may vary, but the taller, the better!)
• Water
• Vegetable oil
• Liquid food dye
• Effervescent tablets (such as Alka-Seltzer)

12:15 pm - Paper Catapult

Make a fun little catapult at home out of paper and a few other household items.

Ages 8 and up, or younger with adult assistance

Materials:

• 7 pieces of 8.5”x11” paper
• Something to roll the paper around, such as a pen, marker, or dowel rod
• Tape or hot glue gun
• Plastic spoon or plastic bottle cap
• Rubber bands (1 big one or several small ones)

 Click here for Handout.

12:30 pm - Make Your Own Scuba Diver

Learn about density in a scuba-themed science experiment.

Ages: 8 and up (younger with adult help) 

Materials: 

• Empty plastic 2-liter bottle
• Bendy drinking straw
• Small paper clip
• Play-dough or reusable adhesive putty
• Thick foil or a foil pan
• Scissors
• Water

12:45 pm - Oobleck Fun

Description needed

Ages 5 and up

Materials: 

• Cornstarch
• Water
• Food coloring
• Bowl container of any kind (pan, pot, bowl, cup, cookie sheet, etc.)
• Towel and Water (for clean up)