January 13th and January 21st
Careers in Chemistry
2021 Schedule: Starting in January, Homeschool Day will be offered from 10am-2pm on two dates each month. Please note the updated times for Learning Labs as well.
All young learners are welcome to join Homeschool Day, including learning pods and those with asynchronous school schedules.
“I woke up to the world of science when my high school chemistry teacher introduced me to the elegantly ordered periodic table.” -- Isadore Singer, mathematician
Career Table
Video runs continuously from 10am-2pm
Video presentation:
Amanda Spiewak, PhD, Associate Lecturer in Chemistry
In her video talk, chemistry professor Amanda Spiewak will introduce non-traditional chemistry careers that may surprise you, along with ideas about the future of chemistry and why the field needs diverse perspectives.
Amanda Spiewak currently works as an Associate Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse. There, she teaches general chemistry courses to incoming freshmen and upperclassmen interested in science. She also does public engagement activities to enhance science literacy with an organization called Science Is Fun. She holds Bachelor of Science degrees in chemistry and forensic science, and a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in chemistry.
Hands-on Activities
Stations run continuously from 10am-2pm, unless otherwise noted
Chemical Conundrums
Put on your detective hat—it’s time to solve some chemistry riddles! Search the periodic table for clues; the silly answers will make you “explode” with laughter.
Foam Geysers
Demonstrations at 11am, noon and 1pm
Watch as three everyday items—soap, yeast and hydrogen peroxide—undergo a chemical reaction to create colorful, crazy fountains of foam!
Lava Lamps
Ever hear that oil and water don’t mix? Find out why, then see what happens when you add a secret ingredient; this experiment is bubbly, blobby and totally groovy.
Learning Labs
Kinder-2nd Grade
Mysterious Mixtures - 10:30-11:15am
A color-changing liquid sounds like magic, but it’s just chemistry at work! Use a special solution to test a variety of everyday products—what surprising color changes will each mixture create?
3rd-5th Grade
What a Reaction! - 11:30am-12:30pm
Sharpen your observation skills to uncover the differences among reactions: Which combinations give off heat and which create a chill? Can a substance look completely different, but still be chemically the same?
6th-12th Grade
pH-enomenal Rainbow Chemistry - 1:00-2:00pm
Experiment with an acid-base indicator to uncover a colorful code for pH levels. Using what you discover, try to predict the pH levels of common household items and test out your hypothesis.
