Demonstration Programs

STEM Outreach programs for schools and other organizations grab students’ attention with exciting demonstrations while introducing them to the wonders of our world and confronting their stereotypes of the scientists who explore these wonders. These programs address science concepts in an age-appropriate manner and help students to master the Illinois Learning Standards. To encourage interaction between students and presenters, group sizes are kept small. Program Coordinator Patricia Sievert is an experienced science educator who has engaged thousands of students in more than 60 schools across northern Illinois. Presenter Jeremy Benson is a post graduate student studying physics education at NIU, and is also assistant director of our residential STEM summer camps here on campus.

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It’s Not Magic, It’s Science is a program designed to open the eyes of children in kindergarten through second grade to science. Children are natural scientists, exploring their world through play. Together, we uncover the science in levitating balls, invisible test tubes, shrinking balloons and more! Suggested program length is 45 minutes.

Frontier Science Road Show programs for students in third through eighth grades can be customized for each audience by choosing themes and concepts that reflect the materials currently being covered in class. Demonstrations using liquid nitrogen, plasma globes, strong magnets, lasers and diffraction-lensed rainbow glasses among many other intriguing demos excite students as they bring STEM concepts to life. Suggested program length is 60 minutes, including a question and answer session.

Please contact Jeremy Benson, jjbenson@niu.edu , (815) 753-0533, to schedule your demonstration program.