Why we did it
To spark early curiosity and enthusiasm for science and engineering among elementary students through interactive experiments, while empowering SNHS members to lead impactful community outreach..
2024-25 school yearOutreach
Center Grove Science NHS
Elementary Science Lab Night
Elementary Science Lab Night welcomed Center Grove elementary students to the Innovation Center for an engaging evening of interactive experiments and interactive challenges. Organized by the SNHS members, the event featured a diverse lineup of student-run stations—such as fingerprint forensics, bottle cap rockets, and oil-water lava lamps—alongside a variety of extra engineering-focused activities.
27
FEB
2025
5:00 PM–7:00 PM
Innovation Center
- School year
- 2024-25
- Category
- Outreach
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Photo record
- 18 images
The story
More than an event — a chance to put science into practice.
A hands-on STEM community outreach night hosted by SNHS featuring fingerprinting, bottle cap rockets, oil-water lava lamps, and additional engineering-themed activities.
What participants did
Enjoy a variety of station activities led by CGHS Science National Honor Society members, where students can rotate through hands-on experiments and interactive challenges. Each station features a different science topic—encouraging curiosity, problem-solving, and discovery in a fun, engaging way designed for elementary students.
In the room
What the work looked like.
Each activity connected a visible, hands-on task to the scientific thinking behind it.
01
Water Density
Lava Lamps
Students mixed colored water and oil, observed changes in a water bottle and connected the result to how water behaves.
02
Forensics
Balloon Fingerprinting
Members helped students look for their enlarged fingerprints on a balloon after filling it up with air
03
Anatomy
Pig Lungs
Participants get to blow up pig lungs and see how they inflate and deflate
04
Design and iteration
Engineering challenges
Students get to experiment with an airplane simulator.
Highlights
What stood out.
- 01Welcomed more than 150 elementary students for an evening of hands-on science.
- 02Connected polymer science, chemical reactions, density, and engineering to everyday observations.
- 03Put SNHS members in charge of explaining concepts, managing materials, and guiding safe experiments.
- 04Gave younger students space to predict, test, observe, and ask questions at every station.
What we learned
Every event leaves a better playbook.
Science communicationMentoringLab safetyTeam coordination
Lessons to carry forward
- The clearest explanations begin with a question, not a lecture.
- Short, repeatable station instructions help volunteers spend more time talking with students.
- Hands-on moments are most memorable when students can predict the outcome first.
Learning objectives
- Practice making observations and explaining evidence.
- Recognize that science is collaborative, creative, and accessible.
- Build confidence asking questions and testing predictions.
Photo record
Scenes from the event.
A closer look at the experiments, conversations, and student-led stations from the evening.
Elementary Night 24 25 1
Event Gallery
Explore more
Interested in the next one?
Explore more student-led experiments, outreach nights, and moments of discovery from the chapter.
Keep exploring
Related events.
FEB 27, 2026
Elementary Science Lab Night
Building on the success of the previous year, the 2025–2026 Elementary Science Lab Night welcomed an even larger cohort of local students to the Center Grove Innovation Center. Organized by the Science National Honor Society (SNHS), the expanded evening featured an increased overall variety of student-run stations and interactive experiments—such as fingerprint forensics, bottle cap rockets, and oil-water lava lamps—alongside a broader selection of engineering-focused challenges.
Open event
Sep 25, 2024
Science NHS Egg Drop
During the 2024–2025 school year, members of the Science National Honor Society (SNHS) put their physics and engineering skills to the test in an annual egg drop challenge. Participants engineered and built custom protective contraptions designed to withstand high-impact falls, gathering at the band tower to put their designs to the ultimate test.
Open event
APR 22, 2025
Earth Day Planting
A hands-on planting project where Science NHS members used service to support campus sustainability.
Open event