field trips
Field Trips 2024/25
The Bend Science Station offers dynamic STEM field trips which expose students to hands-on, laboratory-based science. The NGSS-aligned content is tailored to the K-5 classroom.
Lab experiences are 1.5 hours long and cost $600 for classes of up to 30 students. Students are split between two labs with no more than 15 in each lab. Program costs include hands-on instruction time, consumable materials, and setup/cleanup of 2 classroom laboratories. Classes marked with an asterisk will incur an additional charge of $50 because of the higher cost of consumable materials. We are currently working to create a Field Trip Fund to offset the cost of these experiences. Please reach out with questions about funding availability for your school!
If you do not see a topic below which fits your classroom needs, BSS works with teachers to create custom curriculum! To book a field trip, please send a request to bss@bendsciencestation.org.
Amazing Arthropods: From ancient trilobites to their modern-day ancestors, we focus on animals with jointed legs and exoskeletons. Students hold live walking sticks and fiddler crabs. *additional cost
Extreme Explosions: Students ignite + compare the energy in different types of candy and then perform the highly exothermic thermite reaction.
Eye Examination: How are images created? Explore how eyes work by investigating lenses and dissecting cow eyes.
Lego Levers: Experience mechanical advantage by first lifting the instructors and then using Lego kits to construct levers and see how much weight they can hold up.
Liquid Nitrogen: Investigate how different solids, liquids and gases respond to being cooled to -195°C with liquid nitrogen. *additional cost
Mighty Mineralogy: Learn about the largest crystals in the world and conduct hammer tests on minerals to understand what makes rocks.
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​Powerful Pressure: Learn about pressure with our full-sized bed of nails and then study the “blanket” of air that surrounds us by using it to deform marshmallows and crush cans.
Shocking Science: Investigate the world of electrons and use a Van de Graaff generator to make foam, hair and mylar fly!
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The following options can only be offered to schools outside Deschutes County public schools.
Combustible Chemistry: Investigate the energy stored in chemical bonds while learning about exothermic and endothermic reactions, and then incinerate a gummy bear.
Heart Smart: Learn about the anatomy of the heart by observing a real cow heart and then focus on physiology by conducting a heart rate experiment on your classmates.
Making Motors: Learn about magnetism-electromagnetism and construct electric motors that can be taken home.
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Sound + Waves: Use giant springs to model waves, measure frequencies of “screaming rods”, make cup guitars and experience laser transmission of sound.