Education Programs at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum

What is a life cycle? Do all living things have one? Join us as we go through how living things look different throughout their life cycle and why. We'll also learn more about three main components to a life cycle: The stages, the traits, and why it's all about survival!

Join us as we explore different natural areas in Michigan to ID some common, native wildflowers! Enjoy this year's Mother's Day with this virtual experience, and we hope those that are watching get the chance to take their own outdoor wildflower hike!

Adapted from NISEnet’s activity “Imagining Life”, Life on Earth comes in many different forms. Kids will be encouraged to take a walk and observe local wildlife and think about the questions: What would life look like on another planet? What adaptations would be needed to survive?

What are fossils? Where can you find them? Learn answers to these questions while we show off some cool fossils of our own!

Ever wonder how you can be more sustainable to help keep our earth healthy? Recycling is a great first step! Learn the basics of what it takes to become a recycling expert.

The Scientific Method is a simple, step-by step process on how scientists can best answer their questions or spark curiosity. What better way to learn about this process than through studying wildlife like snakes? Let’s go over the six basic steps to the scientific method, all while learning about a specific animal and where they are found.

Learn how to create your own leaf and bark rubbings and learn about the way scientists classify leaves. View PDF here and click "More Information" for examples.

Get outdoors with this fun scavenger hunt! View PDF here.

Every year, waves of butterflies make the perilous journey south for the winter. With this game, you can try your hand at surviving some of the challenges these butterflies face! Grab a dice, a sticker, and a space outdoors to play the Monarch migration game! View PDF here.

We get a lot of resources from rainforests all over the world. Can you find items in your house that might have come from a rainforest? View PDF here.

Which ones will sink and which ones will float? Will they sink quickly or float down gently? Will the floaters stay floating the whole time? Why do you think that? View PDF here.

Find as many items as you can as you explore your local ecosystem. View PDF here.

Can you think of any plants or animals on Earth that live in extreme environments? Learn all about extremeophiles as you imagine your very own world and the life that could live there. View PDF here.

Learn all about Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. View PDF here.

Bat Biology Echolocation Activity for 4th Grade. View PDF here.

Students will create adaptations for each stage of an animal’s life cycle in order to give it the ability to survive in a new habitat. View PDF here.

Extension Activities for Kindergarten Forces and Motion. View PDF here.

Extension Activities for 4th Grade Sound Energy. View PDF here.

List of Video Resources for teachers. 

Learn all about Kenyan Sand Boas. View PDF here.

Come explore the science behind music! Kids will interact with pitch, tempo, and volume to learn how music is created. Register today!

Make magnets float in mid-air while testing their ability to attract and repel each other! Students learn all about magnetism by using a variety of materials to explore and design. Register today!

Students will use tools such as lenses, flashlights and mirrors to investigate how light travels. Several interactive activities make up this exploration! Register today!

Look Beyond the four stages of the water cycle. Engage in experiments and become a water drop as you experience the many paths of a water molecule. Register today!

Investigate series and parallel circuits as well as the parts that make them work. Students get to design their own alarm and much more with our safe, interlocking electronic components. Register today!

Dissect a real cow eye to investigate the inner workings of eyes! Students will be able to make connections to eye structure through this hands-on exploration. Register today!

Is it a solid, liquid, gas, or something even spookier? Make two kinds of slime as we investigate the states of matter.   Award-winning program! Register today!

Meet up to three live bats with the Leslie Science & Nature Center! Join in as we take an up close look into the wondrous world of bats! Explore what makes bats so unique, why they're important across the globe and try your hand at being an expert echo-locator using a simple tool to understand sound! Register today!

Together with the Leslie Science & Nature Center, we will create a food chain using LIVE animals (hawk/owl, snake, frog, spider and roach). Along the way we will discuss how they survive in the wild. Register today!

Take a look at actual fossils, discover the clues that they hide, and learn how to interpret their stories which unfolded millions of years ago.   Award-winning program! Register today!