Science on Wheels

3rd Grade

Use the Force

Join us as we challenge the laws of physics. We’ll use several fun experiments to explore forces like gravity, air pressure, inertia and friction in this high energy and interactive presentation. All these concepts will be tied together at the end as we launch a small rocket across the stage. We’ll really MOVE you as we explore the what’s and why’s of motion and forces!

South Carolina Standards Connections:  3-PS2-1, 3-PS2-2

Recommended Audience – 3rd

Register

This is an assembly program recommended for up to 200 students per session in a large space. Each session is about 45 minutes long and up to 3 sessions can be booked in a visit. This assembly can be combined with a different assembly. See our assembly combination options for details.

A space large enough to fit all attending students either seated on the floor or in chairs plus their teachers.

Requirements:
  1. Room for one 6’ long rectangular table (or equivalent), set up against the wall at one side of the room with about 5’ between the table and the audience seating
  2. A screen (projector and screen or digital screen) that the instructor can connect a laptop computer to. If this is not available, we can set up a portable projection system.
  3. A 3-pronged electrical outlet near the presentation space (if outlets are 2-pronged, let us know so we can plan for an adaptor)

Gyms, Cafeterias and auditoriums work well. Large classrooms, such as Music rooms, can also be used depending on the size of the audience and the room. Due to the large amount of setup involved, this program cannot move from space to space once set up.

The first 45-minute session is $175, each additional session on the same day is $75. The maximum number of sessions in one day is 3.

1 Session $175
2 Sessions $250
3 Sessions $325

Outside Greenville county a travel fee of $1.00 per mile applies.

This program can be combined with other assembly programs. Assembly Combination Options

This program can travel up to 2.5 hours from Roper Mountain for a single day trip. Sites farther from Roper Mountain (up to 5 hours) can request an overnight visit. A flat $200 per night fee is added for each night to cover hotel and meals for our instructor. There is a travel fee of $1.00 per mile for all sites outside of Greenville county. We use Google Maps to calculate drive times and distances. It can be beneficial for more distant locations to team up with other sites in your area to combine trips and split travel fees.

Maximum of 3 sessions in a day. 45 minutes is required for setup. 30 minutes is required for breakdown. 15 minutes is required to reset the program between sessions. If the programs extend through lunch time, a 30 minute or longer break between programs is requested so the instructor can eat lunch.

Greenville County schools: First session can start as early as 8:15 a.m.

Out of County Schools: Calculate the drive time from Roper Mountain Science Center to your school, then add that amount of time to 8:00 to determine your earliest assembly start time. If it is a one hour drive from Roper Mountain to your school, add one hour to 8 a.m. and the earliest start time is 9 a.m.

Arcs and Sparks – Magnets and Static Electricity

Experiments in this hair-raising assembly will show how electricity and magnets are forces that can affect objects without touching them. Student volunteers will lift heavy objects with magnets, us static electricity to attract and repel objects and much more. We will wrap things up by using an electromagnet to launch a metal ring into the air!

South Carolina Standards Connections:  3-PS2-3, 3-PS2-4

Recommended Audience – 3rd

Register

This is an assembly program recommended for up to 200 students per session. Each session is about 45 minutes long and up to 3 sessions can be booked in a visit.

A space large enough to fit all attending students either seated on the floor or in chairs plus their teachers.

Requirements:
  • Room for one 6’ long rectangular table (or equivalent), set up against the wall at one side of the room with about 5’ between the table and the audience seating
  • A screen (projector and screen or digital screen) that the instructor can connect a laptop computer to. If this is not available, we can set up a portable projection system.
  • A 3-pronged electrical outlet near the presentation space (if outlets are 2-pronged, let us know so we can plan for an adaptor)
    • The first 45-minute session is $175, each additional session on the same day is $75. The maximum number of sessions in one day is 3.

    1 Session $175
    2 Sessions $250
    3 Sessions $325

    Outside Greenville county a travel fee of $1.00 per mile applies.

    This program can be combined with other assembly programs. Assembly Combination Options

    This program can travel up to 2.5 hours from Roper Mountain for a single day trip. Sites farther from Roper Mountain (up to 5 hours) can request an overnight visit. A flat $200 per night fee is added for each night to cover hotel and meals for our instructor. There is a travel fee of $1.00 per mile for all sites outside of Greenville county. We use Google Maps to calculate drive times and distances. It can be beneficial for more distant locations to team up with other sites in your area to combine trips and split travel fees.

    Sessions are 45 minutes long. Maximum of 3 sessions in a day. 45 minutes is required for setup. 30 minutes is required for breakdown. 15 minutes is required to reset the program between sessions. If the programs extend through lunch time, a 30 minute or longer break between programs is requested so the instructor can eat lunch.

    Greenville County schools: First session can start as early as 8:15 a.m.

    Out of County Schools: Calculate the drive time from Roper Mountain Science Center to your school, then add that amount of time to 8:00 to determine your earliest assembly start time. If it is a one hour drive from Roper Mountain to your school, add one hour to 8 a.m. and the earliest start time is 9 a.m.

    Builder Workshop – The Great Coaster Challenge

    Participants in this hands-on program will act as Theme Park Engineers to design and build a prototype roller coaster for our theme park. Engineers will work in groups of 2-4 to plan and build their coaster. They will need to manage materials and resources, as well as time to build a functioning roller coaster. At the end of the activity, we will give each group of engineers the chance to demonstrate their creation, and we will evaluate the success of each coaster.

    South Carolina Standards Connections: 
    ETS1.A – Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem
    ETS1.B – Developing Possible Solutions
    ETS1.C – Optimizing the Design Solution
    ETS2.A – Interdependence of Science, Engineering and Technology

    3-PS2-1 and MPS.PS.1

    Recommended Audience – 3rd grade and up
    Register

    This is a single class program (up to 32 students) that must be setup in one location and have classes come at their scheduled times. Students will be working in small groups and will be required to design and build prototype rollercoasters. They will be using tape and scissors. The program is 60 minutes long and up to 4 sessions can be scheduled in a visit. Schools with more than 4 classes in a grade will need to book multiple days.

    A space large enough to fit all attending students either seated on the floor or in chairs plus their teachers.

    Requirements:
    1. Room for one 6’ long rectangular table (or equivalent), set up against the wall at one side of the room with about 5’ between the table and the audience seating
    2. A screen (projector and screen or digital screen) that the instructor can connect a laptop computer to. If this is not available, we can set up a portable projection system.
    3. A 3-pronged electrical outlet near the presentation space (if outlets are 2-pronged, let us know so we can plan for an adaptor)
    The first 60-minute session is $200, each additional session on the same day is $100. The maximum number of sessions in one day is 4.

    1 Session $200
    2 Sessions $300
    3 Sessions $400
    4 Sessions $500

    Outside Greenville county a travel fee of $1.00 per mile applies.

    For multiple day visits a one session discount will be applied to the total for each additional day if we are permitted to store the equipment at the school in between visits.

    This program can travel up to 2.5 hours from Roper Mountain for a single day trip. Sites farther from Roper Mountain (up to 5 hours) can request an overnight visit. A flat $200 per night fee is added for each night to cover hotel and meals for our instructor. There is a travel fee of $1.00 per mile for all sites outside of Greenville county. We use Google Maps to calculate drive times and distances. It can be beneficial for more distant locations to team up with other sites in your area to combine trips and split travel fees.

    Sessions are 60 minutes long. Maximum of 4 sessions in a day. Multiple days can be scheduled if needed to accommodate all classes. 60 minutes is required for setup. 30 minutes is required for breakdown. 15 minutes is required to reset the program between sessions. If the programs extend through lunch time, a 30 minute or longer break between programs is requested so the instructor can eat lunch.

    Greenville County schools: First session can start as early as 8:15 a.m.

    Out of County Schools: Calculate the drive time from Roper Mountain Science Center to your school, then add that amount of time to 8:00 to determine your earliest assembly start time. If it is a one hour drive from Roper Mountain to your school, add one hour to 8 a.m. and the earliest start time is 9 a.m.