The Lawrence Hall of Science
The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.
Open Wed-Sun 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Animal Discovery Zone 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
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A selection of DIY STEM activities for you to use at home.
In this activity, learners will make their own prism and use a glass of water to separate sunlight into different colors.
Many people get water from a source deep underground, called groundwater. In this activity learners will make a model to explore this hidden water, and…
Where rainwater goes after the rain stops? And why there are rivers and lakes in some parts of the land but not in others? In…
Water on Earth is in lakes, the ocean, rivers, underground, and frozen glaciers. In this activity, learners will model how much water of each type…
Most people will break a bone in their body at some point in their life, but how much force does it take to break one?
Most people break at least two bones in their lifetime. In this activity, learners will use celery stalks to model the many ways that bones…
Many germs spread by our hands, and often times, people don’t wash their hands well enough to get rid of germs. In this activity, learners…
In this activity, learners make their own pinhole viewer in order to measure the size of the sun. After using the viewer to project circular…
In this activity, learners use binoculars (or a telescope) to identify and track sunspots.
In this activity, learners use tonic water to detect ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun and explore the concept of fluorescence.
Some bugs can walk on the surface of a lake, stream, river, pond or ocean. In this activity, learners will investigate surface tension of and…
In this activity learners will explore water’s unique properties of freezing and melting, and how these relate to density and temperature.
In this activity, learners will explore how fertilizers can affect lakes and other bodies of water.
In this activity, learners will create a model of how snot works and will explore how it keeps our bodies healthy.
Most of the time, we don’t need to think about breathing. You’re breathing right now! How do you get air into your lungs (inhale) and…
We breathe in and out all the time. What’s in the air we breathe out from our lungs (exhale), and how is it different than the…
Make your own solar prints with the power of the Sun and cyanotype technology. SUNPRINT® Kits are an easy and exciting project to do—perfect for…
Make and use your own Uncle Al’s Hands-On Universe Star Wheels to have a working star map for anytime of night, any month.
Vaccine Learning Resources These activities were designed to build vaccine confidence among families with young children who are considering the…
In this simulation, learners explore how ocean currents spread all kinds of pollution—including oil spills, sewage, pesticides and factory waste—far beyond where the pollution originates.
This activity gets learners looking at 6-sided shapes in nature, including the cells of a beehive, as well as other shapes.
In this art-related activity, learners make a coin rubbing—a process similar to what archeologists may do with ancient artifacts.
This warm weather activity introduces learners to the impact trees have on blocking the sun’s heat and reducing temperature on the Earth’s surface.
Rocks are made of minerals, and minerals often have crystal shapes. In this fun activity about geometry in nature, learners create their own crystal shapes…
Create a miniature wind tunnel test by blowing air with a fan or blow dryer and flying paper airplanes, helicopters and other folded paper models…
Make a model of a beehive and learn about honeybees.
Measure yourself in nanometers then compare that to standard measurements in inches or centimeters.
Learn about symmetry in nature. Paint spots on the wing of a ladybug drawing.
Learn about birds by observing them near home or school.
Search for various kinds of items made from minerals around home or at school.
Investigate patterns and ratios through creating patterns of hair beads.
Create a paper helicopter and observe what happens when modifying the motion, weight, and blades.
This animated series was produced with Computer Science faculty to help young people learn important ideas related to cyber security. Parents, educators, librarians and community…
Learners discover the bubble power of living cells in this multi-hour experiment with baker’s yeast.
In this activity, learners get a closer look at the shape of a drop of water and a drop of oil. Learners first drip water…
This activity features two connected hands-on activities about dinosaur bones. Using chicken or turkey bones and regular household items, learners explore the scientific process of…
Place a fern, flower, or other object on this special paper and set it in the sun briefly. Then, rinse the paper in water and watch as a beautiful, long-lasting image appears. Get inspired with SUNPRINT Kits, developed right here at the Lawrence Hall of Science.
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Topics: Sunprints
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Make and use your own Uncle Al’s Hands-On Universe Star Wheels to have a working star map for anytime of night, any month. Find constellations for various latitudes, northern and southern hemisphere, different languages, and even a Kepler Star Wheel for finding stars with exoplanets!
Topics: Astronomy
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