The Edgerton Explorit Center annually serves 36,000 people at our center in Aurora, Nebraska and an additional 140,000 students, teachers and parents in schools in all 93 counties of Nebraska with our Edgerton On The Move program (EOTM). EOTM programming takes our award-winning science curriculum on the road with options that include science demonstrations, classroom labs, traveling hands-on science exhibits and the expertise of our highly skilled and trained education staff.
Building Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm Monday – Saturday, 1:00pm-5:00pm on Sunday
All demonstrations take at least 30 minutes.
ARCTIC BLAST
(All Age Ranges)
While going through the states of matter of water, dry ice, and liquid nitrogen, this demonstration is full of “arctic blast”-ing fun filled learning. See what happens to objects when they come in contact with super cold substances in one of our most popular demos.
AMAZING BUBBLES
(PK-2nd)
Bubbles are lots of fun and educational! There will be no lack of bubble making and revealing the science of bubbleology. What are bubbles made of and why can’t we make them out of plain water? What shapes do they come in? What other observations about bubbles can be made? And best of all, have you ever been inside a bubble? Would you like to be?
FUNdamentals of Science
(PK-2nd)
In all fields of science, it is important for scientists to be able to describe, classify, and measure the things they do and see. Students must use their senses, and communicate their observations about similarities and differences between several types of balls, and see other ways to gather information. Many student helpers are needed to dig deeper into the fundamentals of science.
SPARKS
(All Age Ranges)
Sparks fly, and so does the fun, when students meet the Van de Graaff generator during this exploration of static electricity. Participants will learn how energy moves in simple experiments, some of which are even a little “shocking” and “hair-raising”… but always fun!
SPACEFLIGHT EXPLORERS
(All Age Ranges)
In this show we investigate the science of spaceflight: how we get into space (and where it begins), and how living and working in space is different compared to back on Earth. We’ll even perform an astronaut training exercise! Many materials and curriculum in this show are supplied by NASA’s Spaceflight Explorers program. Don’t be fooled by the subject you’ll learn a lot about science on Earth as well as in space!
RAPTOROLOGY - SCIENCE OF RAPTORS
(All Age Ranges)
Time: 45 min – 1hr
This program gives you a rare and unique opportunity to view birds of prey through a true educational experience. The session allows you to get up close with the Center’s Screech Owl, American Kestrel, and Swainson’s Hawk. You will learn the fun and fascinating facts of these amazing creatures including identification of raptors, their natural habitat and habits associated with their surroundings. Hands-on labs available in conjunction with the program including owl pellet dissection, eagle wing construction and owl masks. This program is offered at the Center and with our Edgerton On The Move Program.
PLANETARIUM
(All ages)
Holds 20-25 people per show
An interactive tour of the night sky, with our portable planetarium, we literally bring the universe to you! Our inflatable dome and projection system cannot only show you the night sky as it appears from Earth, but we can travel throughout the Solar System as well. We can even recreate a view of the sky from the Moon. Shows last thirty minutes and are performed every forty-five minutes. Planetarium requires a room at least 20 feet per side with a ceiling of 10 feet high.
STOPPING TIME
(3rd and Up)
Doc Edgerton’s innovation, the strobe light, and a camera are the stars of this entertaining and educational show. Students get to participate in the fun while they learn about stop-motion photography and seeing the unseen. Children and adults alike are amazed at what is revealed when simple everyday events appear frozen in time. A dark room is needed for this show. * Please note: students with special medical conditions such as epilepsy may not be able to see this demonstration as strobe lights may cause seizures.
GO SHOW
(3rd/4th and up)
Ready to take part in a “moving” experience? Newton’s laws of motion and forces will be demonstrated right before students’ eyes. Items like a hovercraft, a hydrogen balloon and more will be used to move these concepts to the front from start to finish, and end with a bang.
GOOD VIBRATIONS
(4th/5th and Up)
Explore the science of sound and vibrations. We will make terms such as wave length, frequency, and pitch simple to understand, and show different types of sound waves and how they reach our ears. We present dramatic demonstrations of how you can not only hear, but actually see sound waves using fire and our amazing Ruben’s Tube.
ABC's of CHEMISTRY
(5th/6th and up)
An exciting introduction to chemistry and chemical reactions! When compounds break up, and new ones form, all kinds of interesting events can happen: color changes, explosions, and more. A large, well ventilated space is a requirement; we don’t want to set off any smoke alarms! Safety is emphasized throughout this entertaining show.
Eagle Wing Building
(3rd and up)
45-60 minutes
A Bald Eagle has a wing span, tip to tip, of up to 7 feet (2.2 meters). Yet an average male Bald Eagle weighs about 9 pounds and an average female weighs about 12 pounds. (Try lifting a 10-pound sack of flour or sugar for comparison.) It is the combination of large wings and fight weight that makes the eagles masters of the air. Learn all about the wing of the Bald Eagle while building a wing on your own.