The Big Cool Science Festival at Colorado College

Saturday, April 8, 2017

A FREE, fun filled day of hands-on science adventures for the entire family

Brought to you by Cool Science and the Colorado College Cool Science Club

** Last Updated 6-Apr-2017 (be sure to refresh your browser)**

Principal Sponsor:

Additional Sponsors & In-kind Donors:

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Come kick-off Earth Month with us and find out how much fun science, math and engineering really is with live science demonstration shows, workshops, tours and a wide variety of fun and engaging hands-on science activities. If you're a Harry Potter fan you will enjoy our "Alchemy, Wizards & Potions" activities, featuring amazing chemistry and science adventures inside our own "castle" where you can climb the bell tower and learn about sound, waves and electricity. Presented by Cool Science, the Colorado College Cool Science Club and dozens of local companies, schools, clubs, nonprofits, museums and other organizations. The event is free, but please pre-register, and a $2/child (or $5/family) donation via Paypal (or cash at the door) will be appreciated to help cover our costs. Most activities are intended for students ages 8-15, but there will be fun for all ages. Never been to a BCSFCC? Check out photos from previous years (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013), or read about last year's festival to find out what to expect.

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Date & Time: Saturday, April 8th, 10 am to 4 pm

Location: Colorado College, Barnes Science Center (also Olin Hall of Science), 1040 North Nevada Ave. (Google Map)

Target Audience: Primarily for 2nd-8th grade students, but plenty of fun activities for all ages!

Parking: The parking lots indicated on the map (as well as any other campus permit lots) are free on Saturday, BUT will likely fill up quickly, so we encourage you to park on the wide tree-lined local neighborhood streets and enjoy a pleasant walk a block or two to campus. Tejon St. and the side streets along Tejon north of campus are ideal for this (cross Uintah at Nevada or Cascade). You can also ride a bike to campus.

Food: You asked for it, so for the first time we will have food and drinks available for purchase on site during the festival, thanks to CC's new PicnicBox, a cool little 1960's-era Volkswagon van repurposed as a catering truck! Cash or credit cards will be accepted to purchase $1 tickets that can be redeemed for food (you must purchase $1 tickets first, no cash will be accepted in the food line). You are also welcome to eat like a college student in the campus dining hall (in Worner Center, 11-1:30)) and coffee shop, or try the restaurants along Tejon St.on the south side of campus (La'au's Taco Shop and Wooglin's Deli are just a block south of campus). We also encourage you to bring your own picnic lunch and enjoy the beautiful CC campus. And if you bring a water bottle we'll have a station where you can fill it.

T-shirts: You've also asked for T-shirts, so this year our favorite artist, Corbin Hillam, has created a great new design just for kids in 100% white cotton (sizes Youth XS-XL and Adult S & M). It's yours as as a thank you gift for a $15 donation, cash or credit cards (see below) accepted. Kids can also download and color the design themselves, then bring it to the festival for a chance to win a free T-shirt.

Food/Donation Ticket Sales: This year we will have a special Ticket Tent outside where you can use your credit card securely to purchase any number of $1 tickets that can be used to pay for food, or to make your donation to Cool Science (suggested donation $2/child or $5/family, $15 and you get a T-shirt as an appreciation gift). You can also purchase tickets (for food) with cash.

Pre-registration: Help us know how many people to expect (and avoid the line at our registration tables) by pre-registering online.

Suggested Donation: $2/child or $5/family. Cash or $1 tickets purchased with your credit card at our Ticket Tent (see above) accepted at the Registration table, or you can donate online via Paypal or Colorado Gives. Your tax-deductible donations not only help us to cover the costs for this event, but also for the hundreds of fun hands-on science programs we provide in local schools and libraries throughout the year.

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Join and Follow this event on Facebook and Twitter. We will be posting updates and lots of fun information via social media before and during the festival! Tell your friends Click the "Share" button below to post a link to this page on your Facebook wall. Click the "Tweet" button below to tweet a link to this page to your Twitter followers. You can also use the "Tweet #BCSFCC" box to the right to tweet us a message or a photo you take at the festival. Tell us how much you love this event! Let us know you're coming, and any thoughts, questions or suggestions. We'd especially love your comments, feedback and photos after the festival. Or you can just "Like" us! Like to volunteer? We need plenty of help during the festival with activity stations, setting up, info desk, taking photos, etc. Email volunteer@coolscience.org for more information. And be sure to sign up for our Newsletter so you'll always know about upcoming Cool Science programs. You can email any questions to info@coolscience.org   Tweet

Live Twitter stream (use #BCSFCC) Follow @CSCoolScience Tweets about "#BCSFCC"

* Help keep this event admission FREE * Suggested donation $2/child ($5/family) or

Download Laine Michelle's 2017 CoOL festival poster to help us promote the event or color Corbin Hillam's new kids T-shirt design 2017 BCSFCC Poster (JPG) Color it Yourself T-shirt Design Hi-Res (918k) Lo-Res (242k) Hi-res (849k) Lo-res (193k)

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Live Science Demonstration Shows, Tours, Workshops & Special Presentations:

10:00 & 11:00 am, 1:00 & 2:30 pm — Cool Science — "Chemistry Magic Show" Join Prof. Ron Furstenau (Cool Science President and USAFA Chemistry professor) as he demonstrates his famous amazing chemical wizardy. Olin Room 185. ~45 min. (All ages)

11:00 am, noon, 2:00 & 3:00 pm — U.S Air Force Academy — "Physics is Phun" Join Lt. Col. Brian Smiith and USAFA cadets as they demonstrate some very cool physics throughout the day, and between shows you can even get up close and personalwith science yourself. Tutt Science Center Room 122. ~45 min. (Primarily for ages 10-14, but enjoyable for all)

Tours every 15-20 minutes — CC Shove Memorial Chapel Tours — There's lots of science and engineering in store as you tour our own little "castle", CC's beautiful Norman Romanesque chapel inspired by the famous Winchester Cathedral in England. Climb the clock tower's spiral stone stairway all the way to the roof for a great view of campus, stopping to see (and hear) the giant bells and learn about the pendulum clock. Meet at clock tower entrance. (All ages)

11:00 am, 1:00 pm — The Keytones — Enjoy a folk music trio of scientists and engineers performing a 30 minute set of several popular songs with their own science themed lyrics. (All ages)

2:00 - 2:15 pm — Ormao Dance Company *NEW* — Mathtastic: Dancing with Mathematics is an exciting, participatory performance that investigates math concepts using music, movement and a curious collection of everyday objects. Labyrinth circle, next to chapel. (Primarily for ages 5-10, but enjoyable for all)

11:30 am, 12:30, 1:30 & 2:30 pm — Mile High Bug Club *NEW* — "Bug Hunts" Explore the bushes and brambles around campus on a 20-30 minute safari to find insects and other little creep-crawly critters. Meet at the Mile High Bug Club table. (All ages)

All Day — Cavesim *NEW* — Suit up and explore under the Earth- in a trailer! CaveSim is 60' of twisty simulated caving passages you crawl through, but don't bump into any stalactites. They're actually electronic sensors that record your score like a video game as you carefully navigate the course. There will be a line, but also lots of things to see and do while you wait. (All ages).

All day — Mountain States Droid Builders — "Meet R2D2!" Tim built his own life-size, remote-controlled Star Wars droid and he'll be wandering around the festival throughout the day meeting everyone. Tim is also be happy to show older robotics enthusiasts how R2 works and how he was made. (All ages)

All day — Young Artist's Workshop w/ Imagination Celebration — You've seen our official poster/flyer, now meet Laine Michelle, the local artist who created it as she helps you design your own Big Cool Science Festival poster- and we might just use it next year! (All ages)

All Day — Cool Science Kid's T-shirt Printing Station *NEW* — Learn about silk screen and heat transfer printing technology as you watch us custom make our new "Kids Can Do Cool Science Too!" T-shirts (your appreciation gift for a $15 donation). (All ages)

Hands-on Science Carnival Activity Stations:

American Institute of Architects- Colorado South Chapter — "Sugar Cube Arches" Arches were very important in early architecture of castles and cathedrals, and you will discover why as you try to build your own free-standing arch using sugar cubes. (Ages 5-12)

American Medical Response — "Beyond the Lights & Sirens" Talk to our EMT, learn hands-only CPR techniques and explore the medical equipment inside a real ambulance. (All ages)

American Numismatic Association (Money Museum) — "Exporing the Science of Numismatics" Learn why some of the metals on our Periodic Table are good for coins and others just aren't. Take home a coin of your own, & play our games to win more! (All ages)

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study *NEW* — Learn how your eyes work by testing your blind spot and retinal fatigue. We'll also have Sink & Float and paper airplane activities for the younger crowd. (All ages)

Blue Skies Exploration Academy — "Silly Putty" Create your own home-made silly putty using dish soap and cornstarch. (All ages)

Buell Children's Museum (Pueblo) — "Imagination Playground" Build whatever you imagine with our big blue foam blocks. (All ages)

Catamount Institute — "Bird Watching Bingo" Learn to use binoculars by searching for birds on campus and then identify them on your Bingo sheet to win! (All ages)

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park *NEW* — "Geo Lab" Learn how caves are formed and the rocks that they contain. (All ages)

Challenger Learning Center — "Stomper Rockets" Build a rocket out of construction paper then launch it with a blast of air. (Ages 8+)

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo — Meet Zoo Educators and a few of your favorite animals from our ZooMobile (*10-2 only). (All ages)

Civil Air Patrol (Colorado Springs Cadet Squadron) — "Blast Off!" Build your own paper rocket, then launch it using compressed air to compete with other budding rocket scientists for distance and accuracy. (All ages)

Colorado College Office of Sustainability *NEW* — "Ocean Acidification" Watch how carbon dioxide from your breath changes the color of water containing a pH (acid/base) indicator, and learn about what this means for the health of the Earth's oceans. (Ages 6+)

Colorado College Women in STEM *NEW* — "Soda Can Stirling Engine" Watch CC students engineer a real working engine from a soda can and a candle. (All ages)

Colorado Parks & Wildlife — Skins, skulls and trivia. (All ages)

Colorado Springs Astronomical Society — View astronomical objects from the roof with our cool telescopes and learn how to safely observe the total solar eclipse coming August 21st. (All ages)

Colorado State Forest Service — "Tree Cookies" You don't eat them, but they tell you how old a tree is, and how rainfall and fires have affected its growth. Also learn home fire mitigation and plant your own ponderosa pine seedling. (All ages)

Colorado Technical University — Explore several electricity and magnetism activities as well as some cool robots. (Ages 6+)

Cool Science and the CC Cool Science Club — "Alchemy, Wizards & Potions!" Channel your inner Harry Potter with several amazing chemistry transformations and other wizardy activities inside our "castle" (Shove Chapel):

1. "Potions Lab" - Mix your own magic potions from common household chemicals and see what happens. (Ages 5-10)
2. "Alchemist Lab" - Medieval alchemists were the forerunners of modern chemists, but they had to manufacture their own chemicals, and so will you by using cabbage to make an almost magical color changing potion! (Ages 8+)
3. "Wizarding Sounds" - Climb our "castle's" bell tower to test your wizarding skills by making ordinary objects talk or sing and dragons spout water. (All ages)
4. "Levitation" - Use your magic wand to make ordinary objects float and dance in the air. (Ages 6+)
5. "Bubbles Lab" - How do you make the best soap bubbles? (All ages)
6. "Pipe Organ Sounds & Waves" - Learn how sound waves are created and make ordinary objects sound like CC's pipe organ. (All ages)

D-11 FIRST Robotics Team *NEW* — "Cougars Gone Wired" High school students from District 11 demonstrate their brand new robot "Thumper" as they get ready to compete at the FIRST Robotics championships in Houston. (All ages)

Dinosaur Resource Center — "All About Dinosaurs" We'll have skulls, claws and teeth from some of the dinosaurs and the flying and marine reptiles that lived 65 million years ago, a cool game, and casts that you can paint and take home. (All ages)

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument — Examine real fossils that were discovered in Colorado. (All ages)

Flash & Thelma Memorial Hedgehog Rescue & Homeward Bound Hedgies Rescue — Meet our very cute and furry African hedgehogs and learn just how long hedgies have been scurrying the Earth (hint: they were arond with dinosaurs). (All ages)

Garden of the Gods Park (City of Colo Spgs) *NEW* — "Wildlife of Colorado's Front Range" Learn to identify clues left by wild animals that live in and around the park. (All ages)

Hawk Quest *NEW* — Get up close and personal with several live birds of prey. (All ages)

High Trails Outdoor Education Center — "Gravity Visualized" Learn what is gravity, how it works and the role it played in the creation of our solar system. (All ages)

k12 — "Fun with Bernoulli" Experiment with moving air to do some strange and amazing things. (Ages 5-12)

Lockheed Martin — What could skateboards, Isaac Newton and rockets have in common? Find out with these cool activities:

1. "Rocket Cart" Can you really turn a skateboard into a rocket with just a few sand bags?. (Ages 6+)
2. "3-D Virtual Reality" Try on our Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headsets and explore a three dimensional virtual reality world. (Ages 8+)
3. Rocket models, satellite components, movies and lots more cool stuff. (Ages 6+)

March for Science Colorado Springs *NEW* — "How Far Away is the Sun?" Start from a blue grain of sand on our table and try to place an orange tennis ball (the sun at this scale) at exactly the correct distance away to win a prize. (All ages)

Mile High Bug Club *NEW* — "Discover Bugs with the MHBC" Learn about entomology (the study of insects) and arthropods (insects, spiders, crustaceans and more) with lots of our creep-crawly critters, and join us on several "Bug Hunts" around campus throughout the day (check schedule above for times). (All ages)

National Space Science and Technology Institute (NSSTI) *NEW* — Tour Colorado College's observatory on the roof and peer through the big telescope (with CC Physics Dept.). We'll also have information about our new Mobile Earth & Space Observatory, a cool RV packed with telescopes and other equipment that can come to your school starting later this year. (All ages)

Peak Vista Community Health Center — "Fog Bubbles!" What's more fun than making bubbles with dry ice? (All ages)

Pikes Peak Children's Museum *NEW* — "Your Heart & Blood" Discover what your blood is made of and how your heart pumps it through your body. (Ages 5-10)

Pikes Peak Library District (Video Services) — "Scientists at Work" Our popular "Green Screen" video is back. This time we'll make you look like a real scientist. (All ages)

Pikes Peak Library District (Green Team) — "Science of Urban Farming & Homesteading" Learn how to sustainably live off the land in an urban setting:

1. "Bees and Beekeeping" Everything you ever wanted to know about those little buzzing critters from Suzanne Karaus of the Pikes Peak Beekeepers Association. (All ages)
2. "Urban Homesteading" Specialist Allison Buckley from Buckley's Homestead Supply will explain how to raise poultry at home and introduce kids to one of her chickens. (All ages)
3. "Farming & Homesteading Crafts" PPLD staff will help kids with several fun crafts. (All ages)

Pikes Peak Pebble Pups — Explore the rocks, minerals, fossils, and gems of the Pikes Peak Region with several activities. (All ages)

St. Mary's High School — Learn about 3D printing as we manufacture some simple plastic products. (Ages 6+)

that Science Fairy *NEW* — Follow the wandering Science Fairy's cart for lots of fun things to do. (Ages 4-6)

Thomas MacLaren School *NEW* — "Hexaflexagon" Fold a strip of paper into a cool flexible hexagonal structure. (Ages 8+)

Transparent Dreams Stained Glass *NEW* — "Art & Science of Stained Glass." Artist (and microbiologist) Mark Stine will explain how the beautiful stained glass in Shove Chapel is made, and let you try your hand at some of the engineering technology. (Ages 8+)

UCCS Dept. of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering *NEW* — Learn how machine shop tools and 3-D printing work. (Ages 6+)

UpaDowna — Fun outdoor educational adventures

1. "Mountain Rescue" Save the stranded hikers off the mountain with a helicopter! (All ages)
2. "Super Slackline" Test your balance and focus skills while holding different objects. (All ages)
3. "Disc Golf" Experiment with different weight discs- which works best? (All ages)

Usborne Books & More — Check out lots of science books, have fun with "365 Science Activities" and enjoy story time at the top of every hour. (Ages 4-10)

Van de Graaff to GO! *NEW* — Our giant Van de Graaff generator's 500,000 Volts will make your hair stand up and shoot lightning bolts 18". Need we say more? Also meet Nikola Tesla (aka Richard Marold) and learn what makes his famous Tesla Coil different. (Ages 8+)

Whiz Bang Science (Colorado College) — "Sound Science". Experiment withsounds using tuning forks, then you can make your own harmonica. (All ages)

YoungBotBuilders — Learn about Lego robotics and make your own spin art. (Ages 6+)

Cool Science is also supported by:

The Schuster Family Foundation ----------- The Bruni Foundation

and your generous donations!

Special thanks to all our wonderful volunteers.

We would also like to thank Phil Barnett (Phil Barnett Photography) for photographing this event!

Learn how you can volunteer at this event or other Cool Science Programs

If your organization would like to participate, or you know of another group we should invite, contact info@coolscience.org . We would love to add more variety to the activities, especially health sciences (doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, etc.)

Disclaimer: By attending this free public event you are accepting that your family's images may be used on our website and promotional materials. If you would prefer that we do not use your image in any way, you may sign an "opt-out" form available during the event at the main registration desk in Barnes Science Center, or email us.