October 2020
Supporting Students, Families & Educators

Our hearts go out to all of the children, parents and educators in our community who are working so hard this school year. Never has it been more important to inspire a love of learning than during the challenging times we are experiencing. Hundreds of thousands of children in our region are adjusting to learning at home, and it is not easy for anyone involved. It’s a struggle for families who have the resources they need, and it is many times harder for those that do not.

We are here to help all children and educators in this grand challenge. We have developed a wide range of offerings including virtual field trips, STEM kits, online STEM Enrichment, STEM Club, and the Science On The Go mobile program. We are working with schools and community partners to ensure all children have access to these resources with scholarship programs. 

There are two ways you can make our mission possible: First, share the work of the Children’s Science Center with families and educators. Second, donate to ensure that the important work of inspiring a love of learning continues for the many children in our region who need us now more than ever!




Nene Spivy
Executive Director
Children's Science Center
STEM Enrichment Series
Keeping your child on track
This six-week program is designed to help 3rd through 5th graders excel in STEM and meet Virginia State Science Standards of Learning through:

  •  Hands-on experiments
  •  Engineering projects
  • Live science demonstrations
  • Weekly STEM challenges
  • Group Discussion and Connection

Students will receive a STEM enrichment kit that includes materials for each week’s activities, a notebook for recording observations, guided science exploration and challenges, and more!
 
6 Live Virtual Sessions:
November 9 - December 14
Mondays, 9 am - 12 pm OR 1pm to 4 pm
 
Pricing:
$295 for all 6 weeks. $270 for each additional sibling.
Member pricing available
Monday morning or afternoon sessions available.
You're Invited!
Join the Community Conversation

Please join the Children's Science Center for a conversation about building a vibrant STEM ecosystem in Northern Virginia.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage with Children's Science Center Executive Director, Nene Spivy and other members of the Center's Leadership team and community of STEM Champions.

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, November 18, 12:30 - 1:30 PM!
STEM Fun Club
What are they doing after school?
Keep it FUN with our STEM After-School Club! Dive deep into the fun of science topics from chemistry to 3D printing with our experienced STEM Educators from the Lab!

This four-week program for 2nd-5th graders is all about having fun with STEM! Each of the three different clubs meets once a week to uncover the joy of STEM outside of school.
·       Chemistry Tuesdays: Learn to spot chemistry in the world around us by diving into fun with atoms, molecules, and more!
·       Robotics Wednesdays: Explore robotics by programming a robot, creating unique codes, and identifying solutions to real world problems!
·       3D Printing Thursdays: Discover the world of 3D printers by learning what a 3D printer is, what it does, and how it works! 

Live Virtual Sessions:
October 13 - November 5
Each club meets on its given day of the week from 4:00pm to 5:00pm.

Chemistry Tuesdays: 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/ 3
Robotics Wednesdays: 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4
3D Printing Thursdays: 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5
 
Pricing:
$125 for four weeks of one Club. $300 for four weeks of all three Clubs.
Member pricing available

Next session begins November 10 - December 8.
Celebrate Halloween With Us
This show will sure to entertain

Dress up in your favorite costume and join the fun! You won't want to miss this event full of spooky science! You may even recognize some of our STEM educators!

$10 per screen
Free to members
STEM Kits Now Available
Spooky Science: Haunted Lab in a Box
Looking for ways to celebrate Halloween in the safety of your home this year? Our seasonal themed STEM Kits are here! Each kit comes with 7 hands-on activities supplemented by written instructions and a few videos to follow along.

This kit includes all materials needed (except for water) for all 7 activities!
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Kits are designed for elementary aged children and some activities require grown-up supervision. Fun for the whole family!

Reserve your kit(s) today! Curbside pick-up is offered every Saturday in October through October 31.
Donor Spotlight
The Children’s Science Center is thankful for the generous support of CACI. As one of our newest champions, CACI is helping to ensure both our mission today and vision for tomorrow with support for virtual programming and the Launch the Future campaign to build Northern Virginia’s science center. We are excited to welcome CACI and to build a meaningful partnership that will help inspire a love of learning STEM in children and families throughout our region.

For more than 58 years, CACI’s enterprise and mission expertise and technology have played a vital role in national security missions and government transformation for defense, intelligence, and civilian customers. CACI generously supports numerous charitable programs and initiatives in the Northern Virginia region and across the country, and seeks opportunities to invest in the next generation of innovators.

Thank you, CACI, for being a champion of STEM learning! We are especially grateful for your support of our virtual learning initiatives during these unprecedented times and your confidence in our vision to build a world-class science center here in Northern Virginia. We look forward to working together to inspire a love of STEM learning in children today, who will become tomorrow’s innovators.
Try It At Home
Pumpkin Slime
October is here, which means falling leaves, cooler temperatures and of course, pumpkins. Try out this fun experiment using a small pumpkin and some household supplies. You can either play with your slime or make a spooky science decoration for Halloween!

Have fun!
The Children's Science Center is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
We could not continue to share our mission virtually without our community of supporters. Your gifts directly support our mission and programs. THANK YOU!