Discover STEM!
This is a fun-filled day full of various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities for all ages. Come explore and discover something new and exciting!
- Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
- Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Location: Calkins Science Center (CSC) building and Cook Hall on GRCC’s downtown campus. View campus map
- Parking: Free parking will be available in Parking Ramp B, across from Calkins Science Center. Please pick up passes at the welcome desk as you walk into the building.
- Cost: Free!
| General Topic | Description | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Anatomy & Physiology! | Come dissect a sheep heart with some of GRCC's current human anatomy and physiology students while learning about your own heart's structure and function! Even if you don't want to dissect, come check out the models and other items we have to learn about your heart. There are a limited number of hearts to dissect so come early! | CSC 339 |
| Nursing Department- How to be a nurse | Participants will get to practice using some nursing tools like a mechanical patient lift, do a dressing change, and explore our high fidelity simulator mannequin patients. We will also be offering free blood pressure screenings and can teach you how to check your blood pressure and pulse. | Cook 432 |
| Owl Pellet Detectives | Become a wildlife detective! Dissect an owl pellets to discover the remains of small animals the owl consumed. Learn about owl ecology, anatomy, and food chains too! | CSC 232 |
| Musical Instrument Makers | Get creative and build your own musical instrument using everyday materials! Then test it out and see what sounds you can create. | CSC 403/405 |
| Balloon cars | Participants will build lightweight “gas”- powered vehicles using a balloon, tongue depressors, straws and rubber bands, then test their cars on our “race track”. Successful tests are awarded with cheers and applause, and participants will get to keep their cars. | CSC 503 |
| Math Play | Games! Games!! Games!!! | CSC 506 |
| Math Play!: Pre-K Edition | Join us for a playful early math adventure designed just for little learners! Children will explore numbers, patterns, and problem-solving through interactive games like “Which One Doesn’t Belong?” and Wiggle Worm Counting. | CSC 205 |
| Biology Crafts and Snacks | Family fun with biology-themed crafts + tasty treats! | CSC 106 |
| Artistic Robots & Engineering | Put your engineering skills to work by designing and building an artistic robot. Solve design challenges to get your robot moving and spinning to create one-of-a-kind marker drawings. | CSC 444 |
| Child Development Facts and Fun | Delay of gratification task, various Piagetian tasks, information for adults on nutrition and children/teens, yoga for young children, and more! | CSC 306 |
| Sip All Day...Get Decay! | Take a peek into what your favorite drinks might be doing to your teeth!! Learn how cavities happen and ways to prevent them! | CSC 406 |
| Grow with Us: A Greenhouse Experience | Join the GRCC Garden Club in the Greenhouse of Calkins Science Center! This activity will have members of the community discover various aspects of plant biology! Community members will also learn about plant reproduction and will make their own succulent/plant arrangement to take home! | Greenhouse CSC 530 |
| Pair It Up! DNA Decoded | After extracting DNA from a strawberry, learners will uncover how this tiny code actually works! Using a real DNA sequence, students will build one strand of a colorful bracelet and then create its matching partner by following the base-pairing rules (A with T, C with G). It’s a hands-on way to see how DNA fits together — and take the genetic code home to wear! 🧬🍓 | CSC 243 |
| Face Painting | Take a creative break and enjoy fun face painting! Choose a design and let our artists add a splash of color to your STEM Day experience. | CSC 202 |
| Extracting DNA from Strawberries! | Embark on a berry exciting adventure to explore the world of genetics and discover what DNA looks like | CSC 243 |
| Anatomy & Physiology BINGO | Think you know your body parts? Or how your body works? Then B-I-N-G-O! There's a prize for you! | CSC 327 |
| At Home Astronomy | Why does the moon have phases? How do we know what stars are made of? And just how big is the Solar System? Come explore the wonders of space in a classroom not so far away! | CSC 440 |
| Cool rocks and Fossils | Explore our impressive collection of minerals, rocks, and fossils, learn about Michigan's geologic history, play with our AR sand table, and make our seismometer JUMP | CSC 427 |
| Worm Composting | Families will be able to make a mini-composting container with worms, check out worm poop under the microscope and learn about composting oppotunities, not only in their backyard but around the community. | CSC 228 |
| Save a Life Saturday and Family Engagement Wellness Week | Family Wellness Week and SAVE A LIFE SATURDAY: At this session families will learn how to save a life. Participants will learn Hands Only CPR as a family and be guided by a song list at proper beats per minute so compressions are done at the correct rate. Participants will step away with Hands Only CPR knowledge, a new playlist of songs and also with a family wellness activity toolkit to continue to stay connected and take care of themselves and each other. Family engagement wellness week starts on Saturday at GRCC Community STEM Day and coming to session: Save a Life Saturday. Bring your save a life attitude, smile, and maybe some dance moves. | CSC 125 |
| Just Breathe | Ever wondered what breathing looks like on the inside? Check out real pig lungs on a ventilator and see how air moves in and out of our bodies! | CSC 241 |
| Slime Time! | Get ready to mix, stretch, and squish your way through the science of slime. Best of all, you get to take your slime home to keep the fun (and science) going! | CSC 505 |
| Build-a-Bacteria | Design a 3D bacterium and learn how its structures allow it to move, attach, and live in the world around us. | CSC 303 |
| Physical Sciences Crafts and Snacks | A great place for families with kids of all ages to land. Snacks and coffee. | CSC 103 |
| Fun with Microscopes | See your own cheek cells, as well as other cells and microsopic organisms, under a microscope! | CSC 242 |
| John Ball Traveling Zoo | Join educators from John Ball Zoo to explore the playful world of animals and learn how zookeepers care for them each day. You’ll also have the chance to see live zoo animals up close—don’t miss this exciting opportunity to meet some incredible creatures! | CSC 204 |