Kids Science Kits

Casper school district worker handles materials for science instruction

CASPER, Wyo. — Unpacking, sorting and packing are loathsome chores to most.

Jessica Cousineau does them every day — and she likes it.

As the sole employee at the Natrona County School District Science Depot, Cousineau is responsible for the contents of more than 1,400 boxes of science materials. Each box contains a teacher guide, student handbook and materials to conduct science experiments around a theme, such as the human body and magnetism and electricity.

The Full Option Science System “kits” have been the districtwide science curriculum in elementary and middle schools since 2009-10. The curriculum teaches “inquiry-based” science lessons, meaning that students learn by conducting experiments and asking questions.

Teachers each check out a kit for a few months. District trucks collect the kits at the end of the semester and return them to the Science Depot, which moved from the Fairgrounds Center to the gym next to Star Lane Center on South Fairdale Avenue.

When the semester ends, Cousineau switches to autopilot, sorting through each box and preparing its contents for the next teacher in the fall. Cousineau said Natrona County’s Science Depot is the only one she knows that doesn’t have at least two employees.

Except for the radio playing in the back corner, Cousineau works alone in the gym converted last year into the Science Depot. Six-foot-high shelves full of boxes take up most of the space. The old school stage holds more boxes.

Buckets of twine, paper clips, masking tape and materials that might otherwise be found in a kitchen junk drawer line the back wall and one row of shelves. Cousineau pulls from these buckets to replace broken, missing or used-up pieces of the kits.

There are rubber bands that would fit snug around your pinkie and bands that could wrap around a watermelon, twice. One section of buckets holds cups, cups of all types — paper, plastic, plastic foam — and sizes — 3 ounces, 3 ounces with two holes, 5 ounces, 6 ounces, 8 ounces, 9 ounces, 16 ounces.

Some pieces, such as teacher guides and instruction videos, have to be specially ordered if they don’t get returned. Some of the kits require extra materials, which Cousineau gathers and puts in boxes before they arrive in schools. If a piece is missing or breaks or isn’t working after the kit is delivered to its destination, Cousineau runs to the school with a replacement or fix.

Things That Go Boom – Kids Science Kits Make Learning Fun ...

Every kid should understand how the human body works. They should have an appreciation of biology and the laws of nature. They should understand the properties of various elements and chemicals and the simple laws of physics. Of course, kids learn this in school, but in order to keep their interest in science going, you might want to consider buying them additional science kits or a scientist set. These kits truly make learning fun. A good science kit will provide your child with plenty of hands on activities and experiments that will make science seem like a cool adventure rather than a boring school subject.

Science should even be cool for girls. A lot of girls shy away from science without realizing that chemistry and technology is the basis for many of the products they use on a daily basis – like lip gloss, cosmetics, cell phones and texting. A good science kit can help girls (and boys) realize that a lot of the day to day products they take for granted were created by scientists.

If you’re looking to get your daughter interested in science, consider some of the science in box products by the Scientific Explorer. These kits are developed in cooperation with notable universities and scientists around the country and provide clear and easy instructions on how to use them – plus an explanation of the science behind them.

Best of all, the manufacturer has several great kits which are geared towards girls. If you have a daughter who longs for a spa day, then get her the Spa Science Kit – she’ll get to make her own spa treatments by mixing (safe) chemical and ingredients. There are even bottles and labels so she can make her own products to give (or sell) to friends and family. The Spa Science Kit is super hands on and super fun and will make your daughter think in a whole different way about what is in her bottle of shampoo.

Of course, just because she’s a girl, doesn’t mean your daughter would only be interested in spa science – and that’s what’s great about the variety of science kits for kids that are on the market today. Your child might be interested in disgusting science – like the Disgusting Anatomy Brain or Disgusting Anatomy Heart kit, also from Scientific Explorer. Or perhaps your kids are interested in things that go boom and might want to check out a rocket building kit.

If your child is computer savvy or a tinkerer there are other great kits – like electricity kits and robot building kits that combine building and computer skills. These kits are a lot of fun and their hands-on nature allows kids to figure out things and build something they can keep.

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