Cool Science

Cool Science is an emerging Colorado Springs nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to getting kids, parents and teachers excited about science. Our Mission? We bring scientific fun to the Pikes Peak Region! Cool Science, partnering with local corporations and universities, currently engages in chemistry and physics outreach to El Paso County 3^rd – 8^th graders in their classrooms, home schools, scout troops, camps, conferences, and after school clubs.  We bring only the really Cool Science to classrooms – solutions that change colors, liquids that turn into solids, solids that turn into liquids, glowing things, slimy things, bubbling dry ice, explosions (safe ones!), electricity demonstrations that will make your hair stand on end!  Cool Science is also developing an interactive math and science center to be housed in a local public middle school to be open to touring schools and the public.  We are committed to showing students the fun side of science! 

Cool Science increases the ability of students to see science, math and technology as ATTRACTIVE fields for study, and increases their confidence that careers in science, math and technology are ACCESSIBLE for them.

Showing science as an ATTRACTIVE field for study:  When the study of science is presented as play, students don’t dread learning, in fact, they may not even know that they are learning.  With informal science education, memorizing vocabulary is not as important as forming intuitive understanding of the world and scientific concepts.  Further, Cool Science combats the stereotype that scientists are serious, lifeless people with no social skills.   Cool Science recruits volunteers who are passionate, with infectious enthusiasm for their field.

Showing science as an ACCESSIBLE field for study: many students are intimidated by science because it is often presented in a formal, stuffy, academic way with many rules, but no freedom for exploration or joy in discovery.  Cool Science presents science as play, and makes it accessible through connections with real world concepts.  Cool Science offers a chance for exploration, freedom to be curious, and the ability to make connections with concepts already understood.

Cool Science will use three tools to propagate informal science education: outreach programs, the science center and the website.  The primary audience is children, parents and teachers.

Outreach programs: 

1. Private Demonstrations:  Free chemistry and physics demonstration shows are currently offered to teachers of 3^rd through 8^th grade in all El Paso County schools, Girl and Boy Scout troops, after-school science clubs and home schools. 

2. Public Demonstrations: Each semester, a demonstration show at a local university is open to the public. 

3. Camps, Conferences and Scout Badges: Cool Science participates in a number of externally organized science camps and conferences which further promote enthusiasm for science, including having developed a “Cool Science” Badge for the Girl Scouts Wagon Wheel Council.

Cool Science Center:   

The Cool Science Center will be an interactive place where people can explore science hands-ON! The center is fully funded, exhibits are being built and layout designed.  The Center will be open to touring school groups and to the public during non-school hours. 

Student Workshops: Further study will be offered through student workshops focusing on cool science topics like forensics, the chemistry of smells, and the physics of toys.  Workshops allow each child to engage in guided hands-on exploration. 

Teacher Workshops: Tools for increasing inquiry based and hands-on science will be shown.  A primary goal of teacher workshops will be to pass enthusiasm for science to the teachers. An ability to convey passion, enthusiasm, or, at a minimum, no fear of science is crucial to passing on a love of science to the next generation.

Outreach Programs:

Cool Chemistry at Colorado College – 450 attended the first public demonstration at CC on April 10^th.  Three very cool demonstration shows were conducted by Colorado College and UCCS student volunteers. Hands on activities before and after each show engaged kids  - allowing the opportunity to mix baking soda and vinegar, make a cross linked polymer (technically known as “slime”), dissolve a Styrofoam cup, poke a skewer through a balloon (without popping it) and more!

GREAT Camp (Girls Ready To Explore Academics and Technology) – 20 girls attended the Cool Science Day of the first GREAT Camp.  The girls solved the pretend forensic mystery “Who Killed the Principal’s Dog” using chemical tests and deductive reasoning skills, learned about the chemistry of smells, learned some cool hands-on chemistry and physics demonstrations which they later put to use in a demonstration show for their parents, engineered tall towers made of marshmallows and pasta, and observed the starry skies though UCCS’s 16” telescope with the help of UCCS student volunteers and the National Space Science and Technology Institute

Girls 2.0 Conference – 32 girls attended the Cool Science forensic investigation “Who Killed the Principal’s Dog” workshop at the Girls 2.0 conference put on by the Women’s Foundation, Intel and Colorado Technical University.

Young Women’s Workshop – 150 girls were witness to cool physics presentations at the Girl Scout’s Young Women’s Workshop.

Cool Chemistry Proliferation to Intel sites worldwide – Cool Science shared materials with Intel Malaysia, Intel Ireland, and Intel Costa Rica in 2003 to aid in their outreach efforts.

Physics Demonstrations in Schools – The Physics demonstration show started in September of 2003, and has already spoken to 700 students in 25 presentations!

Girl Scout Badge Workshops - Two Girl Scout “Cool Science” Badge workshops were developed and executed this year for 93 girls.  The brownie workshop involved making a pinhole camera, taking a picture and developing it in a real darkroom, testing acids and bases, and making the slime polymer along with testing the properties of the polymer found in baby diapers!  The Junior workshop was our ever popular forensic mystery “Who Killed the Principal’s dog”!

Cub Scout and Brownie special presentations – in addition, special chemistry and physics demonstrations were done for individual Cub Scout and brownie troops, totaling 87 students!

Cool Science at University of Colorado, Colorado Springs – approximately 600 attended the second demonstration open to the public at UCCS on October 18^th. With two very cool demonstration shows and EVEN MORE hands-on activities available before and after the show, the activity was a resounding success!  The Western Museum of Mining and Industry even graced us with their presence bringing their “What’s Mined is Yours” portable exhibit and making toothpaste from common minerals with the kids!

Cool Science reached 2,485 students through our outreach programs this year!

Cool Science Center

 Website:

Administrative:

Media Coverage:

What are our plans?

Outreach programs:

Cool Science Center:

Website:

Who is on the Board?

Financial Information

Cost per child served in 2003:  $3.

Who Are Our Sponsors?

Donations:

Individuals:

Matching Grants (not yet fully matched):

In Kind Donations:

Who Are Our Volunteers?

HUGE THANKS to the Very Cool People who have made the contribution of their time to Cool Science: