PowerUP! STEM – Sloan Museum Of Discovery & Longway Planetarium

TODAY'S HOURS: SLOAN: Loading... | LONGWAY: Loading...

TODAY'S HOURS: SLOAN: Loading... | LONGWAY: Loading...

PowerUP! STEM

PowerUP! FREE* 4th Grade STEM Programs

Recommended PowerUP! Package

  1. PRE-VISIT: In-School Program
    • Circuit Basics
  2. FIELD TRIP VISIT: Sloan Museum of Discovery or Longway Planetarium
    • Circuit Blueprints
    • Marker Robots OR Jitter Critters
    • Discovery Hall Exploration
  3. POST-VISIT: In-School Program
    • Electric Art

For more information or to book your program, please call (810) 237-3409.

STEM Programs & bus support for 4th graders were developed under a grant awarded by MEDC and administered by LEO-MiSTEM.

*Funding allocated on a first come, first served basis.

2026 PowerUP! STEM Programs

PowerUP! 4th Grade

ELECTRIC ART

Combine creativity and circuitry as you use LEDs, copper tape, and batteries to create a light-up paper circuit design. Then explore conductive and insulating dough while designing illuminated sculptures that blend art, engineering, and electricity.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

ELECTRIC ART

Combine creativity and circuitry as you use LEDs, copper tape, and batteries to create a light-up paper circuit design. Then explore conductive and insulating dough while designing illuminated sculptures that blend art, engineering, and electricity.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

ELECTRIC ART

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PowerUP! 4th Grade

DISCOVERY HALL EXPLORATION

Explore the hands-on science gallery where energy is everywhere. Experiment with interactive exhibits that demonstrate how energy transfers and transforms through physical and Earth systems as you investigate light, sound, motion, electricity, weather, and other natural phenomena.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

DISCOVERY HALL EXPLORATION

Explore the hands-on science gallery where energy is everywhere. Experiment with interactive exhibits that demonstrate how energy transfers and transforms through physical and Earth systems as you investigate light, sound, motion, electricity, weather, and other natural phenomena.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

DISCOVERY HALL EXPLORATION

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PowerUP! 4th Grade

JITTER CRITTERS

Create your own buzzing, vibrating critter using a battery and a motor like those found in cell phones. Experiment with different shapes, materials, and designs to see how they affect the way your critter moves. As students build and test their creations, they’ll explore electrical circuits, energy transfer, and how motors convert electrical energy into motion.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

JITTER CRITTERS

Create your own buzzing, vibrating critter using a battery and a motor like those found in cell phones. Experiment with different shapes, materials, and designs to see how they affect the way your critter moves. As students build and test their creations, they’ll explore electrical circuits, energy transfer, and how motors convert electrical energy into motion.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

JITTER CRITTERS

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PowerUP! 4th Grade

MARKER ROBOTS

Using markers, a battery, a motor, and a hot glue stick, students will build a simple drawing robot and discover what happens when engineering meets creativity. Will it draw circles, spirals, or zigzags? You won’t know until you turn it on and let it go! As they design, build, and test their robots, participants will explore electrical circuits, forces, motion, and how energy is used to make things move.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

MARKER ROBOTS

Using markers, a battery, a motor, and a hot glue stick, students will build a simple drawing robot and discover what happens when engineering meets creativity. Will it draw circles, spirals, or zigzags? You won’t know until you turn it on and let it go! As they design, build, and test their robots, participants will explore electrical circuits, forces, motion, and how energy is used to make things move.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

MARKER ROBOTS

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PowerUP! 4th Grade

CIRCUIT BLUEPRINTS

Put your circuit knowledge to work as you use symbols to create circuit diagrams that classmates can build from. Test your ideas, solve electrical challenges, and communicate your designs before building a simple flashlight model. Discover how engineers troubleshoot and redesign to improve their ideas and turn plans into working devices.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

CIRCUIT BLUEPRINTS

Put your circuit knowledge to work as you use symbols to create circuit diagrams that classmates can build from. Test your ideas, solve electrical challenges, and communicate your designs before building a simple flashlight model. Discover how engineers troubleshoot and redesign to improve their ideas and turn plans into working devices.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

CIRCUIT BLUEPRINTS

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PowerUP! 4th Grade

CIRCUIT BASICS

Explore how electricity moves while designing and building working circuits with batteries, bulbs, buzzers, and switches. Test everyday materials to discover which conduct electricity and which do not, and explore how electrical energy is transformed into light, sound, and motion.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

CIRCUIT BASICS

Explore how electricity moves while designing and building working circuits with batteries, bulbs, buzzers, and switches. Test everyday materials to discover which conduct electricity and which do not, and explore how electrical energy is transformed into light, sound, and motion.

NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS3-4

CIRCUIT BASICS

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