school year
2025/26 SESSION SCHEDULE
The Science Station offers four sessions of lab-based STEM classes for elementary (3-5th) and middle school (6-8th) students on Wednesdays during the school year. These hands-on two hour classes meet once a week for six weeks. Class size is capped at 14 students.
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IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
We use a registration system called CAMPBRAIN. If you are new to the system, we highly recommend PRE-REGISTERING by establishing a CampBrain account and completing ALL the required online forms before registration opens. ​Setup your account and pre-register below. For detailed pre-registration instructions click here.​
Elementary Classes (3rd-5th grade)
Session 1: Elementary Geology $350
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2 pm - 4 pm (9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22)
Get ready to get your hands dirty and discover the wonders beneath our feet! This class is a hands-on exploration of the Earth's surface, where you'll grow your own crystals and investigate the fascinating materials that make up our planet, including minerals, rocks and fossils. We start by learning how to identify different minerals through mineral testing and exploring the rock cycle. Investigate real fossils and then create your very own plaster models. To see how the Earth's surface changes over time, we create sedimentation jars and experiment with cryofracture. We also examine Central Oregon's volcanic landscape by simulating volcanic eruptions. Finally, you learn how to protect our coastlines by participating in an erosion prevention lab.
Session 2: Body Systems Science $350
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2 pm - 4 pm (11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17)
*no class over Thanksgiving break
Explore the amazing systems that make up the human body in this class! Take a journey through the major systems that keep us alive, with plenty of hands-on experiments and dissections. We start by studying skin, learning the unique patterns of fingerprinting, and understanding how evaporative cooling helps regulate body temperature. Next, we check out the skeletal system by dissecting bones to learn about their structure and function. We study the nervous system by mapping pressure receptors on the skin and perform a sheep brain dissection to understand the complexities of this incredible organ.* Our exploration of the cardiovascular system includes handling a cow heart, conducting heart rate experiments and learning about EKGs. *A plastic model "dissection" option is available.
Session 3: Sweet Science $350
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2 pm - 4 pm (2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11)
This class is all about the chemistry of candy, where we use our lab skills to explore the properties of sweets. The adventure begins with a mystery powder experiment, where you use chemical properties to solve a puzzling challenge. Learn to identify and separate liquids using tools like chromatography and distillation then make Skittle art to understand diffusion in a colorful way. Get a taste for exothermic and endothermic reactions by measuring the temperature of incinerated sweets in our fume hoods - giving you a whole new appreciation for the energy stored in sugar. End by making your own ice cream in a bag. Get ready to mix, experiment, and discover the delicious side of science!
Session 4: Powerful Pressure $350
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2 pm - 4 pm (4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27)
Embark on an exploration of pressure! In this class, learn about the incredible force produced by the "blanket" of air that surrounds us every day. Experience how pressure works on the Science Station’s very own bed of nails! Witness the power of air by breaking paint sticks, distorting marshmallows, and crushing cans. Investigate Bernoulli's principle to discover the fundamentals of flight and use a wind tunnel to examine wind foils and understand how airplanes fly. You'll even blow up your teacher (safely, of course!). Use bell jars and vacuums to conduct captivating experiments and shrink wrap yourself if you want to. And no pressure class would be complete without sending soda and bottle rockets soaring into the air!
Middle School Classes (6th-8th grade)
Session 1: Galactic Adventures $350
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm (9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22)
Set your sights on the stars in this class! Build your own "Astro the can" model to help understand how astronomers observe and model the universe. Explore how the color and temperature of a flame relates to the stars! Using diffraction glasses and a spectrometer, see how astronomers determine what makes up a star. We even look at some common solar disturbances. To understand the forces at play in the universe, use a gravity sheet to see how stars evolve. We also spend an exciting evening at Pine Mountain Observatory viewing planets, stars, and galaxies up close!
Session 2: Phenomena of the Sea $350
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm (11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17)
*no class over Thanksgiving break
The ocean has so much to explore! In this class, investigate the unique properties of water, from polarity to surface tension. Explore how the density of water creates thermoclines and haloclines in the ocean. Using giant springs, see how waves interfere with each other and learn how the moon, wind and earthquakes form waves. We even try our hand at sea-floor mapping with sonar. Put your skills to the test as a marine biologist, with a hands-on examination of echinoderms and a dogfish shark dissection*. If you love the ocean and want to learn its secrets, this class is for you. *A virtual alternative to dissection is available.
Session 3: Drone Design $380
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm (2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11)
Get ready for an action-packed session of high-flying fun! Unlock the secrets of flight with hands-on experiments based on Bernoulli’s Principle and Newton’s 3rd Law. Design, 3D print and test your own airfoils, then spin into the world of electromagnetism by building a motor and exploring Oersted’s Law. Crank up the power and push motors to their limits as you discover the efficiency of brushless motors. Then, gear up to assemble an FPV racing drone and take on an obstacle course to prove your piloting skills! But that's not all - take an exclusive trip to a local drone manufacturing company to check out cutting-edge drone technology in action. And the best part? Every student takes home their very own drone!
Session 4: Extreme Explosions 2.0 $350
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm (4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27)
What's the science behind the biggest bangs? Get ready to suit up and explore the principles behind some of the most exciting chemical reactions. Learn how to generate hydrogen gas to launch your own mini rockets and experiment with alkali metals and water for a truly reactive spectacle. Discover the magic of exothermic reactions by creating your own handwarmers and use potassium chlorate to release the surprising amount of energy stored in everyday foods. We even test recipes for thermite and black powder, learning the science behind firecrackers. Prepare to be amazed as you ignite lycopodium powder to create a stunning "dragon's breath" effect.
Independent Research (application only)
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The Independent Research program is a guided scientific research course where high school students design and conduct their own experiments. To complete a project, participants in this program need to be self-motivated and willing to work both in and out of class. The course culminates with presentations at the Northwest Science EXPO. Students typically work in the labs sometime between 2:30 and 5:30 pm on Mondays or Thursdays from September through April. We ask that students commit to at least one and a half hours of lab time each week. As students get closer to presenting their research at the science fair, time commitments may increase. The first meeting for Independent Research students will be Monday, September 22 from 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm.
To schedule an interview or learn more please contact us at bss@bendsciencestation.org or 541-330-0433.
The Stewart C. Malone Scholarship Fund
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Scholarship opportunities further our values of inclusion and create greater access to STEM learning opportunities for the youth of Central Oregon. We want to make sure that every student has access to our programming, regardless of finances. Our scholarship fund is named for Stewart C. Malone, in recognition of his dedication to Guardian Ad Litem, advocating for the rights of abused and neglected youth, and his long-time support of the Science Station. We’ve tried to make the application process as easy as possible. Please call or email for specifics!
Payment + Cancellation Terms
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If paying by credit card, full payment will be charged at the time of registration.
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If paying by check or cash, payment must be received by BSS within 5 days of registration or your student’s spot may be forfeited.
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In the event that you need to cancel a registration, 50% of the cost is refundable (or available for credit) if BSS is notified at least 7 days prior to the start date of the class. The remaining class balance (less $25 cancellation fee) will be refunded if we can fill your student’s space.
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Unfortunately, we cannot refund your payment or credit your account if we are notified of a cancellation less than 7 days before the start of a class.
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There will be no partial refunds for missed days. A prorated credit will be considered if an enrolled student is unable to complete a class due to serious illness or injury.
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ALL CANCELLATIONS WILL INCUR A $25 CANCELLATION FEE.