school year

2026/27 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.

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION

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Elementary

Elementary Classes (3rd-5th grade)

Session 1: Electrical Engineering $375
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 11/4, 11/18)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2 pm - 4 pm (9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 11/4, 11/18)

*no class 10/28 for BLPS conferences

*no class 11/11 for Veterans Day

What makes lights glow or a toaster toast? Students will answer these questions by building circuits, experimenting with current and voltage, and exploring how batteries, switches, and fuses work together to power modern technology. They'll experience the hair-raising excitement of a Van de Graaff generator before stepping into the role of an electrical engineer—carefully taking apart electronic devices to discover what makes them work. Through investigation and experimentation, students will gain a deeper understanding of the invisible force that powers our everyday world.

Session 2: Life on Earth $375
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2 pm - 4 pm (12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20)

*no class over winter break

Explore the incredible diversity of living organisms through hands-on investigations that bring biology to life. Students will examine the kingdoms of life by growing bacteria colonies, observing living protists with microscopes, investigating yeast in action, experimenting with seed germination, and discovering how living things grow, reproduce, and survive. Learn animal anatomy through a squid dissection and compare skulls of vertebrate animals to better understand how form supports function. Students will gain a deeper appreciation for the remarkable diversity and interconnectedness of life on Earth. This class also includes a field trip to Think Wild Wildlife Hospital and Conservation Center.

Session 3: Design Lab $375
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2 pm - 4 pm (2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10)

Can your design survive a 30-foot drop? Protect against the extreme cold of liquid nitrogen? Harness the energy of wind? In this fast-paced engineering class, students will tackle a series of hands-on design challenges that push the limits of creativity and critical thinking. Using the engineering design process, they'll build, test, and refine devices that reduce impact, retain heat and spin at maximum rpms, while discovering how engineers turn bold ideas into real-world solutions.

Session 4: Ecology and Field Science $375
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2 pm - 4 pm (4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19)

Detailed class description coming soon!

Middle School Classes (6th-8th grade)

Midde

Session 1: Mythblasters $375
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 11/4, 11/18)

Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm (9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 11/4, 11/18)

*no class 10/28 for BLPS conferences

*no class 11/11 for Veterans Day

Don’t just believe it, test it! Become a real-world myth investigator and put everyday claims to the test using the scientific method. Campers will design controlled experiments, collect and analyze data, and use lab tools to separate fact from fiction. Does the 5-second rule really keep food safe? What happens to different materials in a microwave? Do popular products live up to their promises? Through hands-on testing and plenty of messy discoveries, students learn how scientists think, questioning assumptions, building evidence, and drawing conclusions. This is myth-busting science at its best.

Session 2: ChemQuest $375
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm (12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20)

*no class over winter break

Get ready to mix, test, glow, fizz, and discover! Students will suit up with goggles and gloves as they investigate the building blocks of matter through unforgettable chemistry experiments. From colorful pH investigations to Elephant Toothpaste and glowing chemiluminescent reactions, every experiment reveals the science behind chemical change. Design a better cold pack, explore the copper cycle, and manipulate the Briggs-Rauscher oscillator reaction. Through observation, experimentation, and problem-solving, students will develop the skills of a chemical engineer while uncovering the chemistry that powers our everyday world.

Session 3: CSI: Bend $375
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm (2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10)

Crimes have been committed… and you’re on the case. Suit up as a forensic investigator and search the scene for clues, dust for fingerprints, decode handwriting, examine blood, and analyze DNA to determine what happened. Every day brings new twists, suspects, and discoveries as you use science and teamwork to piece together the whodunit. Fast-paced, hands-on, and inquiry-driven, this immersive crime lab experience builds real-world science skills while delivering detective-style fun.

Session 4: Harnessing Energy $375
Morning Option: Wednesdays 10 am -12 pm (4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19)
Afternoon Option: Wednesdays 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm (4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19)

Discover how innovation is transforming the way we power our world. Students are put to the "flinch test" with our bowling ball pendulum to gain a better understanding of how energy is conserved. They will investigate renewable energy by experimenting with solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells and wind turbines, and by modeling magnetic levitation (maglev) trains and thermoelectric devices. Through hands-on design challenges and scientific investigation, students learn how energy is generated, transferred, and converted while developing the problem-solving skills of tomorrow's engineers.

Independent Research (application only)

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 tentative first meeting for Independent Research students will be Monday, September 28 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

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

If paying by credit card, full payment will be charged at the time of registration.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ALL CANCELLATIONS WILL INCUR A $25 CANCELLATION FEE.