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WonderLab offers memorable group visit options, each tailored to ignite curiosity and instill a sense of wonder about the world. WonderLab welcomes groups of all ages, including adults, and people of all abilities.
Exhibits and programs support classroom instruction and are closely aligned with Indiana academic standards. We encourage teachers and other group leaders to review the information on this page and download the detailed guide below.
This PDF file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Plan to spend approximately two hours at the museum, depending on several factors, such as size of group, age of the group visitors, whether you request science demonstrations and/or labs, and whether you plan to stay for lunch. During peak field trip season (March, April, May), dates can often fill a month or more in advance. Before you call to make your reservation, please review this entire page and related pages of interest. This page has information about demonstrations and lab sessions, chaperones, bus access and parking, shopping services, luncheon facilities, and pricing and reservation procedures.
When you are ready to make your reservation, please have the following information available to expedite the process:
• Teacher or group leader name(s)
• School or organization name, address, and telephone number with area code
• Email address for teacher or group leader
• Three possible visit dates
• Preferred and back-up time choice for visit (Note: Eastern Daylight Savings Time)
• Age or grade level for visitors in group
• Estimated number of group visitors and, as appropriate, chaperones
• Demonstrations or lab sessions you wish to request
• Lunch reservations, if needed
• Shopping services desired
• Special needs
BASIC GROUP VISIT AND RESOURCES
The basic group visit is a self-directed exploration of the museum. It begins with a group orientation by museum staff on the school bus or at the entrance of the museum. Self-directed exploration is facilitated by
museum staff and volunteers stationed throughout the gallery. Special shopping servces and lunch facilities (advance reservation) are available at no additional charge as part of the group visit. For a more directed experience, you may download the Wonder Challenge.
Pre- and Post- Visit Activity: m.Stories
Another way to guide students in processing their field trip discoveries
is with a unique journaling activity called m.Stories, developed and kindly shared by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Go to the m.Stories website to print out materials you will need before your visit.
Nature's Numbers Exhibition & Indiana Academic Standards K-8
Nature's Numbers Exhibit Pocket Guide
Wonder Challenge 2007-2008
m.Stories Website Link
These PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
BASIC GROUP VISIT GROUP VISIT PLUS! You may wish to add structured content to your visit. WonderLab
offers by reservation the following optional science demonstrations and lab sessions that support Indiana science standards.
EXCLUSIVE GROUP DEMONSTRATIONS
Available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
Each exclusive group demonstration is for a maximum of 40 individuals or one class and lasts 30 minutes. Please note, however, that the maximum is 30 individuals for Animal Adaptations.
GRADE |
EXCLUSIVE GROUP DEMONSTRATION |
| PreK - 2* | Animal Adaptations. Learn what makes animals fit in so well in their environments through close encounters with some of WonderLab's resident creatures. |
| Grades 1-4 | Stuffee and the Human Body. We're all different on the outside, but we're all the same inside. Discover the body's organs, especially the digestive system, as we open up Stuffee, a huge "stuffed" doll, and see what's inside. Includes discussion about nutrition. |
| Grades 3+ | Static Electricity. Take part in some hair-raising experiments using the Van de Graaff, a machine that produces 400,000 volts of static electricity and makes invisible electrical forces dramatically visible. Includes discussion of lightning. |
| Grades 3+ | Colors of Combustion. Investigate the science of fire in a visually spectacular demonstration of foot-tall colored flames! Learn about energy from light and how different chemicals produce flames of different colors. The demonstration covers real-world applications, such as fireworks, and emphasizes fire safety. |
| Grades 4+ | Build an Arch. You have projects at school and your parents have tasks at work which require teamwork. Scientists work in teams, too! Whether in their own labs or with colleagues across the globe, scientists have to have good communication and teamwork to reach goals. In this demonstration, students can experiment with teamwork and refine their communication skills when they are challenged to build a free-standing arch as a group. |
| Grades 4+ | Super Cold Science. Heat is a form of energy that affects whether something takes a solid, liquid, or gas form. We'll have lots of fun demonstrating this with liquid nitrogen, a super cold substance that instantly changes an object's state of matter. |
* Can be adapted for any grade or age, including adults.
LAB SESSIONS
Available on selected weekdays
Each group lab session is for a maximum of 30 individuals and lasts 45 minutes.
GRADE |
LAB SESSION |
| PreK-K | Awesome Air. It fills balloons, it lets us breath, and it can be a lot of fun! It's air! We’ll huff and puff our way through this lab session and discover lots of neat stuff about the air around us. |
| PreK-1 | We Are The Worms. Get up close and personal with some super slimy critters! Examine the anatomy of a worm as it wiggles around in your hand and discover the important work that worms do for us. (Subject to availability of worms.) |
| Grades 1-3 | Hanging in the Balance. Stand up and raise your awareness of your body’s ability to remain balanced. Explore balance, center of gravity, and different aspects of motion through demonstrations, hands-on activities, and the construction of simple toys. |
| Grades 1-3 | Going Through a Phase. Take a tour of the different states of matter. Through a series of demonstrations and hands-on activities, students will learn about the characteristics that distinguish solids from liquids. |
| Grades 2-4 | Feel the Noise. Get loud and clear with the physics of sound and learn how good vibrations are the source of the sound of music. |
| Grades 3-5 | Power Surge. Learn about the link between magnetism and electricity. Students will work in small groups to study magnets, make a compass, and construct electric circuits. |
| Grades 3-6 | The Barefoot Cave. Take a guided tour inside WonderLab's inflatable Barefoot Cave to learn about the things that you can find in a real cave. Topics covered include cave formations and cave ecology, cave safety, and conservation. |
| Grades 4-6 | Hot Technology. Explore the different ways we capture solar energy and put it to use to do everything from cooking our food to powering our homes. Students will learn about the nature of the sun, the difference between passive solar and solar energy, and the new technology that helps us capture the sun's energy. |
CHAPERONES
• School-Age Groups. 1 adult for each 5-10 children, depending on age.
* Preschool-Age Groups. 1 adult for every 3-5 children.
Teachers and group leaders should communicate with chaperones before the museum visit to help them understand their responsibilities. You may wish to distribute the Chaperone Survival Guide, which is the last page of the Group Visit Information and Scheduling Guide (above).
BUS ACCESS & PARKING There is a loading area (the curb is painted yellow and there is a Bloomington Transit bus stop sign) in front of the museum where your bus driver should pull in for drop-off and pick-up. After discharging passengers, your bus may park free of charge in the Convention Center lot one block south of WonderLab. Cars may park in free on-street spaces (max. 2 hours) or in the nearby metered 4th Street Parking Garage for $.50/hour.
SHOPPING SERVICES WonderLab’s gift store offers an affordable selection of science-themed souvenirs and educational merchandise for the classroom and home. Prices start at less than $1. Our friendly staff is ready to assist you with special group shopping services. Individual purchases will be marked with the individual’s name and placed in a larger bag marked with the group leader’s name for pickup at departure time. All purchases support WonderLab’s mission of offering educational exhibits and programs to the community.
Real-Life Math Option for Students: A visit to the WonderLab gift store is an educational experience in itself, where student shoppers practice real-world math skills of number recognition, estimation, addition, multiplication and figuring percentages as they select and pay for their purchases. Please allow time for small groups of children to shop at one time so WonderLab’s visitor services staff can give each child the opportunity to practice math skills in a real-life setting.
Community Service Lesson: Every purchase made in the gift store helps support WonderLab, which is a non-profit institution. In addition to individual purchases, teachers might have students contribute to and select a group purchase of a special item to donate to your classroom, school, a social service agency, or a holiday collection for needy families.
Teacher Discount: Teachers always get a 10% discount in the WonderLab gift store!
“Science to Go” Bags: For your convenience, these variety bags for each person in your group may be ordered for a set price in advance when you make your group reservation.
PRICING & RESERVATIONS
A two-week advance reservation is required for groups to be eligible for discounted rates. The minimum size for a group reservation is ten paid visitors. Pricing is as follows:
• Basic Discount Group Fee: $4.50 per person
• Exclusive Science Demonstration: $25 per demonstration
• Lab Session: $45 per lab session
• Science to Go Gift Bag Service: Varies according to content
• Lunch Room Facilities: Free by reservation
• Free Chaperones: One adult for every 10 paid children in group
• Other Chaperones: $4.50 per person
• Other Individuals Accompanying Chaperones: General admission
• Museum Member Chaperones: Free
Certain non-profit organizations might be eligible to receive free or low-cost
group fees through our Connecting
to the Community Program.
Bloomington offers a variety of field trip destinations
you can combine for a full day of learning and fun. Many of these destinations
are state-supported and do not charge admission. Click here for information on other Bloomington museums.
YOU MUST RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION LETTER TO HAVE A VALID GROUP RESERVATION.
| GROUP RESERVATIONS Celeste Wolfinger Museum Visit Coordinator (812) 337-1337 ext. 11 schedule @ wonderlab.org |
SHOPPING & SCIENCE TO GO GIFT BAGS Colleen Couper Gift Store Manager (812) 337-1337 ext. 24 colleen @ wonderlab.org |
| © 2008 WonderLab Museum |  |