COVID-19

Science Museum Oklahoma remains temporarily closed to the public, but members-only events are scheduled for May 27 & 29! Learn more and find out how exploring SMO will look different once we reopen >>

Try This: Make a Rain Gauge

Rainstorms are one of the most exciting parts of the spring and fall in Oklahoma. To know exactly how much it rained, you’ll need a special instrument called a rain gauge — and you probably have everything you need right around your house to make one!

Try This: Make a Camera Obscura

Camera obscuras date back to about 2,500 years ago where scholars in China, Egypt, and Greece used camera obscuras to study light. Try making your  own!

Try This: Make Seed Paper

Using the lint from the dryer, old newspapers, dried plant parts, seeds, worn out tights or nylons, and a few other items around the house you can make paper that can be used for greeting cards, art projects or just planted in a flower bed.

Try This: Morel Mushroom Hunting

Feeling a little cooped up? Spring is a great time to get outside and go for a nature walk, and this time of year just happens to also be a great time to find morel mushrooms!

Try This: Colorful Transpiration

Straws aren't getting much love these days. But there are some straws that deserve attention — xylem and phloem!

Learn This: Seed Dispersal

Plants have several really neat methods of getting their seeds out in the wild. It's called seed dispersal, and it can include air, water, animals, and more!

Try This: Investigate Pinecones!

Next time you see a pine cone on one of your walks, consider picking it up. There’s a lot to discover!

What's Growing On: Dividing Plants

Spring is the time to divide plants! Learn how in this quick tutorial with Becca from the SMO Gardens team.

Try This: Make an Observation Station

It can be difficult to truly see how absolutely amazing insects are because they are seemingly constantly in motion. With just a few things you can make an observation station to get a better look!

What's Growing On: Make a Seed Starter

Ready to try growing your own food? You can turn disposable, single-use containers into seed-starting vessels!

Try This: Make a Weather Journal

Meteorologists use a lot of data! You can keep a log of the weather and try to make predictions based on historical data with this #SMOatHome activity.

Try This: Make a Wind Vane

It's hard to think about spring in Oklahoma without thinking of wind! Spring in Oklahoma means wind, and a wind vane is just the tool to tell us the direction of all that wind. This instrument points the direction the weather is coming from, or wind direction. Let's make one!

Try This: Make a Tree Print

This #SMOatHome activity is perfect to help a young scientist make observations about the air-quality-improving, wildlife-harboring, beautiful parts of our landscape: trees!

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