LEARNING LABS  

Argonne's Learning Lab Programs

for school and community groups, are available upon request. Each 1 - 2 hour program offers special demonstrations, hands-on lessons and other unique activities that give students an opportunity to see what Scientists do at Argonne National Laboratory.

There is a minimum of 10 students required for each lab, 4th grade and older.

Middle School                                                                      

AIC Tour - Self-guided introduction to Argonne by displays and artifacts.

Botany Trail - Walk through Waterfall Glenn. Scavenger Hunt.

Chemistry for Kids - Introduction to Chemistry through demonstrations/hands-on activities.

Color Wheel Boxes - Learn how colors are made. Create unique colors using disks to spin on Color Wheel Boxes.

Entomology - Identify live/dead insect specimens while learning about the taxonomic chart and insects.

Inventions - Discover the process of making inventions. Class requires each student to bring several "junk" items.

Light/Color - Combination Class of Spectrophotometers, Color Wheel Boxes and/or Optics.

Liquid Nitrogen Demonstration - How materials behave at low temperatures. Anyone participating in this class must wear long pants and closed shoes.

Magnetic Levitation Lab(s) - Use magnets to levitate objects, experiment with MagLev transport.

Microscopes - Hands-on lessons, uses, illumination techniques, history and observations of specimen slides.

Forensics Microscopy - Solve a murder mystery using the techniques of forensics microscopy. Hands-on learning experience with microscopes.

Physical Science Activities - Introduction to Physical Science through demonstrations/hands-on activities.

Senses - Study of our body's five senses.

Science Misconceptions - Video and discussion of Hollywood's Science Misconception in the Movies.

Scientists - Important Scientists - Archimedes, Bernoulli, Galileo, Pascal, and Newton. Their experiments and discoveries.

Scientific Method - Using hands-on activities and real world science, students are shown how the Scientific Method is used at Argonne National Laboratory.

Solids/Liquids/Gases - Experiment with the 3 phases of matter using Dry Ice.

Spectrophotometers - Students will use equipment that scientists use to compare the relationship between color absorbed and color transmitted.

The Science of Toys - Discover how toys are designed around Science concepts and principles and investigate how these laws and principles of science are part of student's every-day life.

X-ray Fluorescence - A nondestructive technique that determines the elemental composition of solid objects (e.g. jewelry) and artifacts.

Scout Science Lessons

Cub Scout "Scientists" Lessons:

Scientists: Bernoulli, Pascal, Newton

Additional Science Concepts: Eye/Optical Illusions, Balance/Center of Gravity, Air/Atmospheric Pressure, Crystals.

Junior Girl Scout Science Badge

Hands-on activities more advanced than required by GSA.

High School                                                  

CBL - Calculator Based Laboratory instruments, measuring:

Electrophoresis

Flame AA - Atomic Absorption, Beer's Law

GCMS - Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy

Geiger Tubes

Liquid Nitrogen/Superconductivity Demonstration

Microscopy

Spectrophotometers

Taxonomic Entomology

X-ray Fluorescence

* Classes can also be customized to fit the needs of your students.

Argonne Information Center

Visits to Argonne National Laboratory begin at the Argonne Information Center (AIC) where there are exhibits, displays and historical artifacts from 50 years of scientific research.

Visitors desiring a guided tour of Argonne should contact the Office of Public Affairs (OPA). Tours are open to persons 16 years and older. To pre-register for a tour, please call Argonne's Office of Public Affairs at (630) 252-5562.

To schedule a group visit

Please call either: