Venture Science Lab

Enjoy a six class experiential series on the wonders of science exploration! Each lab based class delves into different areas of the natural, chemical and physical sciences. Discover how the rich understanding of our natural world leads us closer to God and be inspired by the goodness that surrounds us in our everyday lives!

These classes enrich practical connections to physics, chemistry and biology through observation, inquiry and hands-on experiments developing necessary science lab skills. Classes include time outside, in the lab, and in prayer. This years classes will have a more concentrated focus on biology and biochemistry.

Lab Skills Developed in Venture Science Lab:

-Use of both compound and dissecting microscopes, including preparation of wet mounts

-Microbe inoculation techniques and growth using petri dishes

-Experimental design and isolating variables using the scientific method

-Data collection and graphing plus creating a lab report

-Soil study with chemistry analysis

-Dissection of specimens

Schedule

Thursday Afternoons from 1:00 - 3:30 pm

-January 8th, January 22nd,

-February 5th, February 19th,

-March 5th and March 19th

Ages 13+

Pricing

Member Cost: $155 for 6-class series

Non-member Cost: $185 for 6-cass series

*Cost includes all lab equipment and supplies

Become a member HERE!

Questions?

Contact Regina Lawlis, Lead Educator

(262) 419-8558

lawlis@catholicecologycenter.org

2026 Topics Include:

Super Experimental Design with Super Worms

Use live super worms to explore the scientific method and set up controlled experiments. Learn how to isolate variables, collect data, graph results and compile it all into a formal lab report. Then we’ll venture into the wilds of the CEC to create scientific questions and design your own field study! *We encourage completion of their super worm lab reports for the following session which allow for a short presentation on their data and conclusion.

Insulation Evaluation

Ever wonder how animals brave the winter chill without any warm heat-filled lodge to return to? We will explore and discover many different adaptations that animals use to keep warm. Explore Bergmann and Allen's rule while calculating surface area to volume ratios and see how it affects critters every day at the CEC. Students will then put their engineering skills to the test by making their own insulated nest and recording how well it keeps the heat!

Marvelous Microbes with Bacteria, Protists and Daphnia Oh My!

Dive deep into the microscopic world as we learn about the power of small, unseen microbes. From the microorganisms in our soil to those in the ponds and puddles around us, we will prepare wet mounts for microscopes to observe feeding behavior and movement structures. Students will look for evidence of microbes at work outside, gain experience using both a compound and dissecting microscope and participate in growing their own bacteria safely, using various inoculation techniques, sterilization practices and petri dishes.

Blood and Breath; Animal Systems & Dissection of the Heart and Lungs

Travel into the circulatory and respiratory systems learning how organisms of all kinds accomplish these essential life functions. Explore systems in invertebrates through a squid dissection then see the anatomy of a mammal heart and lungs first hand through dissection of a sheep pluck. Learn about human target heart rates and changes in pH of human blood through experimentation.

Into the Darkness Soil Study

Venture below ground into the wonderful world of soil science. Using the CEC as a field site, learn the composition of soil types with soil probes, explore porosity and how this affects plant growth and experiment with soil chemistry through buffering capacity. Design and run your own experiment to test a plant’s range of tolerance.

Fabulous Phase Changes with Water Chemistry and Rockets

In what can appear like a static season, there are a multitude of changes occurring all the time in winter, particularly as things change phases from solid to liquid to gas and back again. We will explore phase changes on the CEC land, waters' amazing chemistry and perform some lab experiments that showcase the fascinating effects of temperature and gas laws - did someone say Rockets! Recognize that like God, matter is “Ever ancient, ever new!”