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Science activities, demonstrations and FUN for K-12 students and families!

What: The Science Carnivale is a day of free science activities and demonstrations for K-12 students and their families.

When: Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m.

Where: Courtyard of the Science II building at Fresno State, 2576 E. San Ramon Ave., Fresno CA 93740. (See attached campus map for information on free parking.)

Why: The College of Science and Mathematics is dedicated to opening science education opportunities to all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, gender, or national or ethnic origin. The Science Carnivale is a fun way for students to learn about:

• Scientific concepts and methods
• Accessible, affordable pathways to earn a science degree at Fresno State
• Career opportunities in science and science-related fields

Activities and Demonstrations

Barbie Bungee

• How many rubber bands it will take for Barbie to safely bungee from the second floor of the Science II building? 

Blooms Through Time: The Fresno State Herbarium

• Make a card or a picture from pressed, dried wild plants from our local ecosystems! Learn about the Fresno State Herbarium and how natural history collections are a record of climate change.

Brain Tricks and Body Signals

• The Neuroscience Club will host an interactive booth featuring quick neuroscience demos on how the brain builds perception, filters attention, and controls movement. Activities include optical illusions (vision pathways and brain shortcuts), a selective attention challenge (inattentional blindness), and a Backyard Brains EMG demonstration showing muscle electrical activity as the output of motor neuron signals.

CASA Photo Booth

• Take a selfie with a custom frame as a digital keepsake! 

Center for Behavioral Health and Addiction Services

• Learn the psychology behind why we think we can predict what comes next, even when the outcome is by chance. We will have dice and coins to show different examples of the negative recency effect. Participants will guess what comes next and talk about how they feel getting it right/wrong even when the outcome was 50/50.

Chemistry Club

• A controlled fire demonstration using lycopodium powder to safely show how fine particles combust in air, helping students learn about energy and reactions. Participants will also be guided in making lava lamps using different liquids to explore density, polarity, and chemical interactions in a fun, hands-on way.

Classic Fresno Area Computers!

• Classic Fresno City Computers will show computers from the 1980s and 1990s that were the basis of modern technology.  Our computers range from Commodore to Atari to Amiga to Tandy and more, and participants will have the hands-on experience of using these machines.

CSM Biotech Outreach

• Hands-on DNA extraction of the participant's own sample and an electrophoresis activity to see bands of colors from different candies.

Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences

• TBA!

Department of Mathematics

• Play math puzzles and games, such as Rubik's cubes, 15 puzzle, Tower puzzles, Zome Tool  and many more.

Diseases and DNA

• Hands-on DNA extraction of fruit and microscope viewing of avian blood cells, and blood parasites.

Fresno State Bulldog Bound/Recruitment and Special Programs

• Information on guaranteed admission to Fresno State through the Bulldog Bound program, plus coloring sheets for the kids.

Fun with Coding and Circuits

• Program a Sphero robot to navigate an obstacle course and/or sculpt a circuit using Play-Doh to power an LED.

Glitter Hands + Lotion ("Germ Spread Challenge)

• Choose one "Patient Zero" volunteer, put a small amount of lotion and glitter on their hands, then have them shake hands with a few classmates. Show the group how the glitter transfers and explain that glitter represents germs.

Oceanography Club

• Two activities: (1) A simple demonstration using a paint tray and sand to show how the ocean is receding with creating small waves (participants can create waves); and (2) an ocean clean-up activity using a small kids pool, vegetable oil and paper towels (participants help clean up oil from the water).

Physical Science Play

• Colorful lava lamps, liquid nitrogen shrinking balloons, hydrogen gas bubble combustion, UV bracelets and more!

Physics Outreach

• A large variety of hands-on physics demonstrations

Play with Math

• We will have Zometools and Geometiles for participants to make fun shapes. 

Play. Learn. Discover. Science!

• Sink or Float Lab OR Build-a-Bridge Challenge

Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)

• Acid-base indicator activity with red cabbage. Participants will learn and see how an acid-base indicator like red cabbage can show the alkalinity or acidity of household solutions (lemon juice, milk, vinegar, water, egg, bleach and baking soda). Participants can match the colors displayed to a PH scale and determine if it's an acid or base. There will also be science-related questions for the participants to answer.

Tri-Beta: Beyond Surface Deep

• Before the invention of the microscope, we attributed diseases and sickness to tales of curses. Using microscopes, we will look into different organisms that aren't normally seen with the naked eye!