Amazement Square’s school programs will give your students the chance to become scientists, archaeologists, detectives, curators of ancient artifacts, and more!  Through immersive storytelling, role playing, and hands-on activities our school programs are designed for maximum retention and compliment Virginia’s SOL curriculum.  So come explore the museum and experience our Amazing school programs!  

* denotes makerspace extension option

Early Learning Programs

pre-K – 1st grade

+ Dino Math

Non-standard Measurement, Comparing Sets, and Graphing

Investigate math concepts and have a ROARing good time. Students will use non-standard measurement to compare the size of dinosaur footprints and graph their findings. Make tracks to join us!

SOL: Block 1; Block 5; K.1; K.2; K.10; K.13; K.14; 1.9; 1.1; 1.15

+ Life on the Farm

Patterns and Ordinal numbers

Pre-K and K students explore math concepts in our Big Red Barn exhibition! Your students will use ordinal numbers to act out the daily chores of a farmer and create patterns based on a pattern core using their favorite farm animals.

SOL: K.16; K.3; 1.17

+ In the Garden*

Exploring the needs and basic parts of plants

Come outside and discover what plants need to grow. Investigate parts of plants, plant adaptations, and all students will plant seeds to bring home and observe their growth. (In the event of inclement weather, the program will be moved inside)

SOL: Block 5; K.6; K.7; 1.4

Plant Design Challenge (Makerspace extension for In the Garden or as a stand-alone program):

  • Designing a plant model
  • Students use their knowledge of plant structures and functions to create a model of a plant using repurposed materials.

    SOL: 4.4

+ Where Animals Live*

Environment, habitat, life processes, classification

Embark on an expedition to explore the elements of animal habitats! Through dramatic play and inquiry, students investigate various types of ecosystems and the needs of living things.

SOL: Block 5

+ Planetarium: Space Explorers

Earth, Moon, Sun/ Stars and Planets Introduction

Students explore the cosmos in Amazement Square’s Planetarium! Pre-K through 1st grade students act out the Earth and Moon’s revolution around the Sun before heading off into a journey through space to visit the 8 planets in the solar system.

SOL: Block 6

Early Elementary Programs

2nd Grade

+ What’s the Matter Monster?

Solids, Liquids, Gases

Meet Amazement Square’s newest monster friends in “What’s the Matter, Monster?” Students will have a bubbling good time as they help to feed our hungry creatures. They will feed their minds too as they learn about phases of matter and phase changes in this exciting and engaging new science lesson.

SOL: 2.3

+ Weather Watchers

Water & Weather

Your students will take a journey as a water droplet exploring the water cycle, cloud types, weather instruments, and watersheds. Students will also participate in a live water cycle at our On the James exhibition.

SOL: 2.6; 2.7; 2.8; 3.9

+ Native American Cultures*

Explore Native American Cultures

Set in our Native American Gallery, students will explore Powhatan, Lakota, and Pueblo villages to learn about how the environment shaped their cultures in the areas of architecture, food, and daily life.

SOL: K.4; 1.4; 2.2; 2.4

+ Hamburger Economics (2nd, 3rd)

Model basic economics with playdough

Students explore basic economic concepts including needs versus wants, making choices, resources, and explore the benefits of specialization in businesses while making hamburgers with modeling dough for the Commerce Café.

SOL: 1.7; 1.8; 1.9; 2.8; 2.10; 3.8

+ Plant Design Challenge (2nd, 3rd)

Knowledge of the needs of plants and basic parts of plants to make a plant model



+ Animal Adaptations (2nd, 3rd, 4th)*

Discover adaptive traits of birds

Do you have what it takes to survive? Students will explore and test how the shape of a bird’s beak influences their food gathering ability in a variety of habitats.

SOL: 1.5; 2.5; 3.4; 3.6; 4.5

Innovation Adaptations (2nd, 3rd, 4th) (Makerspace extension for Animal Adaptations or as a stand-alone program):

  • Adaptation - Students enter the Amazement Square architectural firm to find out that they have a big responsibility. Students will need to use their creative minds to problem solve and produce a model for a special client in need of adaptations. This fully hands on STEAM lesson is appropriate for any grade level and can easily be adjusted for a variety of ages.

    SOL: 3.1; 3.4; 4.5

3rd - 5th Grade

+ Magnificent Mali

Ancient Mali, resources, trade, map skills

The dry Sahara desert is a harsh climate but is no stranger to caravans of camels and people of ancient Mali as routes for trade of natural resources. Students will learn about Mali’s wealthy civilization as they experience extracting natural resources from the earth and the challenge of trade as they look to others to meet their needs.

SOL: 3.6; 3.8; 3.9

+ Egyptian Contributions

Egyptian influences on the modern world

Uncovering the earth can lead to discovery and understanding of the past. Your students will step into an archeological site where they will unearth many modern day counterparts of Egyptian inventions. Students discover the contributions of this fascinating and impressive civilization to his or her life.

SOL: 3.2

+ Planetarium: Patterns in the Sky

Earth-Sun-Moon System, Moon phases, Revolution, Rotation

Explore patterns of natural events including day and night, moon phases, seasonal change and tides.

SOL: 3.8

+ Greece vs. Rome: A Curator’s Crisis*

Compare and contrast ancient Greece and Rome

Amazement Square is hosting an exciting art exhibit featuring replicas and artifacts of Ancient Greece and Rome the evening of your visit. You and your class are invited to a very special preview. All is well until your class arrives to find the art curator in a panic because the mail crates arrived at the last minute and desperately needs help sorting and labeling the artifacts and setting up the exhibit in time for the big opening. Your students will jump in to save the day!

For the teacher- We are very excited to share this program with you. It is designed to be fully engaging and immersive. Greek and Roman history are very expansive concepts covering topics of government, architecture, trade, landscape, and so much more. This lesson can be a great introduction or review for your students. You will find that with any level of background knowledge they can participate, learn, and expand their knowledge.

SOL: 3.1; 3.4; 3.7; 3.8

Roman Aqueducts (Makerspace extension for Greece vs. Rome: A Curator’s Crisis or as a stand-alone program)

  • Design and build a Roman aqueduct to transport water
  • Can you build an aqueduct like the Romans? Find out in this hands-on program that focuses on building these ancient structures.

    SOL: 3.1; 3.4

+ Mad Scientist (3rd, 4th, 5th)

Explore physical and chemical changes

Bubble, fizz, pop! Students will use science process skills while experimenting with polymers, chemical and physical change reactions in this hands-on program.

SOL: 3.1; 4.1; 5.1

Upper Elementary

4th - 6th Grade

+ Flower Dissection Lab*

Learn the parts of a flower through dissection

We will explore the processes and structures involved in a plant reproductive system using botany model and then students will dissect their own flowers using scientific tools and processes.

SOL: 4.1

Flower Design Challenge (Makerspace extension for Flower Dissection Lab as a stand-alone program)

  • Create a model of a flower
  • Students use their knowledge of flower structures and functions to create a model of a flower using repurposed materials and loose parts.

    SOL: 4.4

+ Planetarium: Meet the Planets

Planets, Moon Phases, Earth-Sun-Moon System

Observe planetary order and relative size, the relationship of the Earth-Sun-Moon system, and moon phases.

SOL: 4.7; 4.8

+ It’s Electric (4th, 5th, 6th)*

Investigate electricity

Students investigate electricity while building circuits, exploring conductors and insulators, making a human circuit, and viewing a Van de Graaf presentation.

SOL: 4.3; PS.11

+ Wild Weather (4th, 5th, 6th)


A poor connection cuts a severe weather warning short. Students jump in to determine the lost message by analyzing data from weather instruments. Students then predict, observe, and infer demonstrations for pressure, temperature, and wind speed. This fascinating Wild Weather program will blow students socks off!

SOL: 4.1; 4.6; 6.1; 6.6

+ Mind over Matter (5th, 6th)

Phases of Matter

Step inside the “Mind over Matter” program at Amazement Square to look closely at atoms and molecules. You will find out why atoms and molecules behave the way they do and that their behavior is just a phase. A couple stimulating demonstrations will help students analyze traits of matter, the changes they undergo, and so much more!

SOL: 5.4

+ Unlocking the 5th Grade Science Standards (5th)


Science knowledge, skill, and collaboration will be the only way to stop Amazement Square’s evil mad science teacher. Do your students have the knowledge and skills to unlock the science standards? This one hour 5th grade science review designed to test the VA science standards has a lot at stake.

SOL: 4.1; 4.2; 4.3; 4.4; 4.5; 4.6; 4.7; 4.8; 4.9; 5.1; 5.2; 5.4; 5.5; 5.6; 5.7

+ Voyage through the Solar System (6th)

Planets, Stars, Solar System, Rotation and Revolution

Size up space as we explore the relative size and distances between planets as we investigate the organization and interaction of the solar system and celestial bodies.

SOL: 6.8