Science Behind STEAM-Powered Saturday

STEAM-Powered Saturday explores science, technology, engineering, arts and math through a wide variety of hands-on activities! Dig deeper into the scientific concepts behind these activities with these resources for kids and families--whether you came to our event or not.

Save the date for next year, Saturday, October 3, 2026!

Gators versus Crocs

When you think about alligators, your first thought might be Chance the Snapper. But alligators don’t usually live in Chicago! Crocodiles don’t either. So, what’s the different between the two species?

Bioluminescence and Glowing in the Dark 

Everyone loves to make slime! But what happens to make slime glow? There are lots of ways thing can glow. Our slime glows because we added a special paint with particles that absorb light. But there are organisms that glow due to chemical reactions that happen in their bodies. Don’t worry, these reactions are completely natural and help to ward off predators!  

  • While many bioluminescent animals live in the deep ocean – like these funky coral - some may even be lighting up your own backyard.
  • If you want to learn more about bioluminescence - including some extra science-y terms for how it works - check out this article on the Science Online database, accessible with your library card! 
  • Did you know that some mushrooms glow in the dark? Here’s a cool video that shows wild mushrooms glowing under UV light in the Oregon forest.  

Making Constellations

Long ago, ancient cultures used constellations to track the changing of the seasons, the cycles of the harvest and to navigate around the world. It’s too bright in the city to see many constellations, but on clear nights you can make out the Big Dipper, or even Orion’s belt. 

  • Did you know: There are 88 official constellations! When we draw them, they are easy to see, but these images show you how they look in the sky: Big Dipper, Cygnus and Orion.
  • Check out Sky Gazing, an eBook you can access with your Chicago Public Library card. It will show you how to find constellations and follow the sun and the moon, even on cloudy days.  

Nighttime in the City

Illinois and Chicago are home to many different creepy, crawly (but sometimes cute!) nighttime critters. On a given night, one might hear the low hoot-hoot of a Great Horned Owl or look outside and see a possum or raccoon crawling across the street looking for food. What nocturnal animals do you see in your neighborhood? 

  • Read about urban wildlife you could spot on your next outing.
  • The Illinois Department of Natural Resources put together this fun informational guide about the many, many critters we can find in our communities. Visit your library if you want to print out the coloring pages.   
  • Light pollution is a real issue in our cities, but it's easy to fix. Learn more about how it works and how the City of Chicago is helping!

Thanks to the partners who joined us today!

For more books about these STEAM concepts, check out our STEAM-Powered Saturday booklist. We also have ScienceConnections programs happening at many branches all year-round if you're looking more hands-on activities.