Waukesha County

Saturday, November 2 • 11 am - 2 pm

Retzer Nature Center

S14 W28167 Madison St
Waukesha, WI 53188 (directions)

General Information: 262-896-8007

The Friends of Retzer Nature Center's annual Science Fest is a celebration that connects people with science, technology, engineering, and math in fun and exciting ways!

Attendees of all ages are encouraged to explore 'Energy in Nature' and engage in a variety of interactive activities and discover how science mixes into our everyday lives and shapes our future. Check out the schedule!

Schedule of Activities: Science Fest 2024

Celebrate Science with Hands-On Activities: 11 am - 2 pm
11 am - 2 pm	Learn about natural resources, water conservation, recycling, wildlife, sustainability, and more with fun and educational booths.	Community Room
11 am - 2 pm	See up close the work vehicles and equipment used to care for the community: Highways Snow Plow, a Recycling Truck, and more!	Right outside the Maintenance Building (map)

Session One: 11 am
Time	Activity		Description	Location
11-11:30 am	Hike	Power Plant	Hike through different habitats and learn how plants make and store their own food for energy. Learn plant strategies for survival and reproduction. Walk away with a new appreciation for plants and the energy they make.	Meet on the back patio (map) Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain.
11-11:30 am	Discovery Program	Energy Strategies for Warm and Cold Blooded Animals	Did you ever wonder why some animals are cold blooded? Meet some warm and cold blooded animals up close and learn the advantages and disadvantages of each.	Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center)
11 am - noon	Planetarium Show	Sunstruck	Travel back to the beginning of time and experience the birth of the sun. Discover how it came to support life, how it threatens life as we know it, and how its energy will one day fade away. Audiences will gain an enhanced understanding of the Sun and how it impacts the world.	Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium
Session Two: 11:45 am
Time	Activity		Description	Location
11:45 am - 12:15 pm	Hike	Energy in Water	Head outside to measure the temperature of the water bodies at Retzer Nature Center. Learn some of the ways energy from water can be transferred and how that affects our environment.	Meet on the back patio (map) Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain.
11:45 am - 12:15 pm	Discovery Program	Recycling Saves Energy	Nothing is more efficient than using less energy in the first place. Find out how recycling saves energy, as do consumer choices.	Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center)
12 -1 pm	Planetarium Show	Dynamic Earth	This is a high-resolution full-dome production, narrated by actor Liam Neeson. The show explores the inner workings of Earth’s climate system. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere. Audiences will ride along on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a monster hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and gigantic whales, and fly into roiling volcanoes.	Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium
Session Three: 12:30 pm
Time	Activity		Description	Location
12:30 - 1 pm	Hike	Power Plant	Hike through different habitats and learn how plants make and store their own food for energy. Learn plant strategies for survival and reproduction. Walk away with a new appreciation for plants and the energy they make.	Meet on the back patio (map) Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain.
12:30 - 1 pm	Discovery Program	Energy Strategies for Warm and Cold Blooded Animals	Did you ever wonder why some animals are cold blooded? Meet some warm and cold blooded animals up close and learn the advantages and disadvantages of each.	Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center)
1 - 2 pm	Planetarium Show	5000 Eyes: Mapping the Universe with DESI (Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument)	The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is creating the most detailed map of our nearby universe. Installed on the Mayall telescope on Kitt Peak in Southern Arizona, DESI's 5000 independently operated robots can measure the light from thousands of galaxies at once. Join us as we explore the science, instrument, and people behind this global endeavor.	Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium
Session Four: 1:15 pm
Time	Activity		Description	Location
1:15 - 1:45 pm	Hike	Energy in Water	Head outside to measure the temperature of the water bodies at Retzer Nature Center. Learn some of the ways energy from water can be transferred and how that affects our environment.	Meet on the back patio (map) Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain
1:15 - 1:45 pm	Discovery Program	Recycling Saves Energy	Nothing is more efficient than using less energy in the first place. Find out how recycling saves energy, as do consumer choices.	Meet at the front doors of the Retzer Environmental Learning Center Hike mainly on the paved Discovery Trail

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Park Hours Sunrise to 10 pm • 365 days a year

Waukesha County Park System
515 W. Moreland Blvd • AC 230
Waukesha WI 53188 (map)

Hours M-F • 8 am - 4:30 pm* (closed holidays)
Visit us in person in room AC 260
*Rentals: in-person support 8 am - 4 pm
Contact us 262-548-7801 | [email protected]

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