In Mini Fab Science Lab, Ava and friends team up to ask big questions, investigate STEAM concepts in the lab and hear from local experts on the science behind everyday things. The show is designed to encourage a love for learning among young children, critical thinking and resilience.
Watch Mini Fab Science Lab, streaming now on YouTube and the PBS app. All episodes are available to stream below in English, Spanish and with an American Sign Language Interpreter.
Saturday, October 18, 10 AM—2 PM
Join PBS North Carolina at Marbles Kids Museum for a celebration of our new series Mini Fab Science Lab! Enjoy hands-on STEAM activities, educational resources, meet the cast and watch the show on the big screen at Marbles IMAX theater.
This event is free to the public. Museum admission is not included.
Mini Fab Science Lab episodes are available in English and Spanish. To change the video language, click on the closed captions button in the bottom right corner of the video and choose the language you'd like to watch in.
Mini Fab Science Lab ASL specials are available in English and Spanish. To change the video language, click on the closed captions button in the bottom right corner of the video and choose the language you'd like to watch in.
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Ava N. Simmons, also known as Ava The STEM Princess® and Ava The STEM Ambassador™, is a 12-year-old science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) ambassador, entrepreneur, toy designer, author and creator of educational toy brand Team Genius Squad. Diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia in 2021, Ava used STEM and entrepreneurial activities to help overcome her academic challenges and build her confidence.
To share her learning journey and encourage others, Ava creates engaging STEM-based educational videos, authors STEM books, conducts peer-to-peer STEM activities in the community and develops STEM toys for children ages 5–13, including children who are neurodivergent or in underserved areas. Over 700,000 households have viewed her educational videos, and she has conducted thousands of peer-to-peer STEM experiments with children in the community, authored 3 books and developed 15 branded STEM educational toys.
In Mini Fab Science Lab, Ava and her friends explore the world of science through hands-on experiments that can be easily recreated at home or in the classroom. Each experiment is aligned to the NC Foundations for Early Learning & Development (Pre-K) and the NC Standard Course of Study (K–3) science learning objectives. Download the Learning Goals version for more information.
Explore the stretchy world of polymers and create slime. Featured in Episode 1: Stretch, Squish & Bounce.
Learn how molecules break apart and change form. Featured in Episode 2: The Rotten Banana
Discover how different energy sources power our world by turning lemons into batteries. Featured in Episode 3: Lemon Power
Discover how cucumbers become pickles with an acid-base reaction. Featured in Episode 4: In a Pickle
Explore the invisible force of surface tension by experimenting with milk and soap. Featured in Episode 5: Mix It Up
In each episode, we meet scientists and experts at fascinating locations across North Carolina. Learn more about the places we explored below.
Episode 1: North Carolina Central University
Scientist Eric Saliim at North Carolina Central University helps the kids discover that science is everywhere, even in their shoes.
Website: nccu.edu
Episode 2: North Carolina Zoo
Experts George Adams and Kathy Osborne at the North Carolina Zoo reveal how decomposition plays a big role in caring for plants and animals.
Website: nczoo.org
Episode 3: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
An experiment about power and energy leads the kids to a virtual visit with electrical engineer Daryl "DJ" Riley Jr. at NC A&T.
Website: ncat.edu
Episode 4: Sarah P. Duke Gardens
Experts Liani Yirka and Jason Holmes at Sarah P. Duke Gardens show the kids how acids affect soil and can even change the color of flowers.
Website: gardens.duke.edu
Episode 5: NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles
The kids chat with Dr. Tova Williams, a scientist from NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles, who shares how color is added to fabric.
Website: textiles.ncsu.edu
Mini Fab Science Lab is made possible with support from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Child Development and Early Education.
And with our partners from Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, Team Genius Squad, STEMIE and Newfruit Media.
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