Program Overview
DoD STARBASE brings science to life for elementary students especially fifth graders through exciting, hands-on adventures in STEM. Our mission is simple: spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire students to dream big as they continue their educational journey.
Working closely with school districts, STARBASE supports classroom learning by offering experiences that teachers say they wish they had time and resources to do themselves. It’s learning with purpose exploratory, engaging, and directly connected to academic standards.
At STARBASE, students become scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and designers for the week. Through our inquiry-based curriculum, they dive into Newton’s Laws, explore Bernoulli’s principle, and use computers to design their own space stations. Math comes alive as students measure, estimate, graph, and analyze real-world data to solve challenges. Collaboration is a key part of the experience, as students work in teams to explore, explain, and innovate together.
Throughout the program, students build critical thinking skills, practice problem-solving, and discover how science and engineering shape the world around them. Whether they’re experimenting with forces, creating digital designs, or tackling team challenges, STARBASE gives students the confidence to imagine themselves as future creators, makers, and problem-solvers.
STARBASE 5th Grade Program
STARBASE 5th Grade Program
The STARBASE Basic Program provides 5th-grade students with a 25-hour, five-day immersive STEAM experience that sparks curiosity and creativity through hands-on exploration. Aligned with state and national standards, the curriculum integrates key science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics concepts with interactive experiments and projects designed to make learning engaging and relevant.
Students dive into the Engineering Design Process, learning to identify problems, design innovative solutions, and test their ideas through collaborative challenges. They develop proficiency with the metric system, apply graphing and data analysis skills, and explore Newton’s Laws of Motion through dynamic physics demonstrations. Lessons reveal the fundamentals of energy, investigate fluid mechanics, and strengthen understanding of the coordinate plane as students analyze patterns and model solutions.
Through Computer-Aided Design (CAD), participants create 3D models and apply engineering concepts using digital tools, often connecting their work to 3D printing and robotics technologies. The program also delves into electricity and circuits, chromatography, and chemistry—where students witness exciting endothermic and exothermic reactions that illustrate real-world chemical processes.
Beyond academics, STARBASE emphasizes teamwork, communication, and collaboration, helping students link scientific inquiry and mathematical reasoning to practical applications in everyday life. Throughout the week, students gain valuable insight into STEAM career pathways, inspiring them to envision their future as creators, innovators, and problem-solvers.
Advanced Program
Advanced Program
The STARBASE Advanced program is designed for middle school students who are ready to take their STEAM knowledge to the next level. Building on the foundation established in the 5th-grade STARBASE program, this advanced experience offers an additional 20 hours of hands-on learning through more complex projects and real-world challenges.
Students dive deeper into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as they apply critical thinking and teamwork skills to explore topics such as rocketry, drones, robotics, and forensics. Each session emphasizes creativity, problem solving, and innovation, encouraging students to approach new challenges with curiosity and confidence.
By participating in STARBASE Advanced, students strengthen their understanding of core STEAM concepts while gaining valuable skills that prepare them for future academic and career opportunities in technology, engineering, and beyond.
Summer Camps
Summer Camps
STARBASE Summer Programs extend the DoD STARBASE experience beyond the school year, giving students the chance to explore STEAM subjects in an exciting, hands-on environment. Built around a specialized 20-hour curriculum, these camps inspire creativity and problem-solving while introducing real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and math. Our camps are designed to make learning both meaningful and memorable.
From racing CO₂ cars to cracking forensic cases, STARBASE Summer Programs spark imagination, build confidence, and bring STEAM learning to life.
Registration is available through your local participating school. For more information, contact the Starbase location near you.