Orange County
Science & Engineering Expo
(OCSEE)

2025 OCSEE Activities:

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Medical Mythbusters

Participants will compete with each other in identifying different medical myths. They will be given multiple medical facts, and they must identify the lie. The ones who gets the most questions correct, wins.

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Story Prescriptions

Participants will create a ‘prescription paper’ comprised of an assortment of pills, each of which represent a story trope. Participants would randomly select pills for each portion of their story [exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion] and briefly write/sketch a short story that follows their prescription.

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Beads and Bases

DNA carries the genetic information that makes each individual unique, yet it is so tiny it is only visible with a microscope. In this event, students will learn about the structure of DNA and how it is used to hold the information that defines who we are. They will then have the opportunity to create their own DNA models using pipe cleaners and beads.

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DIY Thermometer

Participants will create their own, working thermometer with step-by-step instructions while learning the science and engineering behind thermometers. When finished, participants will test their thermometers by placing them in bowls of hot water and ice water, watching as the water level rises and falls.

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Enzyme Activity

Participants mix pineapple juice with gelatin powder in a cup. The enzymes (bromelain) in the pineapple juice will break down the gelatin, preventing it from setting into a solid. This demonstrates how enzymes help break down proteins in the body, such as during digestion or in medicines.

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Immune Inspection

In OC Art’s Immune Inspection, participants can work together to create a collage that illustrates the body and the effects that different items or actions can have on the body’s health. 

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Mechanical Hand

Welcome to the Mechanical Hand! In this event, participants will use specific materials to design their very own working cardboard hands. Finger by finger, they will build a full hand while learning about the importance of prosthetics and health along the way

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Lung Lab

Participants will build a model replica of a lung while following step-by-step guidance from volunteers. They will be able to see how their lungs work through their model which will include the diaphragm, trachea, bronchus, and alveoli. This activity is related to health and medicine as participants will learn how the lungs function. 

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BioTech Tycoons

Participants will brainstorm biotech business ideas, writing or drawing their concepts on Post-it notes. These ideas will be displayed for inspiration, with some examples provided. Participants will then pitch their ideas to a volunteer before being asked three questions about their start-up idea by the volunteer as if they are giving a true business pitch.

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Equation and Eggs

Participants will be given a worksheet with a word problem with facts about the healthcare industry woven into the question. If they answer it correctly, they get to pick out a plastic egg with a healthcare related prize inside. 

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Sort-N-Heal

In OC Coder’s Sort-N-Heal event, participants will sort pre-printed images of healthy and diseased parts of the body and simulate a mini ML network into different piles.

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Super Skeletons!

Participants will explore the intricacies of the skeletal system by constructing a life-sized skeleton on black cardstock using Q-tips! Through this hands-on activity, they will gain a deeper understanding of the major bones in the human body while engaging in an interactive learning experience. As they collaborate with peers, they’ll reinforce their knowledge by answering fun, engaging quiz questions that challenge their understanding of skeletal structure and function.

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