Yuck Show

In the Yuck Game Show, the audience is divided into two teams to compete in curriculum-based science games and big, highly visual science demonstrations, with the winning team’s captain getting the ultimate prize . . . SLIME!

In this active experience, an average of 45 students per show come up on stage for engaging activities ranging from blowing smoke rings across the room to making beach balls levitate in the air, to using scientific equipment to determine the winner of silly relay games, all leading up to the grand finale of the show, when the “winner” is covered in slime!

The Yuck Game Show is priced per show, with a significant discount for additional shows on the same day and at the same location.  On an elevated stage, the show can be performed for any audience size the room can accommodate.  This allows for the efficiency of doing programs for an entire school in 2 or 3 programs.  Most schools choose to schedule two grade levels at a time, for three shows during the day.

In addition to the show pricing, a travel fee may apply.  Yuck is based in the Houston area, and schools are asked to pay estimated costs, which may vary based on the scheduled show time, with the biggest variable being a hotel room for an overnight stay.  Typical travel costs are listed below. Out-of-Texas shows are quite possible but typically require at least 4-5 schools to book as a group to make the travel costs reasonable for each school.

If your schedule is flexible, it may be possible to reduce or share travel costs with other schools based if the show will already be in your area for a given date.

The live stream can be 45-60 minutes, depending on your school’s preference. The longer the time, the more we can discuss and the more I can interact with the students, but any length will be exciting. The live stream allows the most direct interaction with your students.

Production value was a big emphasis in developing this show. Multiple camera angles, large lens cameras, a lighting kit, and a mix of microphones are used. Also, the set was purpose-built with the material presented in mind. Each detail was carefully considered to maintain the standard of quality you may be familiar with from my stage show.

How is it interactive?

This is the number one question I get, and it is one I spent a lot of focus on, given that student interaction has been a hallmark of every show we’ve ever developed. Ultimately, it depends on the group size. With under 98 screens, I can see them all at one time and address them by their screen names, and the show can be conversational and somewhat led by the students interests. Recently, I showed my dinosaur fossils to a group interested in paleontology and when asked how to make slime, I pulled the ingredients off my shelf to make a batch with them.

The larger the group, the more engagement needs to be moderated by a co-host, with unmuting and hand-raising to speak, as well as helping notice questions in chat. But this is not a one-sided show. Hearing the audience’s excitement for the demonstrations is fun for me, so I work to include them every step of the way. In addition to addressing their questions throughout the show, I also stay on the call after dismissing the group to answer any remaining questions, so long as another adult is still on the call as well.

The students’ response so far has been excitement and enthusiasm. Where we can’t have students ‘up on stage’ at this time, I’ve added over the top demos to keep them on the edge of their seats.

What streaming platforms do we support and how many students can participate?

My Zoom account supports 500 participants at a time, and that can be upgraded to 1000 for your show for a small fee ($40). Alternate platforms can be used at the school’s request.

What about Junior High and Middle School groups?

While elementary schools are primary market for STEM assembly programs, the tone of Yuck is one that definitely appeals to middle school students as well, and the science content works very well with middle school or even high school science curriculum as well. The discussion level is adjusted accordingly when working with older age groups.

The Yuck family science night experience is HUGELY INTERACTIVE! Students are engaged with group-led science experiments they each get to do and several of the big spectacles that everyone enjoys. You will not find a more interactive Zoom program than this. Each student actively participates in the show and will have their questions answered either through discussion or chat during the show.

My kids both enjoyed the experiments this evening.  They already want to try some of the bigger ones at home. Thank you for making science intriguing!

-Parent, Exley Elementary

The students will inflate balloons with carbon dioxide, make film canister rockets, practice Bernoulli’s Principle in two different ways, and also make gases compress inside a water bottle. They will also see examples of combustion, and demonstrations with liquid nitrogen, and elephant toothpaste. It is an evening themed around the properties of gases and physical and chemical changes, with the magic of students both seeing and doing science.

The PTA/PTO can provide kits costing about $1 per student to make sure everyone has a common set of supplies, or a materials list can be provided to parents with common household objects or simple grocery store items they can pick up if they wish. Any student without any or all of the materials will still be made comfortable in the group. There will be enough big demos to keep interest high, and the activities will be presented as optional opportunities for students to share with the group.

This experience aims to build community and share together at a time we can’t all be together and also ties in with an emphasis of all my shows, which is every day science students can do at home.

We loved our interactive science night, with all of our students getting to do hands-on experiments during the show.

-Rodgers Elementary PTA

The video is about 45 minutes. It is a briskly-edited experience and is packed with the most material possible to keep the students engaged, while still taking time to focus on areas of particular interest to students from my 15+ years of presenting these concepts to them. The video is intended for elementary school age groups.

How will the video be delivered how many students can participate?

The video will be made available to the school for one week through a special page on this site so that every student will have the opportunity to view it, even if they miss a group showing. I prefer YouTube as a platform for the video because of its premiere capabilities, allowing students to chat together during the show. I can also be available for the premiere showing to chat with the students and address any questions they might have.

What is the difference between the live stream and the prerecorded video?

There are several. The video has the advantage technically simpler to implement–there is no need to schedule a time for the full school to assemble–and it has a brisker pace and will include more material due to editing. The live stream has a slower pace and benefits from increased student interaction but may cover slightly less material as a result. Both concepts cover similar ground but are really somewhat unique from one another. However, these differences are relatively minor. Whatever option sounds best for your school will be an experience that I am really proud to present to your students.

Can my video be provided on a different platform, and may I share my link with other groups?

It may be possible provide the video in a manner that suits you better, though we must limit the timeframe it is publicly available so that other groups will still be encouraged to book their own show. Please do not share your link with other groups unless it is part of our agreement prior to booking, in a case where you are a part of a group of small schools, perhaps, etc. Doing so would not be in the spirit of what we are offering, and it will also be fairly obvious if this happens from the tracking metrics available for the video.

Amazing stuff! Thank you for making learning about science so much fun!

-Teacher, Murphy Ranch Elementary