Benefits & Standards

Many benefits and opportunities are available to students if they visit the Discovery Science Center. There are so many fun activities and exhibits for students to get involved with. It makes science enjoyable and easy to understand. It takes real life situations that the students can relate to and brings the scientific knowledge behind how that thing works. I have been to the DSC once before but learned so many new things upon my recent field trip there. They are constantly changing the exhibits and activities that are in the Center and have many people available there to answer questions and assist in the learning and exploring process. The Discovery Science Center is very supportive of education. They list the standards that the activities they offer cover for each grade in their education packet and also on their website. This field trip is very purposeful in providing and educational aspect in a exciting way! For example, this month the focus is on body systems which covers Life Science standards for 5th graders:
2. Plants and animals have structures for respiration, digestion, waste disposal, and transport of materials. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know many multicellular organisms have specialized structures to support the transport of materials.
b. Students know how blood circulates through the heart chambers, lungs, and body and how carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) are exchanged in the lungs and tissues.
c. Students know the sequential steps of digestion and the roles of teeth and the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and colon in the function of the digestive system.
d. Students know the role of the kidney in removing cellular waste from blood and converting it into urine, which is stored in the bladder.

How to adaquetely prepare my students for the Discovery Science Center

The most essential thing that can be done to prepare the students for the Discovery Science Center is to give some lessons on the main exhibit they will be participating in during their scheduled field trip time. There are so many things to learn while you are there that you will never be able to teach your students everything about what is offered there. Therefore, it's important to give your students the opportunity to learn new things on their own as they venture through the Center. Walking into the DSC is like walking into a fun zone! The Center opens up an excitement and passion for students to desire to learn and investigate different science topics. Encourage your students to read the displays at the activity to learn about what the activity is trying to demonstrate. If you have younger students, it is important to have plenty of parent help and guide the students through the Center while allowing them to explore but explaining the concepts to them. For example, while visiting the DSC we saw that the main exhibit wasn abot circles. This is great for younger students to learn about shapes and also how many different funtions the ciricle inhabits. In the picture above, Heidi and I are in the earthquake simulation room. If is a great idea to make sure your students know something about this topic because they will be drawn to this activity at the Center. Overall, the main thing you want to prepare your students before going to the DSC is rules about being on a fieldtrip and covering information on the main topic you will be exploring while at the Center.

How to adapt for English learners and students with special needs.

There are many things that you can do to help meet the needs of all of your students when bringing them to the Discovery Science Center. Fortunately, by choosing a place like the DSC, a lot of the adaptions are available to your students with special needs and those who are English learners. All of the areas of the center are accessible to students in wheelchairs. Also, everything is visual and hands-on along with having a written description in English and Spanish for most of the activities. This will really help those students who speak Spanish to learn while experiencing the activities. As a teacher, you can help and further prepare those students who you can forsee will need additional help by teaching them the topics of the activities that are offered and that the kids will experience at the DSC.

Resource Materials

There are many resource materials to assist in planning a trip to the Discovery Science Center. Some of them include:

1. Discovery Science Center Website

• http://www.discoverycube.org/
• There is information about the center and its exhibits so you can see which areas you will need to prepare your students for.
  

2. Discovery Science Center Education Website

• http://www.discoverycube.org/education.aspx?q=107
• This website contains information specifically about planning an event with the DSC including transportation, pricing, and other opportunities available.
  

3. Discovery Science Center Lesson Plans

• http://www.discoverycube.org/education.aspx?q=107
• This website has a number of lesson plans available for grades K-12 that assist with some of the exhibits they offer and align with the standards.
  

The Discovery Science Center is A Great Fieldtrip for Any Age!

The Discovery Science Center has so much to offer students off all ages. They plan specific exhibits throughout the year that address standards for grades K-8. I was able to pick up a packet while I was there that mapped out all of the events and gave the information about how to plan a field trip. Not only is the DSC a great place to take your students but they also will come to your school for an event. The DSC offers a multitude of sources and programs to get involved with. They have a specific program that teachers can register for. This program gives educators and evening of science for free that gives them a tour of the center and all of the opportunities available for their class. The DSC is a resourceful, fun, and inexpensive place to have a field trip. I didn't remember all of the amazing things there were to explore in the center and what they have to offer. I look forward to bringing my students there in the future.