Science Explorations for Grades 7-9
These longer programs allow students to investigate important and complex scientific topics in-depth. Students will work in small groups to perform experiments and problem solve. Three topics are offered: Classification of Life, Discovering Your World and Global Climate Change.
- Available beginning January 2008
- Length: 90 minutes
- Maximum number of students: 35
- Fee: $12 per student (Price includes admission to museum)
Classification of Life 
Understanding the relationships among living things is fundamental to the study of the diversity of life on earth. Small groups of students will examine specimens, practice techniques of taxonomy and develop their own phylogenetic trees.
- National Benchmarks: 1B, 5A, 5F, 11A, 11C
- NJ Core Curriculum: 5.1.8A, 5.1.8B, 5.5.6 C, 5.5.8 B, 5.5.8 C, 5.8.8 C
- PA Academic Standards in Science & Technology
- Unifying Themes in Science (3.1.7A, 3.1.7C, 3.1.7E)
- Inquiry and Design (3.2.7A, 3.2.7B, 3.2.7C)
- Biological Sciences (3.3.7A, 3.3.7C, 3.3.7D)
- Earth Sciences (3.5.7A)
- PA Academic Standards in Environment and Ecology
- Ecosystems and their Interactions (4.6.7A, 4.6.7C)
- Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species (4.7.7A, 4.7.7B, 4.7.7C)
- Philadelphia Core Curriculum Grade Levels: 7, 8
Discovering Your World
Apply the scientific method of inquiry in this hands-on experience and develop your innate skills as a biologist exploring the natural world! Small groups of students will study a colony of live animals and design an experiment, generating written and graphic data to answer questions about behaviors, diet, adaptations and environment.
- National Benchmarks: 1B, 1C
- NJ Core Curriculum: 5.1.8A, 5.1.8B, 5.4.4C
- PA Academic Standards in Science & Technology
- Inquiry and Design (3.2.4A, 3.2.4B, 3.2.4C, 3.2.7A, 3.2.7B, 3.2.7C)
- Biological Sciences (3.3.4A, 3.3.7A)
- PA Academic Standards in Environment and Ecology
- Ecosystems and their Interactions (4.6.4A, 4.6.7A)
- Philadelphia Core Curriculum Grade Levels: 4, 5, 6
Global Climate Change
What is global climate change? What changes will happen to different environments and how will this affect the plants and animals living in them? Small groups of students will perform experiments, interpret graphs, discuss and evaluate data, and participate in role playing activities to understand this important topic.
- National Benchmarks: 1A, 1B, 1C, 4B, 4C, 7G, 11B, 11D
- NJ Core Curriculum: 5.1.8A, 5.1.8B, 5.2.8B, 5.3.8D, 5.8.6B, 5.8.8B, 5.10.6B, 5.10.8B
- PA Academic Standards in Mathematics
- Statistics and Data Analysis (2.6)
- PA Academic Standards in Science & Technology
- Unifying Themes in Science (3.1.7B, 3.1.7C)
- Inquiry and Design (3.2.7A, 3.2.7B, 3.2.7C)
- Earth Sciences (3.5.7C)
- PA Academic Standards in Environment and Ecology
- Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources (4.2.7A, 4.2.7B)
- Environmental Health (4.3.7B)
- Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species (4.7.7C)
- Humans and the Environment (4.8.7B, 4.8.7C)
- Philadelphia Core Curriculum Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
All Science Explorations have been developed to meet or exceed Educational Standards, including National Benchmarks for Science Literacy, New Jersey Core Curriculum, Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Science & Technology and for Environment & Ecology, and Philadelphia Core Curriculum Grade Levels.
