Thanks to Duke Energy, 96 fourth graders from Tavares Elementary will discover science in the most fun and creative way — a free field trip at Orlando Science Center!
This experience isn’t your typical field trip. It’s a super-charged visit that sparks an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in ways the classroom can’t. It spurs curiosity in these subjects, reinforces what students learn in the classroom and demonstrates how science is relevant to their daily lives.
The day begins with a 90-minute discovery lab in which students team up and design a bridge to withstand the heaviest load. After that, they venture to the exhibit floor to apply the engineering skills they learned in the lab to solve problems and evaluate results. Forget Bunsen burners and beakers: these budding scientists are working together to design, prototype and test their creations as they compete in challenges with their peers.
Through a $75,000 grant, Duke Energy will help bring more than 3,500 students from its service area to Orlando Science Center to engage them with fundamental engineering principles, excite them with STEM topics and inspire them about future careers.
WHEN:
Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013
· Discovery Labs | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
· Exhibit Design Challenges | 12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
WHERE:
Orlando Science Center | 777 E. Princeton St. | Orlando, FL 32803
Thanks to the support of Duke Energy, more than 3,500 underserved youth from Title I schools will benefit from a free field trip to Orlando Science Center this academic year.
According to The Learning in Informal and Formal Environments Center, Americans spend more than 80 percent of their lifetime outside of school, placing importance on informal science education experiences (those that occur outside formal school settings).
Students will: design a paper-flying creation at the Wind Tubes; design, assemble and race cars on the Pinewood Derby track; and design and build a skyscraper that can remain standing during a simulated earthquake at the Shake Tables.
