Science Discovery Series: Science Events

The New Jersey 4-H Youth Development Program offers many opportunities for 4-H members and others to learn about science and other topics. There are also a variety of other organizations and agencies that sponsor similar events and activities. Here are a sampling you might want to check out. Contact the sponsors directly for more information.

4-H Science-sational Day

4-H Science-sational Day is held annually on a Saturday in mid April for participants from the Somerset County and central New Jersey area. It offers a day of science fun for nearly 300 youth, grades 1-6 , and their parents. A dozen hands-on workshops with creative names, such as "Panning for Gems," "Bubbleology," and "Chemistry Wizardry" are offered annually. Presenters are scientists and teachers who volunteer their time to share the joy of science with youth. Advanced registration is typically available in late February and is often filled within a matter of weeks.

Contact: Somerset County 4-H at 908/526-6644

4-H Missions in Space

Four-H and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center®, home of U.S. SPACE CAMP®, introduced the 4-H MISSIONS IN SPACE program nation wide in 1990-91. Since that beginning, more than 8,000 youth, extension staff and volunteer adult leaders from more than 45 states and territories have participated in various program offerings. Pathfinder, AstroTrek™ and other opportunities are now offered.

http://www.aces.edu/dept/4Haero/SpaceCamp/index.htm

FISH (Families Investigate Science Hands-on)

Location: Sandy Hook, N.J.
Purpose: Family marine science field programs held in Spring and Fall
Intended Audience: Families with all ages (toddlers to grandparents)
Registration & Contact: education@njmsc.org or 732/872-1300 x30
Web Site: http://njmsc.org

Coast Day New Jersey

Location: Cape May, N.J.
Purpose: Day long festival designed for all ages to learn about New Jersey's marine and coastal environment.
Contact: education@njmsc.org
Registration Info: Free and no advance registration necessary
Web Site: http://njmsc.org

The Coastal Experience

Location: Sandy Hook, N.J.
Purpose: K-12 marine science field programs
Contact: 732/872-1300 x16, 30, 19
Registration Info: $175/25 students for field program, $250.00/25 students for field and classroom program
Web Site: http://njmsc.org

New Jersey Envirothon

The New Jersey Envirothon is a statewide event for high school age students, grades 9 through 12. It is held annually in May. Teams of five students study a resource guide prepared by the Envirothon committee on the topics of aquatics, soils, forestry, wildlife and environmental issues. The teams then meet and are given a hands-on, interactive problem-solving test. The Envirothon provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn new subject matter information and test their individual skills and abilities to work as a team. The New Jersey Envirothon is sponsored by NJ Department of Agriculture, NJ State Soil Conservation Committee, NJ State Association of Soil Conservation Districts, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, and various corporate and non-profit organizations. The first place team wins a cash award to support their travel to the National Envirothon, where teams from across the United States compete. Canon Corporation provides scholarships to the top three national winners.
Contact: New Jersey Envirothon Coordinator Donna Hopkins or Sheila Hall, Morris County Soil Conservation District, Morris County Courthouse, P. O. Box 900, Morristown, NJ 08963. Phone: 973/538-1577.
National Envirothon Web Site: http://www.envirothon.org
National Contact: Christine Foley at christine-foley@nacdnet.org

New Jersey Science Olympiad

New Jersey Science Olympiad has been on the leading edge of educational innovations including high academic standards; demonstration of skills through performance testing; learning through hands-on, minds-on activities; cooperative learning through events that require teamwork; improved self-concept through success in achieving high standards and making applications and connections to the real world. New Jersey Science Olympiad events are closely aligned with New Jersey Science Education Standards and include strong components for problem solving, critical thinking and use of technology. Science Olympiad also portrays the close relationship between teaching and assessment. Assessment tasks are developmentally appropriate for young children, and include recognition of students' physical skills and cognitive abilities.

The members of the New Jersey Science Olympiad Committee invite you and your district to participate in Science Olympiad, the foremost academic competition in New Jersey. Visit the web site at http://www.link2ed.com/nj/scienceolympiad.

American Museum of Natural History Teacher Professional Development Opportunities

The Professional Development Office at the American Museum of Natural History coordinates professional development programs for teachers, faculty, and administrators with schools, universities, and other cultural and scientific institutions. All programs address these four components:

Content: Essential knowledge and skills for teaching science, social studies, and the arts.
Pedagogy: Curriculum guides and resources for translating the content into effective classroom practice that is learner-centered and promotes inquiry.
Museum as a Learning Resource: Suggested plans and resources for utilizing the Museum's scientific and cultural exhibitions and collections.
Technology: Opportunities to use interactive and telecommunications technologies, including Museum-developed resources, to enhance teaching and learning.

Web Site: http://www.amnh.org/education/

Farm Tours at Cook College

The Cook Campus Center schedules farm tours at the college farm at the New Brunswick, N.J. campus. These tours are given by our Animal Science students to predominantly pre-K to 2nd or 3rd grade. We also give tours to our first year Perspectives classes (predominantly 18 year olds), which means they can accommodate tours of any age. Tours are generally Sept-Nov and April-May (weather permitting). Summer tours can be scheduled when guides are in the area.
Contact: Call Patty Davis at 732/932-8933 for reservations. She begins scheduling after student guides return for classes in the fall.
Web Site: http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~cccenter/farmtours.html

Institutes for New Teachers of Mathematics and Science

The Institutes are week-long, residential, summer programs designed to better prepare new K-12 teachers of math and science for their upcoming teaching assignments in the fall. Teachers with 0-3 years of teaching experience would qualify as "new." This dynamic institute has been in existence since 1987, under the direction of Dr. Joseph Rosenstein. The instructional staff are expert teachers and supervisors of math and science throughout New Jersey. The focus of the institutes is hands-on, discovery-based learning, problem-solving and standards based instruction. Teachers leave the Institutes with materials ready for immediate use in the classroom. There are 3 parallel institutes that run the same week: science 7-12, math 7-12,and math & science K-6. The institutes run each summer, either the second or third week of August.
Contact: Kerstin Schnatter, Program Coordinator, kerstins@dimacs.rutgers.edu or 732/445-0841.
Web Site: http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/nti/

Bayer/NSF Award for Community Innovation

Exclusively for students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades, the Bayer/NSF Award for Community Innovation is an invitation for a team of three or four students to identify a problem facing their community and to apply science and technology to develop an innovative solution. The competition promotes teamwork, inquiry-based learning, and emphasizes the importance of the community in implementing change. It can be used in school classrooms, with youth groups and community organizations--anywhere kids come together.
For more information: Call 1-800-291-6020 or go to http://www.bayernsfaward.com for a free information kit.
Web Site: http://www.bayernsfaward.com

Missouri Aerospace Camp

This camp provides an exciting and fun learning opportunity for South Central Missouri youth. Trainees ages 10 to 13 learn to use math and science in exploring topics related to the aerospace field. Guided by adult Team Leaders, trainees work in groups of 10 in a variety of activities, including rocket launching, computerized flight simulators, team-building activities, satellite conference with nasa, paper airplane contest, visit to an observatory, on-site visit by an astronaut and more! Even though this program is limited to youth from a specific location, the Web site may provide ideas for replicating such a program elsewhere.
Web Site: http://outreach.missouri.edu/aerospace


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