Field Trips

The following is a list of topics available for each grade level. Note that each grade level follows a particular theme. Each theme and the month in which it is presented are listed below along with a brief description of the program. We are excited to announce that we have an additional offering this school year. Now available for K, 2, 4, 6 and high school astronomy classes, the Digitalis Digital Planetarium is state of the art technology that GYSTC instructors will bring to your school. Pricing for these field trips appears below.

Please note that all field trips begin at 9:30 and end at approximately 11:30, unless other arrangements are made.

Please note: This center will be closed the month of December.

Students will identify changes in the day and night sky. They will investigate the effects of the sun’s light and heat on the earth. They will explore moon phases and make a model moon crater to take home. They will explore constellations by visiting the Digital Planetarium to view. Using prisms and refractive glasses, students will discover that all light is separated into seven colors (rainbows). Please note: planetarium requires gym or large room set up. (Georgia Performance Standards #’s SKCS3b, SKCS4a, SKE1a, b, & c)

Students will explore the role of vibrations in sound production. They will experiment with variations in sound, such as pitch and intensity, and will discover how and why they occur. They will play tunes with Boomwhackers and xylophones. They will make a “Crowing Cup” (chicken) to take home. (Georgia Performance Standards #’s S1P1c, d, & e)

Students will investigate the three states of matter—solids, liquids, and gases—and will explore the properties of each. They will experiment with mixtures and identify reversible and irreversible changes. They will practice metric measurement as they measure length and mass of solids and the volume and mass of liquids. They will observe different densities of liquids in an “Ocean in a Bottle”, which they will create and take home. (Georgia Performance Standards #’s S2P1a, b; S2CS7c; S2CS3 a, c; S2CS5 a, c; M2M1 b)

Students will investigate stars and discover that they appear in groups called constellations. They will model the movement of the Earth as they observe changes in the sky over a period of time. Inside the Digital Planetarium, students will observe moon phases, constellations, and stars as they discover attributes of celestial bodies. Please note: planetarium requires gym or large room set up (Georgia Performance Standards #’s S2E1a; S2E2 a, c, d)

Students will learn the differences between a rock and a mineral. They will be introduced to rocks and minerals found in Georgia. They will identify mineral samples by testing their properties (hardness, streak, color). They will investigate the formation and properties of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. They will observe a demonstration of volcanic eruption. Each student will make a cast and mold fossil with modeling clay and Plaster of Paris to take home. They will estimate and then measure the length of their fossils and record this data. (Georgia Performance Standards #’s S3CS5d; S3E1a, b; S3E2a, b, d, e; M3M2 b, c)

Students will review simple machines and their uses. They will investigate the forces of friction and gravity and their effects on the motion of objects. They will discover that differences in applied force and differences in the mass of objects affect the speed and motion of objects. They will participate in demonstrations of Newton’s Laws of Motion and create a balloon rocket car to take home. Students will participate in creating a bar graph to represent the data generated in this demonstration. (Georgia Performance Standards #’s S4P3 a, b, c, & d; M4M1 b, M4D1 a)

Students will identify and locate planets in the sky as they differentiate planets and stars. By modeling the position and motion of the Earth, students will observe the changes that occur over a period of time. They will also identify the phases of the moon as they view the moon, planets and stars in the Digital Planetarium.

Students will observe the forces of magnetism and electromagnets. They will participate in static electricity experiments and experience the effects of the Van de Graaf generator. They will explore current electricity, building a workable circuit to take home. Students will also observe an electric meter and learn how to evaluate the electricity consumption of various appliances. They will discover the importance of electrical safety as they participate in Georgia Power Company’s POWERTOWN, view their film The Shocking Truth and practice safety rules by using their ELECTRICITY UNIVERSITY. (Georgia Performance Standards #’s S5P3 a, b, c, & d)

Students will explore the many ways math (particularly statistics and measurement) is important in the world of major league baseball. They will investigate the information on the players in sets of baseball cards and experiment with fractions, decimals, percentages, and circle graphing, using protractors. They will estimate and measure the masses of several balls. They will measure the volume of liquids and compare metric and standard volumes. They will estimate and measure the distance of baseball throws. They will take home protractors and pencils. (Georgia Performance Standards #’s M5N4, M5M2, M5A1, M5A2, M5A4)

Students will explore the position, movement, and relative size of planets and the moon in the Digital Planetarium. They will observe the movement and characteristics of comets, asteroids and meteors. Students will model the movement of the earth, moon and sun as they differentiate solar and lunar eclipses.

Students will recognize constellations visible from their location as they visit the Digital Planetarium. They will evaluate the effects of the positions of the Earth, moon, and sun as they relate to moon phases, eclipses, seasons, and diurnal cycles. Students will predict the visibility of planets based on orbital motion.

If you are unable to schedule your class during the designated month, please request a day in April. Please email Charlotte Leake, GYSTC Field trip Coordinator at charlotte@shenandoahgystc.org.

Cost to GYSTC members--$5.00 per student (all non planetarium field trips)

$6.00 per student (all planetarium field trips)

Cost to Non-GYSTC members--$8.00 per student (all non planetarium field trips)

$10.00 per student (all planetarium field trips)

Field Trips for the next 30 days

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Field Trips for the next 30 days