2015 - 2016
Discovery
Center
Outreach
Programs
Guide
HANDS ON DISCOVERY • !L! BEE AK’IDA’DIITĮĮH • DESCUBRIR PRACTICANDO
3-8
Caught in its Tracks
6-8
Fun with the Sun
K-5
Gist of Being a Paleontologist
3-8
Hypothesis Testing - Crustaceans
3 - 12
Light and Dark in Space
4-5
Mystery of Leaves
6-8
Paleo-Scatology
4-8
Patterns of Inheritance
3 - 12
Perils of Pony Beads
K-8
Plunging Into Pond Water
3-8
Pollinators at Play
K - 12
Powder Perplexity
5-8
Treebook
5-8
Volatile Volcanoes
2-5
What the Heck is Oobleck
K-5
Whither Cometh the Weather
3-8
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Life S
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Physi
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Pre - 5
Populations on the Colorado Plateau 6 - 8
Portable Planetarium
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Max D
Assisting Fish
Math
Grades
Earth
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K - 12
Each program is adapted to the
requested grade level.
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Quick Key
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Scien
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Welcome, to Four Corners School of Outdoor Education.
Through hands-on discovery, our programs support Common Core
State Standards, where students learn to connect science to real-world
experiences and our natural environronment.
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The above key provides a quick visual guide to the Discovery Center
Outreach programs, listed alphabetically within the brochure.
Please contact Four Corners School education staff at:
[email protected] or 800-525-4456.
1
We Bring the Colorado Plateau to Your Classroom!
All of our programs are experiential, place-based,
and engage students with their local Colorado Plateau
environments, communities, and resources through which
students learn a wide range of science concepts and content.
Assisting Fish of the Colorado River Drainage – Grades 3-5; MS 6-8
Apply conservation strategies and make management decisions to
improve habitats and increase the distribution and abundance of rare
and endangered species of fish found only in the Colorado River
drainage. Through an exciting simulation game students learn the
ecological requirements of rare endemic fishes, factors that have
reduced their populations, and strategies being used to conserve
remaining populations. NGSS: 3-LS4-2; 4-ESS3-2; 5-ESS3-1; MS-LS2-4;
MS-ESS3-3; CCSS Connections: MP.2; MP.5; RI.3.7
Caught in its Tracks – MS 6-8
Critters from the Colorado Plateau have caused chaos in your garden.
Using forensic techniques, discover what kinds of animals they were by
analyzing hair samples and tracks left at the scene of the crime.
NGSS: HS-LS2-8; CCSS Connections: RST.9-10.8; RST.11-12.1; RST.11-12
Fun with the Sun - K-5
Discover the hidden wonders of sunlight
on the Colorado Plateau. Use light to
communicate and to power solar
motors, create art using sunlight
and objects of different opacity on
solar print paper, and learn how
the energy in light is related to
its wavelength,
frequency, and
color. NGSS:
K-PS3-1; 1-PS4-3;
1-PS4-4; 4-PS3-2;
4-PS3-4; CCSS
Connections: K.MD.A2;
MP.5; W.4.7
Gist of Being a Paleontologist – Grades 3-5; MS 6-8
The Colorado Plateau is famous for its fossils. Discover the techniques
used by paleontologists to uncover pieces of the past. Students work
in teams to survey and map a large multilayered cake, excavate layers
to reveal hidden fossils, and discuss and report their findings like real
field scientists. NGSS: 3-LS4-1; 4-ESS1-1; 5-ESS1-4; MS LS4/LS4-1; CCSS
Connections: RI.3.3; W.3.W; MP.5; MD.B.4; W.4.7 RST.6-8.7; WHST.6-8.2
2
We Bring Discovery to You!
Our activities are based on the science practices of the NGSS
framework to increase students’ understanding of
cross-cutting concepts, science and engineering practices, and
core ideas of science disciplines.
Hypothesis Testing and Racing Crustaceans –
Grades 3-5; MS 6-8; HS 9-12
Create a testable hypothesis, learn how to plan and conduct a valid
scientific experiment and find out why replication and control groups
are important. Perform an experiment to evaluate how the sprint speed
of those cute decomposers, affectionately known as “roly-poly bugs,” is
influenced by the environment. NGSS: 3-LS3-2; 4-PS3-2;
CCSS Connections: MP2; 3.MD.8.3; W.4.7; 6RP.A2; RST.6-8.3
Light and Dark in Space – Grades 4-5
Compare brightness of different stars to determine their
relative distances from Earth. Explore where life could exist in space by
using temperature probes to identify “just right” zones near stars
beyond our sun, where the temperature would be appropriate to support
life. NGSS: 5-ESS1-1; CCSS Connections: W.5.1; MP.2; MP.4
Mystery of Leaves – MS 6-8
Learn what leaves can tell you about their environment and take detailed
measurements of the size and shape of leaves from the Colorado Plateau
to help solve a mystery dealing with a missing person and buried
Spanish gold! NGSS: MS-LS1-5; MS-PS4-2;
CCSS Connections: MP.2; 6.RP.A.1; RST.6-8.3
Paleo-Scatology – Grades 4-5; MS 6-8
Dissect a “fossil dinosaur scat” to
determine what the dinosaur ate
millions of years ago! Learn how
to apply this knowledge of scat
analysis to understand the
health of organisms,
ecosystems, and past and
present climates. NGSS:
MS-LS2; MS-LS2-1; CCSS
Connections: RST.6-8.7;
WHST.6-8.9; SL.8.1; SL.8.4; MP.4
3
Think Like a Scientist Classroom Programs
Our STEM programs promote innovative, inquiry-based,
and experiential science exploration, all of which
enhance students’ problem solving skills, critical thinking,
and independent thought.
Patterns of Inheritance –
MS 6-8; HS 9-12
Use random processes to
generate the genetic
make-up and physical traits
of a Canyon Country Clay
Monster! Discover how the
environment affects the
monsters traits and then
mate it with another to learn
about patterns of genetic
inheritance. NGSS: 3-LS3-1
(HS-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2);
CCSS Connections: MP.2;
MP.4; RP.A3; R15.7
Perils of Pony Beads –
Grades K-5; MS 6-8
Students prey on four generations of pony beads possessing genetically
based color differences. Pony beads depend on crypsis (the ability
to avoid detection) to survive so they can reproduce and pass on their
traits to the next generation. Students track the numbers of pony beads
of each color from one generation to the next to understand how natural
selection produces changes in a population over time. NGSS: 3-LS4-2;
5-LS4-3; MS-LS4-4; CCSS Connections: MP.2; W.3.7; 3.MD.B3; 6.SP.B5
Plunging into Pond Water – Grades 3-5; MS 6-8
Observe the microscopic creatures living in a
single drop of pond water. Discover what
protozoans can tell you about water
quality, and learn how to transform
disgustingly dirty water into clean
drinking water! Using a compound
microscope, students become familiar
with the single-celled organisms in
pond water and design and construct
a water filter from common household
materials. NGSS: 3-5-ETS1-1; 3-LS4-3;
CCSS Connections: MP.5; W.3.7: W.4.7; W.5.7
4
Pollinators at Play – Grades Pre-5
Discover the amazing lives of pollinators and learn why we can’t live
without them! Students create and perform a play using a Colorado
Plateau butterfly, bat, bee, hummingbird, and flower puppets to illustrate
“a day in the life of a pollinator.” NGSS: 2-LS2; 2-LS2-2;
CCSS Connections: W.2.8
Populations on the Colorado Plateau – MS 6-8
Examine and interpret patterns of change in
human populations over time at different
locations on the Colorado Plateau. Plot
and compare survivorship curves using
cemetery data from the Four Corners
Region and explore relationships
between population growth and
resource availability. NGSS: MS-LS2-1;
HS-ESS3-1; CCSS Connections: MP2;
MP4; RST.6-8.7; 6.SP.B.5
Powder Perplexity – Grades 5; MS 6-8
Learn the differences between physical and chemical change using
common non-toxic powders. Students will
analyze and identify unknown substances
through observation,
experimentation, and
measurement to identify the
physical and chemical
properties of different
mysterious powders. NGSS:
MS-PS1-2 (PS1.A; PS1.B);
MS.PS3.D; CCSS Connections:
RST.6-8.1;RST.6-8.7;
MP.2; 6RP.A.3
Tree Book – Grades 5; MS 6-8
Learn the language of trees and
take a journey to the past as you read
between nature’s lines in this exciting
program. Students will discover how to read tree rings, determine
climate history, and understand the effects of fire and insects on our
forestlands. In this hands-on activity, students learn to read tree cookies
as a valuable resource for discovering how trees impact human water
supplies and influence land management practices. NGSS: 5-ESS2;
5-ESS2-1; MS-LS1; MS-LS1-1; MS-LS1-5; CCSS
Connections: WHST.6-8.1
5
Volatile Volcanoes – Grades 2-5
What happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda...?
Science happens! Each student will create two different types of
volcanoes, with explosive results. Students will learn about volcanology,
tectonic shift, and the complex systems below the surface of the
Colorado Plateau. NGSS: 2-ESS1-1 (ESS1.C); 5-ESS2-1 (ESS2:A); CCSS
Connections: RI.2.1; RI.2.3; MP.2; MP.4
What the Heck is Oobleck? –
Grades K-5
When does liquid behave like a
solid? What powder can give
you the ability to walk on
water? Find answers to these
age-old questions and many
others as you discover what the
heck is Oobleck. NGSS:
2-PS1-1(2-PS-1); CCSS
Connections: W.2.7; 2.MD.D.10
Whither Cometh the Weather –
Grades 3-5; MS 6-8
Why is the weather so different from place to
place and season to season? Explore how geography, the tilt of Earth’s
axis, and Earth’s rotation influence
weather patterns. Use actual
weather instruments to measure
temperature, relative
humidity, wind speed,
barometric pressure, and
precipitation. Compare
your measurements to
long-term averages
from the nearestweather
station and learn how to
use information like
barometric pressure,
the speed and direction
of prevailing winds, and
satellite imagery to make a
short-term weather
forecast. NGSS: 3-ESS2-1;
3-ESS2-2; 5-PS3-1; 5-ESS2-1;
MS-ESS2-6; CCSS Connections:
MP.2; RI.3.7
6
Discovery Center Portable Planetarium
A Journey to the Stars!
Questions About Booking
Outreach Programs for Your School
Discovery Center Portable Planetarium – K-12, Community
Seats up to 30 students for a panoramic experience that explores the
night sky of the Colorado Plateau and beyond. Whether students probe
the depths of our planet or travel to the farthest stars, this innovative
teaching tool offers an otherworldly experience that will delight those
both large and small!
How do I arrange for the Discovery Center to visit my school?
Email Four Corners School at [email protected] or
call 800-525-4456, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A member of the Discovery Center staff will answer general questions,
offer scheduling suggestions, and provide you with a Preprogram
Questionnaire. This questionnaire must be returned before a
program can be scheduled, as it is used to determine logistical
requirements and special needs of students to ensure a high quality
educational experience. Bookings are accepted on a first-come,
first-serve basis, up to one year in advance. Contact us as soon as
possible as certain months fill up quickly.
The portable planetarium is both inspiring and exciting and will engage
students in astronomy, as well as earth and life sciences. Students will
be immersed in STEM subjects and engage in innovative, inquiry based,
and experiential scientific exploration, all of which enhance problem
solving and critical thinking skills.
The fee for the portable planetarium is $400 per day for up to five
programs. A flat rate of $125 is incurred for any bookings requiring
overnight travel. Title I schools are eligible for a 20% discount; please
contact us for more information. Overnight bookings include the option
for students’ parents, siblings, and friends to attend an evening
planetarium event at the host school at no additional charge. For
locations greater than 60 miles from Monticello, UT, a transportation fee
of $0.56 per mile will be added - 120 miles will be deducted from your
overall mileage expense.
Set up requires 17’(w) x 15’(h) clearance.
(Most gymnasiums meet space requirements.)
Available Programming:
• Biological Cell
• Bird Migration
• Constellations
• Deep-Sky Objects
• Earth
• Geologic Time
• Moon
• Native Am. Mythology
• Navajo Skies
• Ocean Currents
• Our Solar System and Galaxy
• Plate Tectonics
• Starfield
• Weather
7
Are there any special guidelines?
Yes. For a safe, educational, and fun experience, we limit group size to
40 students per activity (30 for portable planetarium programming).
Do Discovery Center programs align with state curriculum?
Yes. Common Core State Standards and NGSS are displayed at the
end of each program description. Please contact us for more detailed
information.
I teach at a charter school. Can my students and I participate in
your programs?
Yes. Charter and private schools, as well as home-schooling programs,
are eligible for participation.
What is the program pricing?
The fee is $6 or $9 per student (for one or two hour programs) with a 20
student minimum for each activity (see separate planetarium pricing).
Title I schools are eligible for a 20% program discount; please contact
us for more information. A flat rate of $125 is incurred for any bookings
requiring overnight travel. For locations greater than 60 miles from
Monticello, UT, a transportation fee of $0.56 per mile will be added - 120
miles will be deducted from your overall mileage expense.
For additional information or copies of this guide please contact:
435-587-2156/800-525-4456 or [email protected]
Hands On Discovery!
8
PLATEAU
PLATEAU
Professional Development
Program Participation Questions
(Formerly the Bioregional Outdoor Education Project - BOEP)
Place-Based Learning and Teaching Enhances Academic
Understanding (PLATEAU) is a teacher professional development
program that uses Common Core State Standards and science
practices to help teachers integrate place-based education into their
curricula. The PLATEAU program provides training for K-8th grade
teachers in schools across the Colorado Plateau, which includes
classroom-based mentoring, a five-day Summer or Fall Institute, a
three-day River Institute, and an annual teachers’ conference.
Participating PLATEAU teachers receive intensive training throughout
the school year, with one-on-one, semi-monthly in classroom support
from a state Regional Coordinator, who also provides assistance
with curriculum and lesson plan development. Through this
training, teachers will acquire the skills to mentor other teachers
within their schools. In addition to innovative ideas that invigorate
educators’ classroom practices, PLATEAU teachers receive a stipend
up to $1,000 for completion of the program ($400 after the initial
training and $600 at year’s end) and can earn up to 108 clock hours
of professional development. As many as four, non-degree graduate
level credits can also be earned from the Colorado School of Mines.
In addition, each PLATEAU participating teacher receives up to $500
to buy equipment for a Resource Center that becomes school-district
property and a resource for all teachers in each PLATEAU
participating school.
Place-Based Teacher Professional
Development Workshops
Through Discovery Center Place-Based Education (PBE)
workshops, teachers gain in-depth understanding of the PBE
theory-to-practice pedagogy. Workshops address the experiential,
inquiry-driven, PBE model through a methodology that supports
Common Core State Standards, science and engineering practices,
and STEM instruction. This two-hour, interactive workshop is
available to all teachers in Plateau participating schools.
Small/large group pricing available upon request.
If you are a teacher, principal, or administrative staff member in a Colorado Plateau
K-8th grade school and are interested in participating in the PLATEAU program
and/or PBE teacher workshops, please contact Discovery Center staff at
800-525-4456 or [email protected]
9
Are there special requirements to be a part of PLATEAU?
Yes. The program is for K-8th grade educators in schools on the
Colorado Plateau (northern AZ, southwest CO, northwest NM, and
southern UT).
How do I sign up for PLATEAU?
If your school or district is interested in becoming part of the program,
please call or e-mail Discovery Center staff at
435-587-2156/800-525-4456 or [email protected].
What is Program Pricing?
There is a requested, but not required, cost of $5,000 for each
participating school per year. Please call for details.
What is Place-Based Education?
Place-based education makes use of the classroom, schoolyard, and
nearby natural spaces, while engaging community members, elders,
and local organizations to give context and meaning to crucial
Common Core and NGSS content instruction. This provides learners
with a greater sense of connection to place, fostering a deeper
engagement with, and understanding of, STEM-related subjects.
Through place-based education, students engage in dynamic,
hands-on, cross-disciplinary learning, using the local culture,
environment, and spaces in which they live as a relevant and rich
context for learning.
Teachers’ Corner
At participating PLATEAU schools, teachers school wide have the
opportunity to interact with fellow educators in the Teachers’ Corner,
a web-based community of practice. Teachers interact with eductors across PLATEAU participating schools, thus enhancing classroom
practice through interfacing with other like-minded professionals.
Participants share best practices, learn theory-to-practice strategies,
and problem solve challenges in the classroom, while learning what
other teachers are doing across the Four Corners region. No fee.
“The program has been a tremendous success for students and staff. First, the staff has
gained knowledge of science and social studies in our area. This program is a handson active program, which has sparked enthusiasm for teaching. This has been a very
beneficial part of the professional development this year at Ruth N. Bond Elementary
School (New Mexico).”
- Melissa Roberts, Ed.S., Principal
10
Canyon Country Discovery Center Outreach Programs are interactive,
Common Core State Standards and NGSS-based STEM programs that we
bring to you! All of our education programming promotes critical
twenty-first century skills by integrating innovation with creativity that
focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math.
Four Corners School of Outdoor Education
@ Canyon Country Discovery Center
P.O. Box 1029
49W 600S
Monticello, Utah 84535
435-587-2156/800-525-4456 Office
435-587-2193 Fax
www.fourcornersschool.org