DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE LAUNCHES FIELD TRIP ADVENTURES

Field Trip Adventures maximize learning for PreK to grade 12 students, support Colorado Academic Standards

DENVER – March 31, 2014 – The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the region’s leading resource for informal science education, today launched Field Trip Adventures, fun new programs designed to maximize students’ learning through engaging and interactive experiences. Field Trip Adventures are designed for preK through grade 8 students and use state of the art technology, unique Museum specimens, fascinating content and stories, and the Museum’s world renowned exhibitions to create learning experiences that students will encounter nowhere else. All are designed to support the new Colorado Academic Standards.

“We know that students and teachers have a limited amount of time for planning and on the day of their visit. So our Field Trip Adventures are preplanned to take the planning pressure off of teachers. The adventures make the most of every moment the students are here, weaving together the best of what the Museum offers to have the biggest impact on the students,” Director of Museum Programs Nancy Walsh said. “These Field Trip Adventures are designed to immerse students in thrilling scientific exploration and, of course, support the curriculum they are learning in their traditional classrooms.”

Field Trip Adventures include:

• Dinosaur Detective (preK–Grade 2): Students become paleontologists. They uncover clues, dig for fossils, and imagine what it was like when Stegosaurus roamed Earth through dramatic play. A visit to the Prehistoric Journey exhibit to explore the awe inspiring dinosaur fossils caps off the adventure.  

• The Bear Necessities (PreK–Grade 2): Bears need to focus on searching for food, water and shelter – and so will students. Students become black bears in an immersive Colorado habitat, and then they are off to investigate other bears in our Bears Hall. 

• Super Animal Adaptations (Grades 3–5): Students meet nature’s “superheroes,” discovering through unique animal specimens and science activities how animals use their amazing body parts and behaviors to survive. Students also explore the Wildlife Halls using a tablet app as part of the adventure.

• Heart Lab (Grades 3–5): In this deeply engaging adventure, students become scientists, dissecting real sheep hearts to learn how organs work. The adventure also includes activities in the Expedition Health exhibit. 

• Lung Lab (Grades 3–5): Similar to the Heart Lab, students become scientists and dissect real sheep lungs to learn how organs work, and enhance their experience with additional activities throughout the Museum that tie in to the Expedition Health exhibit. 

• Maya Adventure (Grades 3–5 or 6–8): This captivating adventure immerses students in the life of the Maya people, through their stories, writing, art, and artifacts. This experience culminates with the students playing the Maya ballgame. The adventure also includes a visit to the temporary exhibition Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed. 

• Med Lab (Grades 6–8): Students learn about the human body and organ functionality through their own scientific dissection of sheep hearts and lungs. The adventure also includes time to explore the Museum to expand their learning. 

• Build Your Visit (ECE–Grade 12): A field trip experience with access to any combination of the Museum’s exhibitions, IMAX films, and Planetarium shows. 

For more information about Field Trip Adventures, please visit www.dmns.org/teachers.   

About the Denver Museum of Nature & Science

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain Region’s leading resource for informal science education. A variety of engaging exhibits, discussions and activities help Museum visitors celebrate and understand the natural wonders of Colorado, Earth and the universe. The Museum is located at 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO, 80205. To learn more about the Museum, check dmns.org, or call 303-370-6000. Many of the Museum’s educational programs and exhibits are made possible in part by the citizens of the seven-county metro area through the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District.

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