The Greatest Places Action Plan
St. Louis Science Center

Program Title

"The Greatest Places Camp-In"

Museum Educator

Kathy Ketterer

Educator Information

St. Louis Science Center
5050 Oakland
St. Louis, MO 63110
phone (800)456-7572 ext.8291
fax (314)289-4440
e-mail kketter@slsc.org

Program Overview

An overnight learning adventure with an introduction to the ecosystems of Missouri, Illinois and those presented in The Greatest Places.

Program Goals

To stimulate an interest in and understanding of our place and the uniqueness of the seven "Greatest Places" through an introduction to ecosystems.

Activities

Workshop Participants (in groups no larger than 45) will be introduced to the concept of ecosystems, and be asked to share what ecosystems they are familiar with. As a group, we will place the seven "greatest places" into their most dominant ecosystem.
Participants will be given a box full of supplies (animals, water, rocks, clay, shrubs, plants, trees, etc), and seven large trays. They will reproduce the seven ecosystems that exists in Missouri, and Illinois.
Each participant will be giving a packet of prairie grass seeds to take home, encouraging them to explore the subject of ecosystems further.

Scavenger Hunt Participants will be given a worksheet to complete on their own while exploring the Ecology Present Gallery. The worksheet will ask them to determine how many ecosystems exist in Missouri, and Illinois. They will have to identify them, and the plants and animals that live in each ecosystem.

Magnetic ecosystems In the morning a huge magnetic puzzle of Missouri and Illinois will be available in the lobby of the Museum. Magnetic ecosystems with plants and animals will be available for the participants to place on the states. Each group will also have a magnet representing their home town to place on the puzzle. This will be a self-exploration activity using prior knowledge.


OMNIMAX The Camp-In adventure will end with a viewing of the movie"The Greatest Places ".

Program Dates

TBD approximately 10 Camp-Ins

Time needed

5:00 PM - 11:00 AM (overnight)

Materials

Seven large trays, (plastic shrubs, trees, plants, animals), clay, rocks, dirt, sand, prairie grass seeds, worksheet, large magnetic ecosystem puzzle of Missouri and Illinois.

Location

Entire St. Louis Science Center facility.

Program Audience

Grades 3-6th graders and their chaperones.

Attendance

250-330 per Camp-In

Internal Contacts

OMNIMAX, food service, gallery dept., exhibit production, electronics dept., engineering dept..

External Contacts

Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, local school districts.

Financial Support

Fee based, $25 - $28 dollars per participant.

Venue Dates for the Greatest Places

Feb 13-May 28, 1997

Timeline for Planning

July '97 - Feb '98.

Implementation procedure

Produce budget, acquire supplies, reserve the museum, mailings to Scouts.