In Middle School, students will:

-Investigate structure/function/information processing, matter and energy in organisms/ecosystems, interdependent relationships in ecosystems, growth/development/reproduction, and natural selection.

-Study space systems, history of Earth, Earth's systems, weather/climate, and human impacts.

 

The Wild

(7 lessons: ~9-10 Day Unit)

Overview

Bristol Bay, Alaska is the last fully-intact wild salmon system left on Earth. It is also home to the worlds’ last functioning salmon culture. The Yupik, Dena’ina, and Alutiiq Peoples have thrived here since time immemorial because of Bristol Bay’s abundance of wild salmon. Today, half the world’s supply of sockeye salmon comes from Bristol Bay. It supports more than 14,000 American jobs a year and contributes over 1.5 billion dollars to our economy – year after year. In the last five years, Bristol Bay’s wild, sustainable sockeye salmon runs have yielded over 250 million sockeye salmon returning to their pristine birth-houses. 2020 is expected to see over 50 million salmon return again to sustain new life for themselves, us, and 137 other species. If built, the proposed Pebble Mine will be one of the world’s largest open-pit gold and copper mines - and will be located directly in the headwaters of Bristol Bay’s primary salmon watersheds. Businesses and consumers who depend on access to salmon would be jeopardized.  

Cells

(Indoor Program)

Next Generation Science Standards: 

MS-LS1-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells. 

MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function. 

Organ Systems

(Indoor Program)

Next Generation Science Standards: 

MS-LS1-3. Construct an explanation supported by evidence for how the body is composed of interacting systems consisting of cells, tissues, and organs working together to maintain homeostasis. 

MS-LS1-8. Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli, resulting in immediate behavior and/or storage as memories. 

Living Plants

(Indoor Program)

Next Generation Science Standards: 

MS-LS1-6. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.

Food Webs

(Indoor Program)

Next Generation Science Standards: 

MS-LS2-3. Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

Starlab

(Indoor Program)

Description: 

Learning about science through our inflatable, portable planetarium will bring plenty of “oohs” and “ahs.” More than that, it will inspire your students to engage in a better understanding of the world around them.

In the dome, you can travel through a world of knowledge that includes astronomy, geology, physical geography, and more. With StarLab, educators can be confident the curriculum meets current Next Generation Science Standards.

Science on Seneca

(Geneva, NY)

Description: 

Science on Seneca (SOS), an EPA-award-winning environmental education program, is a middle and high school educational outreach program of the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. The goals of Science on Seneca are to provide students with an interesting experience in the collection, analysis and sharing of scientific data and to amass baseline data on Seneca Lake's major features. The Science on Seneca field trip experience provides students with an opportunity to conduct field-based data collection using state-of-the art equipment. 

Ecology Camp

(Allegany State Park)

Description: 

Whether its a day camp or overnight, our camps will embrace a unique spin on the traditional, tried-and-true summer camp experience. Combined with camp favorites like arts and crafts, music and theater, campfire and songs, campers are immersed in environmental exploration, learning through hands-on activities and following their curiosity to uncover a deep-rooted eagerness to connect with nature.


Nature Walk

(Outdoor Program)

Description: 

Students will get a chance to experience an outdoor space to notice nature and increase observation skills. They will be presented with an opportunity and task to identify various items in nature and make connections with the environment that surrounds them.