Meadowlands Environmental Center Partnership PrograM
Meadowlands Environmental Center Partnership PrograM
Astronomy: Grade 5
The Sun Through Time is a multidisciplinary two-day convocation based on the theme of solar astronomy. The attending students will participate in one of five modules investigating humans’ understanding of the sun through time with ancient cultures, sundials, telescopes, solar energy and modern solar study being the themes of focus. The convocation will culminate in a creative showcase featuring creative writing, visual art and a play.Green Building: Grade 6
Environmentally-friendly practices are more common than ever in our society. In this two-day convocation children will learn what “green” buildings are and why the technology used within them is important. On day one, students will be separated into specialist groups where they will learn about technology in one of four areas: Energy, Indoor Environmental Quality, Materials or Water. They will take this knowledge with them on day two where four different classrooms will be assembled with all the specialists. Each classroom is tasked with drawing up plans to construct a “green” elementary school. At the end of the, day each team will present its concepts to all participating students as well as give an oral presentation on one of the areas that they learned about during the first day of the program.Crime Scene Investigation: Grade 6
Forensic science has been a hot topic in the science classroom for the last couple of years. Solving a crime appeals to the interests of children and allows them to feel like “real” scientists. In this two-day convocation, students are exposed to a fictitious crime scene that was committed on the grounds of the Meadowlands Environment Center. On day one, the students are split up into different classrooms where they will become “specialists” in one area of forensic investigation: fiber and fragment analysis, hair and fur analysis, fingerprinting, shoe tracks and botany as well as white substance and ink analysis. On day two, the specialists are allowed into the crime scene to recover and analyze evidence. The students in each classroom must reach a conclusion by putting all the pieces of the puzzle together and later present their findings to the other students participating in the convocation.Grade 4: Mythical Creatures
"Housing one of the most extensive collections of Ancient Near Eastern Seals and Tablets in the world, Mythical Creatures focuses on the concepts of myths and symbols found in the Morgan's exceptional collection of Mesopotamian cylinder seals. Students will investigate the origins of writing while exploring clay tablets and the ceiling of J. Pierpont Morgan's library to further discuss myths, symbols, and the history of storytelling.Grade 5: Colors of the World
"In Colors of the World, the prevalence of literacy in today’s world is contrasted with a time when reading and access to knowledge were relegated to the few. The program instills in students a sense of value for the written word.Students will draw upon Morgan’s superb collection of illuminated manuscripts and relate them to world history in a way that will deepen their understanding of cultural identity and interaction among diverse peoples across time and place. Hands-on activities will emphasize the impact of trade with West Africa and Asia on medieval Europe’s manuscript production, as imported spices, dyes, semiprecious stones, gold, and animal matter became the basis for the illuminators’ palettes.Grade 6: Reading a Building
Reading a Building is an exercise in visual literacy focusing on J. Pierpont Morgan's magnificent neo-Renaissance library. Students become active and critical viewers as they learn how to "read" the National Historic Landmark, comprising of Morgan's library and study, as a primary source. Students will use their observations as visual clues to understand the collector's life, interest, and his influence on the culture of New York City during the Gilded Age.