SCIENCE FIELD TRIP

SCIENCE FIELD TRIPOur Science Field Trip allowed Science Club students to travel around the world, and to see first-hand what happens to the expelled when they attempt to follow the evidence wherever it leadsZOOAlmost all children enjoy a trip to the zooWe can use zoos to encourage our childs interest in the natural world and to introduce children to the many fascinating forms of life

ZOOGuessing games can help your child understand structure and function Why do you think the seal has flippers?(the seal uses flippers to swim through the water)why is the snake the same brown colour as the ground on which it spends most of its time (As snake evolved, the brown ones didnt get eaten as quickly. As your children mature, they will understand more complex answers to these questions

ZOOChildren can learn about organization by seeing related animals. Have them compare the sizes, leg shapes, feet, ears, claws, feathers, or scales of various creatures. Ask them, Does the lion look like a regular cat? How are they the same?Does the gorilla look like the baboon?ZOOHere are a few suggestions to help make your visit worthwhile:Discuss expectations with your children ahead of time. What do they think theyll find at the zoo? Very young or insecure children may go to the zoo with more positive attitude if they are assured that it has food stands, water fountains and bathroomsMUSEUMMuseums are designed today to interest visitors of all ages.Science and technology museums, natural history museums and childrens museums can be found. Museums vary in quality. If possible, seek out those provide opportunities for hands-on activitiesMUSEUMLook for museums with :Levers to pullLights to switch onButtons to pushAnimals to strokeExperiments to doMUSEUMNatural history museums sometimes have hands-on rooms where children can stroke everthing from lizards to Madagascan hissing cockroachesMany museums offer special science classes. Look for omnitheaters. These enable visitors to see movies on subjects ranging from space launches to rafting on the Amazon projected on a giant screen. The sounds and sights of the experience are extremely realisticMUSEUMIf you are unfamiliar with museums in your area, consult a librarian, the Yellow Pages of your telephone book, a local guidebook, of the local newspaper, which often list special exhibitsMany tips for visiting the zoo are also helpful when you visit museums of other community facilities. For example, dont try to cover too much on one visit and do try visiting at off hours when the crowds wont seem overwhelmingPLANETARIUMPlanetarium have wonderful exhibits and activities for youngsters. These facilities are particularly useful for children in urban areas, where metropolitan lights and pollution obstruct ones view of the solar system. Inside planetariums, children often can:Use telescope to view the rings of SaturnSee the sky with vivid clarity from inside the planetariums dome andStep on scales to learn what they would weigh on the moon or on MarsAQUARIUMAquariums enable youngsters to see everything from starfish to electric eelsChildren particularly enjoy feeding timesCall ahead to find out when the penguins, sharks, and other creatures get to eatAnd check for special shows with sea lions and dolphinsFARMA visit to farm makes a wonderful field trip for primary school youngsters. Consider dairy farms, as well as vegetables poultry, hog and tree farmsOn a dairy farm, see the cows close up, view soils, and learn what cows eat. Find out from the farmerUp to what age do calves drink only milk?FARMWhen do they add other items to their diets? What are they?Why are the various foods a cow eats nutritious?A visit to a farm also enables children to identify the difference between calves and cows; to watch the cows being milked; to see farm equipment; to sit on tractors and to ask questions about how tractors workFARMIf you visit a vegetable farm, encourage your children to look at the crops and ask questions about how they grow.If your children grew up in an urban area, they may have no idea what potatoes or beans look like growing in a fieldPEOPLE WHO USE SCIENCE IN THEIR WORKSee if your student can spend part of the day or even an hour with a park ranger, pharmacist, veterinarian, chemist, engineer, or laboratory technicianThis can teach the importance of science for many jobsBefore the visit, encourage your children to read about the work so they will be able to ask good questions during the visitNATURE HIKESMany communities have parks, forest, or nature areas in which to walk. Some of these have centers where visitors can do everthing from observe to learn about flora and faunaCollect and identify leaves or rocksObserve pigeons, squirrels, butterflies, ants or spider websObserve differences among the dogs and cats you see andTalk about the special features of the birds and flower you encounterSCIENCE CAMPContact the Society , which runs ecology camps or the National Wildlife Federations ranger (which is a good choice for student who love nature)Eg: elephant conservation centre, kuala gandah, pahangOTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCESLook into botanical gardens, weather stations, hospital laboratories, sewage treatment plants, newspaper plants, radio and television stations, and after school programs