Partners in Science

Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, CT

The Discovery Museum in Bridgeport, CT has a wide variety of programs and workshops that support the 2004 CT Core Science Curriculum Framework. Students can watch a planetarium show, chosen from a variety of topics, and can follow it up with a trip through the hands-on exhibits, a hands-on workshop, or a demonstration. The subjects covered include matter, chemistry, electricity and magnetism, light and sound, forces and motion, weather, space science, and astronomy. These programs vary in length and can be combined to fill an entire day.

The Discovery Museum is also home to the Challenger Learning Center, founded by the families of the seven Challenger astronauts. A special program is offered to students in grades 5 and up called Mission: Return to the Moon. Utilizing the Space Station Simulator and the Mission Control Operations Center, students work together to complete a lunar mission.

The staff is continually updating the museum’s programs and will also develop programs to fit the needs of individual schools. This list is not intended to be a complete listing. For complete descriptions and more information visit their website: www.discoverymuseum.org

Teacher Preparation:

No specific teacher preparation is required for the planetarium, demos, or learning labs though the staff will work with teachers to pick the appropriate program to support their curricula. However, teachers who want to have their students participate in the Lunar Mission must have teacher training, provided by the Challenger Center and NASA, and prepare their classes before their trip.