Field Trip Program connections to MA DESE Standards
- Massachusetts State Frameworks, grades PreK – 2 >> (PDF File)
- Massachusetts State Frameworks, grades 3-5 >> (PDF File)
- Massachusetts State Frameworks, grades 6-8 >> (PDF File)
- Massachusetts State Frameworks, grades 9-12 >> (PDF File)
MCAS Science Review
Help students prepare for the MCAS in a fun and exciting way by taking them on a field trip to see the Science on a Sphere® at the Ocean Explorium. Key grade applicable MCAS concepts will be reviewed for 5th, 8th and 10th grades. Highlights from grade-specific field trips listed below will be summarized, and the major elements will be reviewed.
Water – Elementary and Middle School
Make a splash investigating water in our world. Come explore water as a crucial component for life on our planet and recognize the importance of water conservation. Water’s essentiality, unique properties, cycle and structure will be investigated through combined hands-on activities and an SOS experience.
Forces that shape the Earth Part I: Earth’s History – Elementary and Middle School
What does the ocean floor really look like? Discover the ocean floor as never seen before—a dynamic and varying landscape. Remove the water from the globe and find out what is hidden underneath, while visualizing the Earth as an ever-changing planet. Gain an appreciation for the Earth’s changes through geological time by studying the movement of the plates and Earth’s changing surface.
Forces that shape the Earth Part 2: Earth’s Materials – Elementary and Middle School
Did you ever wonder how the sand on the beach got there, or what it is made of? Explore Earth’s structure, and the materials that comprise it. Investigate rocks, soil and the processes that lead to their formation. Also, gain a better appreciation for the processes that shape the Earth, such as erosion and volcanic activity.
The Earth in the Solar System – Elementary and Middle School
The Earth is unlike any other planet in our solar system. Earth’s unique characteristics have allowed it to sustain life for billions of years. Come explore Earth in relation to the other planets of our solar system. Gain an understanding of the Earth’s structure, gravity, orbit, tilt and the role that these properties have on the planet dynamics, such as tides and seasonal cycles.
Weather – Elementary and Middle School
How does a heat wave in Africa affect Massachusetts? Imagine knowing what the weather in India or Australia is right now! Discover the conditions that give rise to global weather patterns and the climate of the Earth by exploring the world’s ocean currents, wind patterns and heat transfer.
Energy and Living Things – Elementary, Middle School or High School
Want more energy? Turn up the sundial! The sun powers our planet and all the living things that call Earth home. Explore how photosynthetic organisms harvest the sun’s energy and how that energy flows through Earth’s ecosystems. Learn how light energy is transferred into chemical energy that is passed through food chains and is used to sustain life.
Earth’s Processes and Cycles – Middle School and High School
How much carbon, nitrates or phosphates are too much? Examine the Earth’s natural processes and cycles (carbon, phosphorus and nitrogen) and understand how the recycling of nutrients and minerals contributes to life on Earth! Interpret how human activities, such as global warming and nutrient loading, can alter the path of these cycles.
Ecological Relationships – Middle School and High School
Why should you care if the polar bears are endangered or if the coral reefs bleach? Biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of our planet. Population dynamics and species interactions help us understand the health of the major ecosystems. Gain knowledge of how natural interactions sustain life and how human impacts are changing the landscape we know and depend upon.
World Population Through the Ages – Middle School and High School
Explore the paths humans have taken around the world through navigation and cultural exchange. How has our population changed through time and where are we headed? Examine rates of growth and sustainability issues.
Go Green! – Middle School and High School
Hearing a lot about Climate Change, but not sure what to think? It’s time to understand what’s happening and see how our actions affect our planet. Explore the science and policy of solutions.
Contact the Education Department at education@oceanexplorium.org or 508-994-5400 to learn more.
