Make 2011 A Year for Renewing The Joy of Wonder at the Heart of Discovery

The new year is going full speed ahead and the opportunity for new learning adventures are all around us. Everyone wants to enjoy acting on the wonderful curiosity that fuels investigation and exploration! Educators want to see young people experiencing the delight of discovery and, of course, that “personal” dimension of science is the natural boost to attaining the understanding and science literacy goals expressed in the state science framework.

Partnership for Learning. Com offers highly interactive fieldtrips and in-service professional development workshops that come to your location. The team thrives on figuring out ways to share classic phenomena, developing new programs and products, and sharing the excitement with students and teachers through a wide variety of projects. Renewed interest in Earth’s Moon and continued analysis of Apollo samples surely caught the imagination around here. We have been making contacts with people who love investigating space. We are particularly enjoying the visits that let us see a little of the lunar geology work that is going on right now. Naturally, that has us trying out ideas and putting together additional activities that highlight our nearest and most easily observed, celestial neighbor. Print out our free map of the Moon for taking your own telescope tour.

…and speaking of things Astronomical….

A model England’s famous Stonehenge with sunset view of the winter solstice is almost done, but we are even more excited about efforts toward a way to share the compelling evidence of ancient astronomical work from Chaco Canyon in New Mexico. The planned new equipment should help young scientists get an idea of the incredible understanding of apparent solar motion, and even the 18 ½ year lunar cycle, that ancient dwellers in Chaco were putting together around 1000 years ago. Our challenge is to produce a model of Fajada Butte with three special pieces representing the sandstone slabs that allow slivers of sunlight to reach a spiral carved in a vertical wall. Those slivers of sunlight (“Sun Daggers”) move beside or across the spiral to present solstices and equinoxes and the model (with a flashlight sun) should illustrate the system, though certainly not reach the accuracy. Chaco Canyon holds structures that may well mark the highpoint of Anasazi (the ancient ones) celestial observation and astronomical understanding.

We are still expanding Matter and Energy programs and being fascinated by things like the amazing links to be seen in magnetism and electricity. When you get a chance we hope you will look at the little video of our version of Michael Faraday's 1st electric motor as it whirring along!

Just “click” on the catalog line at the top of this page to print your personal copy or to browse the descriptions of many of our programs. The "Framework Alignments" item in the main menu list (on left margin) provides sample links between each field trip and some of the grade specific items from the state science framework.

We often customize our field trip programs and in-services to meet particular requests. If you do not see a discovery-based program described that you would like for your students to experience, please contact us. Your “partnership” is an appreciated resource for new efforts.

As always we welcome your contact. We answer all inquiries about our services and want to know your concerns and special interests. The more we know our teachers and schools the better we can design our services to aid them.

See our brand new field trip "Super Simple Machines" by clicking on our full catalog below.

To view and print our field trip catalog please click here.