Getting to Know Planet Earth

It has been reported that last year was the hottest year on record for planet Earth, beating out the previous record from 2016. The 10 hottest years on record since 1850, in fact, when the global records began to be kept, all were within the past decade. Carbon levels also reached the highest point in their history last year. Combined, these things don’t bode well for our earthly home. How do we know these things and what can be done to improve this dire situation before more irreperable damage is done to this little blue planet we love?

Enter environmental science, which employs scientific methods to understand and meet environmental challenges. This broad topic is an umbrella that, under its shade, includes other topics; among them are earth sciences, life sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences. The discipline continues to hold popular interest. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupational fields of environmental scientists and specialists is expected to grow 6% through 2032, “faster than the average for all occupations,” the statistical report reads. “About 6,900 openings for environmental scientists and specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.”

That’s good news for young people who have an interest in science; there are plenty of opportunities to feed it. Tour planners can help by putting specialty museums and science centers, found across the country, on their itineraries. These places allow youth groups to explore and experience the many facets of the environment and its myriad sciences.

Midwest

The Midwest, where the wide expanse of prairieland is decorated with lakes, rivers, and waterfalls, is a good place for young people to get a handle on earth sciences. Start at the Earth Discovery Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Managed by Eagle Creek Park Foundation, the site is home to a world-class nature center that seeks to enhance environmental education for all ages, although it does have an emphasis on youth. Its Ornithology Center attracts some 80,000 visitors every year, many of them student groups. This center is a hotbed of activity when it comes to all things creepy and crawly. Aquariums with amphibians, fish, and reptiles are in abundance, and here students can learn about native plants and animals.

Classrooms and a geothermal pond keep the kids interested. The pond, according to information from the venue, “allows for large school groups to immerse in an elaborate pond study program to dip-net for frogs and aquatic insects, which adds to their studies in the wet lab.” There is plenty more to explore here, including another opportunity to get up close and personal with Mother Nature by hiking and exploring the nearby trails.

Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, Minnesota, is a fun gathering space for youth groups. This northern location is situated on a ridge that overlooks Lake Superior, bordered by Baptism River, and features plenty of opportunity to learn about the natural environment. Mother Nature has been good to this region where creeks, lakes, hiking trails, and a forest full of mixed trees abound—birch, maple, and spruce. Just be mindful this also is home to a variety of wildlife, among them beaver, fox, and wolves. As for the buildings here, there are four classrooms, a raptor aviary, two auditoriums, rock climbing walls, and outdoor ropes courses. It’s the perfect mix of education and recreation. What’s more, the 2,000-acre campus is an easy drive to some of northern Minnesota’s most picturesque attractions: Gooseberry Falls State Park, nearby Split Rock Lighthouse, and Tettegouche State Park.

The Michigan Science Center is a robust, group-friendly venue with many opportunities for students to explore and experiment the science. Its offerings include the Space Gallery, Smithsonian Spark!Lab, Math Mountain, and STEM Playground, among many more. Plus, it has virtual tours of its more than 220 interactive exhibits. The Weis Earth Science Museum at the University of Wisconsin in Oshkosh is another notable stop to put on the itinerary of your students’ science expedition.

Northeast

Youth groups—heck, groups of all ages—will love visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. With exhibits and hands-on displays, student groups can learn about topics ranging from amphibians to the starry heavens. Step back in time to when giant beasts, such as the woolly mammoth, roamed the earth to what the future might hold with regards to technology and new frontiers in space. No visit would be complete without also learning something about what lies beneath the deep blue ocean. Head up to New York state to also learn about the ocean and see one of its most famous creatures—a life-size replica of a blue whale, Earth’s largest mammal, on display at the American Museum of Natural History. This impressive museum has any number of exhibits and activities that appeal to students of all ages, including activities at the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation; and the Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals. There’s also a butterfly vivarium, where students can see and learn about the many species of butterflies—about 80 in total—that flit among lush vegetation in tropical temperatures.

Also in New York, students can learn about horticulture—and green architecture and design—in a fun and unsusal way at the High Line, a sustainable park that has repurposed “a piece of industrial infrastructure as public green space,” according to the site. “As a landscape, the High Line also serves the function that a green roof would serve in the city, reducing the amount of stormwater that runs into the sewer system, because the park’s pathways allow water to drain into the adjacent planting beds.”

The Maryland Science Center in Baltimore is a favorite destination for young people. It offers exhibits, a planetarium, and science encounters that allow students to participate in projects. This group-friendly venue allows students to be part of the action as they join staff for experiments, pop-up science, and live shows on stage. Many hands-on activities are available, and groups can learn about anatomy, dinosaurs, math in nature, and life beyond Earth, to name just a few. “From astronomy to paleontology,” says Marketing Manager Val Sullivan, “the human body to physics, and more—the Maryland Science Center is an interactive science museum packed with innovated exhibits that demonstrate the wonders of scientific discovery with a focus on open-ended exploration.”

Southeast

Fernbank in Atlanta, Georgia, is an immersive must-visit site that has 75 acres to experience nature and engage in science through exhibits (of natural history, life sciences, and technology). The museum also is home to a giant screen 3D theater where youth groups can view award-winning science-based movies.

There are all sorts of things to do and experience in the way of environmental science at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tennessee. At the outdoor learning area in the center’s Galactic Gardens, youth can explore the environment and sustainability at the Cornerstone Financial Credit Union Amphitheater, or see a garden specially designed that helps preserve clean rainwater, create habitat, and prevents local flooding and water pollution. There are lots more things to learn here at the center, of course, even some things that stretch the sciences beyond the earth’s atmosphere to the mysterious environment of outer space.

“With over 175 hands-on exhibits to explore and discover, Adventure Science Center is the perfect destination to ignite curious minds,” shares Suzanna Best, the center’s vice president of marketing and communications. “The science center is dedicated to delivering innovative, dynamic learning experiences that bring science to life from award-winning live science demonstrations, shows in the state-of-the-art Sudekum Planetarium, and themed activities in the high-tech i2 Makerspace.”

Take an expedition—or at least a swim—with a dolphin at Discover Cove in Orlando, Florida. It has been described as “a unique all-inclusive day resort” where visitors can interact with live animals and learn in a hands-on environment. Besides swimming with the dolphins, there’s opportunity to snorkel with the tropical fish, hand-feed exotic birds, meet otters and marmosets, and float through a cave and rainforest-like environments, including a free-flight aviary, and past waterfalls. “Experience the most exciting animal encounters the world has to offer in a breathtaking tropical atmosphere,” Discover Cove’s website reads.

West

The Exploratorium in San Francisco, California, is a must-stop in any youth science trip. With its variety of offerings, it invites guests to “tinker, touch, test, experiment, notice, play!” Young, aspiring scientists can learn about such things as why a bright flash of light often leaves a lingering image in your sight, and how to create an aluminum air battery strong enough to power a small motor or light. While this Exploratorium welcomes the young and young at heart, students especially will enjoy learning and exploring aspects of science at this engaging and interactive venue.

“The Exploratorium is more than a museum—it’s a gateway to exploring science, art, and human perception with every visit,” says Communications Manager Lyndsey Roach. “We create extraordinary learning experiences that ignite curiosity, upend perceptions, and inspire brave leaps forward. Visitors of all ages can roam through more than 650 interactive exhibits in six spacious indoor and outdoor galleries. And you won’t find a single ‘No Touching’ sign; the entire museum is designed to be a hands-on learning environment.”

The California Science Center in Los Angeles has an IMAX screen, interactive exhibits, lab for science projects, and plenty more offerings that will not disappoint the young people who come here, according to the venue. It offers plenty in the way of education and fun. The site welcomes field trips and is popular with youth groups.

Students who like all things aquatic will enjoy the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska, to gain a better understanding of the role marine mammals, birds, and fish play in the arctic and subarctic marine ecosystems. Small groups can take special tours to see and learn about marine mammals and their habitat, octopus, and puffer fish. Here, guests can have encounters with many of the sea mammals and other creatures that live under or near the sea.

Point your group back to the mainland for a tour of the Seattle Aquarium in the Evergreen State, where paid groups can immerse themselves in all things ocean. There is plenty to see and do at this venue, including experiencing encounters with all varieties of marine life, including those native to Puget Sound and the Pacific Northwest. The facility offers a discount for groups of 20 to 200 people.

Now that your students have been under the ocean, have them take to the air by visiting the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Young guests can learn about the global history of ballooning and participate in STEAM activities and educational programs. The programs here will help make students’ thoughts, like the balloons they learn about, soar to the boundless skies.

By Andrew Weeks

Main Image: Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Washington; Credit: Seattle Aquarium