Maker Ed is so excited to welcome The Science Zone as a Maker Corps Partner Site in 2016. For the fourth year of Maker Corps, Maker Ed will collaborate with more than forty organizations across the globe to host Maker Corps Members throughout the summer to bring maker activities and approaches to the communities that they serve. Below is a glimpse into what Maker Corps will look like at The Science Zone. If you are interested in spending the summer at The Science Zone, apply now to become a Maker Corps Member.
The Science Zone & Maker Corps 2016
The Science Zone is a hands-on science museum in Casper, Wyoming that exists to inspire the mind, to delight the senses and to ignite a passion for the technical arts and sciences. Underlying the mission of the Science Zone is the understanding that technical arts and sciences is a broad discipline that encompasses the natural and physical sciences, applied science, social sciences and fine arts. At the Science Zone we recognize the interdisciplinary nature of the arts, sciences, and humanities and adhere to the growing consensus in the educational field that the emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education should also include Art (STEAM) due to the close connection between form and function in applied sciences. To accomplish our mission we provide our visitors with opportunities to explore science through hands-on exhibits and activities in which they can manipulate materials to shape their own understanding of the world around them. We serve thousands of pre-K through 12th grade students annually through field trips, after school programs, and summer camps, but we also serve the community by participating in outreach events around Central Wyoming and having regular visitor membership and admission.
Our educational philosophy at the Science Zone emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of science. We understand that science education has a much greater impact when taught hands-on and project-based. Scientific discoveries have vast social, cultural, economic and political implications and require engineers, politicians, artists, scientists, and citizens to communicate regularly with each other to come up with creative solutions to complex problems.
Our flagship “making” program, the Tinkering Zone, at the Science Zone helps accomplish our mission by encouraging program participants to deepen their understanding of how science and engineering content and concepts are inextricably linked with the arts and humanities. Not only do students increase their scientific literacy, but they also explore the overlap between STEAM skills and processes like how form drives function, concepts in structure and composition, and the ability to choose the appropriate tools, from paintbrushes to soldering irons, to accomplish a task.
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