News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Since its founding in 2011, the Earth Science Museum has been offering as part of its outreach program free educational kits to public schools. These kits include a variety of hand-sized rock, mineral, and fossil specimens and are delivered by knowledgeable, trained volunteers who present the learning materials in a fun, interactive way. Students handle the specimens as they are challenged to identify each sample, understand how it was formed, and learn about uses in everyday life. Fifteen kits were given away in the 2011-12 school year, while 1,584 students were served.
The Staples grant will be used to double the number of schools served, while also enhancing the kits to include magnifying glasses and books on rocks and minerals. In addition, initial tools and supplies will be purchased for the museum's Earth Science Education Experience (ESEE) lab. This lab will offer students opportunities for making discoveries about earth sciences through project-based learning.
The ESEE lab will leverage the popularity of the TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where students assume roles as Earth Science Investigators (ESI's). They will work together in teams to solve earth science mysteries, such as identifying unknown mineral samples, locating ore deposits, or how fossils formed. They will develop an understanding of the scientific process by performing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting their findings.
"The outreach program of the Earth Science Museum provides students with valuable learning opportunities that go beyond traditional textbooks and the Internet. For our children, if you want them to understand anything at all about rocks and minerals, you better get some in their hands." said Mardy Zimmermann, Vice President of Education & Outreach Coordinator. She added that "You can't learn what sandstone feels like by looking at a picture of it."
Contact: Mardy Zimmermann
outreach@earthsciencemuseum.org
Earth Science Museum
3215 W. Bethany Home Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017
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The Earth Science Museum receives $3,500 grant from Staples Foundation
Phoenix, Arizona (November 12, 2012) - The Earth Science Museum, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring all generations about earth sciences, announced that it received a $3,500 grant from Staples Foundation. The funds from Staples will help enhance and expand the museum's educational outreach program that provides hands-on classroom instruction on rocks, minerals, and fossils.Since its founding in 2011, the Earth Science Museum has been offering as part of its outreach program free educational kits to public schools. These kits include a variety of hand-sized rock, mineral, and fossil specimens and are delivered by knowledgeable, trained volunteers who present the learning materials in a fun, interactive way. Students handle the specimens as they are challenged to identify each sample, understand how it was formed, and learn about uses in everyday life. Fifteen kits were given away in the 2011-12 school year, while 1,584 students were served.
The Staples grant will be used to double the number of schools served, while also enhancing the kits to include magnifying glasses and books on rocks and minerals. In addition, initial tools and supplies will be purchased for the museum's Earth Science Education Experience (ESEE) lab. This lab will offer students opportunities for making discoveries about earth sciences through project-based learning.
The ESEE lab will leverage the popularity of the TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where students assume roles as Earth Science Investigators (ESI's). They will work together in teams to solve earth science mysteries, such as identifying unknown mineral samples, locating ore deposits, or how fossils formed. They will develop an understanding of the scientific process by performing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting their findings.
"The outreach program of the Earth Science Museum provides students with valuable learning opportunities that go beyond traditional textbooks and the Internet. For our children, if you want them to understand anything at all about rocks and minerals, you better get some in their hands." said Mardy Zimmermann, Vice President of Education & Outreach Coordinator. She added that "You can't learn what sandstone feels like by looking at a picture of it."
Contact: Mardy Zimmermann
outreach@earthsciencemuseum.org
Earth Science Museum
3215 W. Bethany Home Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017
About the Earth Science Museum
The Earth Science Museum is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization working to establish an innovative, world class destination museum in the Phoenix area dedicated to inspiring all generations about earth sciences. The museum will provide exciting, engaging, and exceptional visitor experiences through outreach, online, and on-site programs. To learn more about the Earth Science Museum, please visit www.earthsciencemuseum.org.About Staples Community and Giving
Staples contributes to educational and youth-oriented community efforts, from literacy and mentoring to career skills development, through in-kind and monetary donations and grants from Staples Foundation, the private charitable arm of Staples, Inc. Through its community and giving efforts, Staples and Staples Foundation have helped more than 6,000 organizations in 2,000 communities across 27 countries. Community and Giving is also an integral component of Staples Soul, which recognizes the connection between long-term business success and the impact Staples has on associates, communities and the planet. For more information, visit www.staples.com/community.###