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Here are comments to go with previous message (part 1 of 3)
Update exhibits:
* I did an overnight at the PSC one year that had fun, interactive
science activities. Maybe it would be possible to develop some of these
type activities into on-going exhibits. Or at least change up the
exhibits that are presently there and have been there for 5-10 years.
* Many of your exhibits are dated. I have been bringing school
groups to the PSC for 14 years and most of it is still the same. More
exhibits like the Titanic one several years ago would be most welcome.
The PSC needs updating and vitality-something different!
* It seems the exhibits that have been there forever should be
ready for at least a turnover. Those are the weather station, water
play area.
* Hands on exhibits win them over...just make sure you get some
new ones ever so often
* Because the permanent exhibits do not change (or change very
infrequently) it is difficult to come to the Pacific Science Center at
multiple grades. Usually by 4th grade, the students have already done
everything at the PSC and are not interested in going back because it is
not interesting to them anymore.
* I am disappointed there isn't a new exhibit that I could fit in
with one of my 4th grade science topics. The students have already
visited the exhibits that are long standing. Who Dunnit was great last
year.
Improve marketing/advertising:
* Continue educating educators about your offerings
* Brief, up-to-date ads sent out on what is showing when, and sent
out more often...
* Teacher field trip packets by email can be spammed to all the
science teachers so we can see what you have to offer that year that
could align with our curriculum and when. We need to have the
information at least 5 months prior to taking the field trip for a group
of 300 to attend.
Materials to go with visit:
* I think providing really good pre-and-post visit materials
connected with the exhibits would be a wonderful way to support the
classroom teachers. Perhaps you already do this, but I've never gotten
any, to my knowledge. I love the invitations to the educator previews
of exhibits. I haven't been to one yet, but they always look enticing!
* I need a better teacher's guide for primary students - life
science, earth science, physical science.
* Curriculum material for middle and high school students to go
with the movies or exhibits!!
Extend hours:
* We have to take the ferry from Bremerton. It would be helpful
for us if you opened earlier.
* Open up earlier
* Open earlier! We try to pack a full day of exhibits and
IMAX/Planetarium visits into one trip, yet with restrictions to time
frame and getting parent volunteers to drive the students back to school
before our 3:00 dismissal time, we often have to opt out of one of the
major attractions because it can't all fit in on one day. We are a
small parochial school funded by parent tuitions, so fieldtrip money has
to be tightly budgeted.
* One factor that makes it difficult coming from Monroe is that we
have to leave by 1:00 to get the buses back so we have very limited time
there. This is no reflection on PSC it just makes it a bit harder for
us to pay the fee for a pretty short day. We do plan on coming this
year though since we are teaching a Space unit.
* We love coming to the Science Center! Varying some of the
exhibits over time is important to give children variety of thoughtful
and engaging exhibits. We are a low income school so for us it's really
important to be able to come every year. I can't remember the hours you
are open, we are an early start school, so appreciate being able to come
in by 9:30.
Tie PSC visit to curriculum:
* We had a very positive experience when we attended. We can only
take 5 or so field trips a year, and when the IMAX tied in directly to
our unit of study (Lewis and Clark) we came.
* Teachers often like to find ways to integrate field trips with
the units that they already teach -- sometimes as culminating events.
Find out what the required science units are at each grade level in
public schools throughout the Puget Sound area, research the 'big ideas'
of each unit, and create more exhibits or promote more IMAX movies that
relate to those topics. Second grade units in Seattle Public Schools
are Soils, Liquids & Solids, and Balancing & Weighing. We went to the
Mercer Sough, and I LOVED how relevant the experience was for my
students! If there was something like that for the other two units at
the PSC Seattle Center site, I would be more likely to schedule a field
trip in that case, than just walking around to see everything.
* If you were to contact school districts that are small and offer
some type of scholarships and let administrators know which WASL skills
and EALRS are connected to the displays, perhaps the administrators
would be willing to allow us to take field trips more regularly. I
have taken students there 2 of 3 times in the past 8 years and the
students love that trip! Thank you.
* Schools typically use science kits for instruction. Do the
exhibits support and provide enriching activities that are related to
the topics (in kits) that students study?
* Many middle schools use this format: 6th -life science and
ancient history, 7th -earth science and geography, 8th -physical science
and Amer. History. If you always had IMAX and exhibits matching those
needs, I would visit. For example, we ARE visiting in December because
the Dead Sea Scrolls and Egypt IMAX fit the 6th grade ancient history
requirements.
* I truly enjoy the science center and so do my children. One
thing I really appreciate is when the exhibits connect to our science
curriculum. We do the FOSS (full option science system) science kits, so
the insects fit in perfectly!
* Polling teachers/school districts on what exhibits would support
the units they teach.
* I believe that Pacific Science Center exhibits and programs
support WA State GLEs for science education, but not for all grade
levels at all times.
* There are several GLE topics that classroom teachers simply
cannot get to, such as astronomy and human body. It would be great if
the science center could work with some teachers to great supplemental
investigations that fit with their current science kits and the
summative experience for the supplemental investigation would be a trip
to the science center.
* If the Science Center does not relate directly to our 5th grade
curriculum we do not schedule a visit. We look at the overall
experience: exhibits, IMAX etc. Lately we are seeing indirect ties and
in the past we would arrange a visit based on those. But rising costs
and indirect tie-in to hands on experiences in design, inquiry and
systems causes us to think twice before committing to the cost and
difficulties of scheduling a field trip.
* Tight budget constraints really impact our ability to travel so
far and pay so much for admission. Also, our trip to the PSC requires
exhibits that support our science themes and WA state EALRs.
* It is difficult to do the Science Center in third grade if the
class has been in previous years. With funds for only one fieldtrip a
year we need to look for a variety. One thing that might make it
different from year to year would be a class/group Science lesson taught
in a separate room to groups as a hands-on activity (age appropriate)
tied to EALRL. For instance a activity demonstrating the concept of
Sound for third grade.
* Exhibits must focus on what we are doing in science to justify
field trip
* We used to go to the Lewis and Clark IMAX movie. The students
go to the science center for other reasons in other years and it is
easier to get parent buy in when there is something that matches my
curriculum. This year I am adding a unit on space and so I want to come
to the planetarium at that time. The Mount St. Helens Imax would have
been great but it is showing at a bad time for my class curriculum wise.
Any chance you could show it next fall?
* Sometimes, it is difficult to find exhibits that will expand on
the learning of my first graders surrounding our district units of
study. (Weather, plants, balance and motion) I need to justify my choice
of field trips around our units of study.
Schedule around crowds:
* I think it might help to post days of the month when the PSC is
not filled to the maximum so that younger students and special needs
children have more freedom to move about a see all/most of the exhibits
that older students at times monopolize and/or block the view for
others. Also exhibits more geared to specific age groups or exhibits
with different ability ranges might be helpful.
* Make sure to let us know at the time of reservation whether
another school group is attending or not. Sometimes it is very crowded
when there are other school groups there at the same time.
* We enjoy the Science Center much more when it is NOT
over-crowded with school groups!!
* Limiting the number of groups that can visit on a particular
day. (maybe you already do this)
* Try to schedule some days in the spring when there are not large
numbers of elementary students at the facility so that secondary
students could be scheduled to view the exhibits without the distraction
of numerous pre-teens.
* Crowds are already very large, and I would not like to bring
student groups if even more visitors were to be allowed to view exhibits
than have been allowed in the past
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