Fifth-grade students from Chagrin Falls Intermediate School recently enjoyed a trip to the Cleveland Natural History Museum aligned with their earth science curriculum. The field trip allowed hands-on exploration of concepts like seasons, climate shifts, habitats and more.
In the museum's planetarium, students were transported into space via a visually stunning show titled "Reason for the Seasons." This supplemented their previous unit on Earth's orbit and tilt which creates seasonal changes. The realistic 3D movie on the Ice Age also gave students a look back in time to grasp science behind glaciation patterns.
Venturing into the wildlife exhibits, students discovered local animal habitats up close. An attentive eagle, foxes, coyotes and a wolf pack were highlighted. Most exciting, the young learners came face-to-face with towering dinosaur fossil skeletons profiling species from millions of years past.
“The immersive museum trip offered an impactful learning experience by connecting classroom lessons to scientific phenomena students could see, hear and feel,” said teacher Bryan McKenzie. “Students left excited about science and our planet's incredible history.”