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The Earth and Space Science Laboratory
(ESSL) has been a unique part of
the Frederick County Public Schools since 1962. This facility serves to
enrich and extend the elementary and, upon request, the middle school's science
curriculums. More than 17,000 students and 650 teachers participate in
various program offerings each year.
This facility houses a planetarium. It is
used to teach astronomy to grades 2 and 4. The seating capacity in the
planetarium is approximately 72. Oceanography is taught to third graders.
Twenty fresh and salt water aquarium and 40 hands-on stations are
incorporated into the third grade oceanography lab. The geology lab features
40 learning stations that cover a wide variety of geological topics. Geology
is taught to 5th graders. The meteorology facet of the program utilizes an
Automated Weather Station and various demonstrations and experiments. 1st
graders study meteorology.
A science classroom and a
"museum-like"display hallway complete the remainder of this
facility.
Evening Shows
The general public is welcome to attend any
of a variety of evening planetarium
shows offered at various times of the year.
Evening programs will be offered
from November, 2006 - March,
2007.
LOCATION: Enter at the back entrance of
Lincoln Elementary School "B" Building -- 200 Madison
Street
DAY: Tuesdays (See program descriptions
for specific dates)
TIMES:
6 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.) 7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 7:00 p.m.)
Shows begin promptly at the stated times. The doors will be locked
at that time.
REGARDING VERY YOUNG CHILDREN:
We ask parents of babies or toddlers to be conscientious about the
other members of the audience and remove the young child from the
program if necessary.
FOOD AND DRINK:
Please leave food and drink in your car.
ADMISSION: $2.00 Adults and $1.00 Students
and Children. Children MUST be accompanied by an adult.
TICKETS: Tickets are sold on a first come,
first served basis. Beginning at 5:30, when doors first open, tickets may be
purchased for either show.
Click
here for 2007/2008 Evening Programs
**Following each show and weather
permitting, a telescope will be available for outdoor viewing.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CALL 240-236-2694
Ticket sales
- Prices remain the best deal in Frederick, and
possibly, the solar system--$2.00 Adults and $1.00 Students and
Children.
- All students 8th grade and under must be
accompanied by an adult.
- Tickets are sold only on the date of the show.
You may buy tickets for the 6:00 or 7:30 show when doors open at 5:30.
Tickets for the 7:30 show will again go on sale when the doors open at
7:00, if they are still available.
- Please call the ESSL at 240-236-2694 if you
have any questions.
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Program Offerings
Astronomy
The ESSL is equipped with a
planetarium. The Spitz A3P projection device is housed in a twenty-four foot
dome.
Topics in this program may
include:
- Moon phases
- Reasons for the seasons
- Constellation night hikes and
stories
- Earth's celestial motion
- Celestron 8" and 11"
telescopes for sunspot observation
- Solar system activities (i.e.
scale models showing size and distance)
- Rocketry--launches and
Newton's laws of motion
- Eclipses
- Meteors
- Space flight history
- Space shuttle
- Problem solving using
relative position and motion
- World famous "Glow
Hallway"
- Other program ideas may be
tailored to meet various curriculum needs
Oceanography
Topics in this program may
include:
- 40 Learning stations that make
use of equipment such as microscopes, a stream table, laser disc,
weather station, solar energy display
-
Learning stations include topics
such as tides, currents, ocean animals, populations, etc.
- Demonstrations and problem
solving activities
- Twenty aquariums depicting
freshwater ponds, streams, rivers, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic
Ocean
- Animal "touch"
stations (may include turtles, crayfish, starfish, sea urchins, and
horseshoe crabs)
- Other program ideas may be
tailored to meet various curriculum needs
Geology
Topics in this program may
include:
- 40 Learning stations that make
use of equipment such as microscopes, a stream table, balance scales,
quiz boards, laser disc,
- Weather station, solar energy
exhibit, etc.
- Learning stations include
topics such as mineral testing, fluorescent and phosphorescent minerals,
rock identification, fossils,
- Pangaea, theory of plate
tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes, weathering and erosion, etc..
- Demonstrations and problem
solving activities
- Other program ideas may be
tailored to meet various curriculum needs
Meteorology
Topics in this program may
include:
- Demonstrations and
experiments: evaporation, condensation, air pressure, etc.
- Utilizing data from the
Automated Weather Plus as seen on Channel 4 TV & Channel 7 TV WeatherBug
- Van de Graaff
generator/lightning safety
- Other program ideas may be
tailored to meet various curriculum needs
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