Discovery Space

Discovery Space Children's Science Museum

I volunteer regularly at Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania, a fledgling children's science museum that offers a variety of different exhibits and programs.

Exploring the beaver lodge (L) and searching for 18th century Pennsylvania artifacts (R) from a set of promotional photos I took for Discovery Space

In Spring and Summer of 2012 I, along-side some other master gardeners, will be created an educational plant science program centered around gardening. The program entitled "Ready, Set, Grow!" gives kids the opportunity to fully engage in lessons as they help plant Discovery Space's first demonstration garden. Information about what plants need to grow and their role as habitat for wildlife will all come into play as the children plant and maintain their garden.

An activity where children plan a pollinator garden based on season, size and color of plants. Important lessons about how the garden changes over time are illustrated with different transparencies for every season. (L) Teaching a lesson on soil formation and what plants need to grow. (R)

Discovery Gardens were planted as part of the curriculum for the first "Ready, Set, Grow!" program. The gardens extended the educational footprint of the museum outside and provided hands-on exhibits for patrons to interact with in different ways throughout the year. Garden themes include:

  • drought garden (drought tolerant plants)

  • sensory garden (touch and smell)

  • salsa garden (demonstrating how a vegetables become a meal)

  • four-foot farm (lots of different veggies in a little space)

  • ancient Americas (food crops from North and South America)

  • pollinator garden (Native host and nectar plants for local pollinator species)