10/10/12 jb
HAYS, Kan. -- October at the Fort
Hays State University's Sternberg Museum kicked off with the After School
Program for second- through fifth-graders, the first of several exhibits and
events during the month.
The After School Program began Oct.
9 and will last until Wednesday, Dec. 19. Sessions are from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
every Tuesday for second- and third-grade students and 3:30 to 5 p.m. each
Wednesday for fourth- and fifth-grade students.
Sessions, which have a maximum of 12
participants, include visits to the Sternberg's biology and paleontology
collections, fossil prep lab, Dr. Howard Reynolds Nature Trail and the
Discovery Room. Each session uses different learning styles through art, music,
writing, hands-on and group activities.
Light snacks are provided after each
session. Registration, due the Friday before the session, is $5 for the public
and $4 for museum members.
October's Junior Naturalist will be
from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. Students can study different science
disciplines.
"We work with a completely
hands-on approach and then students are given a take-home project to complete
after the event," said James Leiker, Sternberg education director.
Students will go behind the scenes
of paleontology at "Middle School Fossil Day" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 17. Students will watch a presentation on modern oil
production, "Fossils are Fuel," presented by Western Well Services.
This event is limited to middle
school students only. Schools must register to attend.
A "Fossil Day" for the
public will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. Events include a
scavenger hunt, a fossil art competition and "Are You Smarter Than a
Paleontologist" game show.
Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for
youth ages 4 to 12, $6 for senior citizens and $4 for FHSU students with valid
ID.
"Bats, Snakes, Spiders and
Creepy Things" is a presentation with creatures related to Halloween and
exploring their relationships from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27. A maximum of 20 participants are
allowed. Registration is $10 the public and $8 for museum members.
"Terror on the Trails"
will be from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, just west of the Sternberg dome
at the Dr. Howard Reynolds Nature Trail. "Terror on the Trails" is a
haunted museum created on the winding trails. It is open to the public, but
participants must be 13 or older.
Another haunted museum will be
inside the dome from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29. The cost is $5.
Participants must be 13 or older.
The "Sternberg
Spooktacular" is for children 12 and under 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct.
31. It is free to the public.
Two featured exhibits,
"Rattlersss, From Fear to Fascination" and "Explore
Evolution," are currently on display.
"Rattlersss" is a
temporary exhibit with 22 species of U.S. rattlesnakes from all over the United
States, with a majority of them out of the southwest. The exhibit runs until
summer 2013
"Explore Evolution"
investigates seven research projects that have made major contributions to the
understanding of evolution.
For more information about any of
these events, contact Leiker at 785-639-5249 or jaleiker4@fhsu.edu.