KINGSTON, R.I. -- June 26, 2002 -- This summer 70 fifth and sixth grade students from Pawtucket public schools will build and launch air and water rockets, test and race cars that run on hydrogen, build solar energy ovens, create scrimshaw, and net some fish. This is all made possible by a program called Project Discovery.
Project Discovery is an early academic intervention program run by the University of Rhode Island’s Urban Field Center in partnership with the state Department of Environmental Management. Children from Cunningham and Baldwin elementary schools entering the sixth grade will participate in a two-week program from July 8 to July 19, focusing on robotics and energy. Students will visit educational sites including the Boston Museum of Science, the Thames and Kosmos Science Center in Newport, the Rose Island Lighthouse in Newport, and the Sustainable House in Coventry.
Children entering the fifth grade will focus on oceanography and the environment from July 22 to August 2. Educational sites include the Rhode Island School of Design nature lab, Pulaski Memorial State Park in Glocester, and the New Bedford Whaling Museum. See enclosed schedule for details.
Project Discovery began in 1986 and is designed to expose children from minority and low-income families to physics, biology, and environmental science. Children participate in activities that are completely new to them, such as designing a car with programmable Legos. These new experiences, coupled with the individual attention from staff members, develop critical thinking skills and encourage the pursuit of higher education.
Project Discovery Schedules
Schedule for Robotics and Energy July 8 - 19
July 8: Intro to Program, tour URI Campus, swimming
Time: 10 – 11 a.m. Intro, breakfast, icebreakers on Quad
11:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m. Tour URI campus
1 – 2 p.m. Swim in URI pool
July 9: Structure workshop and swimming, Kingston
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Structure activities/building bridges
1:30 - 2:15 p.m. Swimming East Matunuck State Beach
July 10: Boston Museum of Science, Boston, Mass.
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Explore Museum
July 11: Thames and Kosmos Science Center, Newport
Time: 9:50 - 10:45 a.m. Journals at Brenton Point State Park
11a.m. - 12:45p.m. Build and launch air and water rockets at Science Center.
1 - 1:45 p.m. Discuss Newton’s Law of Physics at Brenton Point State Park
July 12: Thames and Kosmos Science Center, Newport
Time: 9 – 10 a.m. Journals
11 a.m. –Noon Test and race cars that run on hydrogen
1 – 2 p.m. Swim at Fort Adams State Park
July 15: Lego-Making Simple Machines,
Jamestown Elementary School
Time: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Making simple machines
Noon - 12:30 p.m. Discuss physics of machines
12:30 – 2 p.m. Making simple machines continued
July 16: Lego-Making Simple Machines,
Jamestown Elementary School
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Design Challenge
July 17: Rose Island Lighthouse, Newport
Time: 10:15 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Tour and learn about use of energy at site
July 18: Sustainable House, Coventry
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tour, making solar energy ovens, solar toy demonstration
July 19: Misquamicut State Beach, Westerly
Time: 10 – 11 a.m. Robotics and energy jeopardy
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Swim
Schedule for Oceanography and Environment July 22 - August 2
July 22: RISD Nature Lab and Tree Planting, Providence/Pawtucket
Time: 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Intro, icebreakers at Indian Point Park
11 a.m. – noon. RISD Nature Lab
2 - 2:40 p.m. Tree Planting
July 23: Pulaski Memorial State Park, Glocester
Time: 10:30 a.m. –Noon. Forestry with Paul Doland
12:30 – 1 p.m. Journals
1 – 2 p.m. Swimming
July 24: New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford, Mass
Time: 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Tour museum
1:15 – 2 p.m. Scrimshaw activity
July 25: Beach Seining and Coastal Workshop, Jerusalem
Time: 10 a.m. – Noon. Seining and coastal workshop with George Klien, DEM
1 – 2 p.m. Swimming Matunuck
July 26: Little Rhody Egg Farm and Schartner Farms
Time: 10 – 11 a.m. Tour egg farm, Foster
11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. Tour Schartner Farms, North Kingstown
1:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Journals
August 1: Franklin Park Zoo, Boston
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tour site
For Information: Carrie Lamidi, 277-5245, Jan Wenzel, 874-2116, Nicole Duguay, 874-2116
