ADVENTURE SCIENCE CENTER NASHVILLE
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : j****h@a**********i.o*g
Mission Statement
Our mission is to open every mind to the wonders of science and technology, fostering a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
About This Cause
Our purpose is to change lives through extraordinary experiences in science and innovation. We do that by 1) being a world-class leader in science learning offering the highest quality exhibit experiences and education programs for visitors of all ages; 2) being the "must-see" destination in Nashville, and a compelling draw for visitors to our city; 3) establishing the museum as a hub for the public understanding of STEM in our community; and 4) inspiring the next generation of confident, collaborative problem solvers by sharing the joy of discovering science in the everyday world. Our impact on the community takes place through hands-on exhibits, public programs, and school programs that take place at ASC or at participating schools. During the fiscal year, in which we closed for three months due to COVID, 316,502 people visited the science center, including 42,359 students from 73 Tennessee school systems. Science is for everyone, with an emphasis on families with children between the ages of 5-12 from all backgrounds and communities. We provide more than $300,000 subsidized or free visits to ASC annually and invest in Nashville’s future by providing free access to hands-on learning opportunities for MNPS students. Arboretum In commemoration of its 75th Anniversary, the Adventure Science Center (ASC) seeks a declaration as Level 1 Arboretum by the state of Tennessee in 2021. This project will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come and enhance the museum’s outdoor environmental learning experiences for families, school groups, and learners of all ages. Concept: ASC’s mission is to open every mind to the wonders of science and technology, fostering a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us. An arboretum - a living collection of trees and shrubs cultivated for scientific and educational purposes - is perfect to extend our mission beyond our doors and into the glorious green space of the museum’s grounds. The site, and the learning content it will contain, will be assessable to all members of the public at no charge, part of ASC’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to learning. ASC sits atop historic St. Cloud Hill with beautiful vistas of the city’s growing skyline, and the arboretum will provide an engaging opportunity to learn about nature in an urban setting. Planting new trees in this historic space in the heart of our great city is a way to celebrate and honor the past while looking toward our next 75 years. Additionally, the arboretum will also fit into the Science Center’s upcoming transformative master plan to make significant enhancements to the museum building and grounds over the next several years. This project intentionally and significantly will alter how the museum serves our community moving forward. ASC is also located in the Nashville-South Opportunity Zone, which is a culturally and historically rich mixed-use area comprised of a collection of unique communities ranging from urban to suburban right next to downtown Nashville. This opportunity zone is a cluster of five census tracts and is part of the Nashville Promise Zone. Within this urban setting, the arboretum will provide freely accessible spaces in which the public has the opportunity of staying in touch with natural elements, and to take refuge from urban stressors such as crowding, noise, air pollution, and heat. To qualify as a Level 1 Arboretum, there must be a minimum of 30 different species of trees on site, capable of growing to a height of 15 feet or more. The trees we have selected for our arboretum are representative of the distinct ecological zones of Middle Tennessee. Project Overview: The Arboretum will expand the opportunity for the public to see many varieties of trees; discover their different names, appearances, and uses; and learn of the benefits that trees provide to our environment, communities, and state. Visitors will have the ability to tour the arboretum by using their smartphones or on special guided tours led by staff or volunteers. Each tree tag will have its own QR code that visitors can scan to load four webpages which will include: 1.) specific information about the tree; 2.) information about the many ways trees benefit the environment and people; 3.) the natural and human history of St. Cloud Hill; and 4.) a map of the arboretum, tree donors, and links to other nearby arboreta. Our focus for Youth Education will be to provide every student with an education curriculum that promotes adventure, exploration, and environmental awareness that will foster their interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers and fields. The Arboretum will utilize this approach to teach students the value of natural resources, how to recognize their impact on the world, and are equipped with skills and knowledge of sustainability, conservation, environmental sciences in the 21st Century. The curriculum will be developed to satisfy Tennessee State Education Standards. Pending coordination between the proposed tree locations and an archaeological assessment of the site, the arboretum will be unveiled in October 2021. Virtual Learning Studio & Programs – Pilot Project: ASC is currently working with Metro Nashville Public Schools to develop grade-specific virtual learning programs to help schools meet Tennessee STEM curriculum guidelines and provide high-quality, hands-on learning even in a virtual environment. We have already converted an unused classroom into a virtual broadcast studio and are currently raising funds to equip this space with the technology needed for our educators to provide the highest quality programs delivered on stable platforms, both live and pre-recorded, for use anywhere in the state of Tennessee. In terms of value beyond COVID/remote learning: the shortest answer is “yes”. Teachers have always relied on online content to some extent, but typically that content doesn’t include a hands-on element, thereby missing out on a strong element of learning science. Also: • Creating labs that can be done anywhere, anytime means that schools wouldn’t need to go through the effort and costs of arranging a field trip – chaperones, transportation, permission slips, and so forth. This is a huge convenience that also lowers the cost/logistics barriers to accessing ASC’s content, and there is always a need for that idea. • By providing standards-aligned content for schools, we remove the geographic barrier to attendance; in a typical year, we see school students almost exclusively from within 60 miles of ASC. Using the virtual studio, those programs can be utilized anywhere in the state, allowing full opportunity to eventually impact every single student in Tennessee. Rural areas, where education lags behind metropolitan areas, can now have the same access as their peers. • By providing content that doesn’t rely on a location or time, students can perform these activities anywhere they have a computer and any time. This solves a huge equity issue: currently, if a student misses out on a science lab, they simply miss that learning opportunity. However, with pre-recorded labs that use accompanying kits of materials, if a student is absent from school on the day they do the activity, it can be easily made up. There is no loss of learning due to illness, lack of transportation, or whatever else might be going on in the home that would keep a student away from school. The types of programs we will be creating (this list will certainly evolve over time as we continue to discuss student needs at school and home): • Science Under the Surface (quarterly): an off-site exploration of science in places that aren't conventionally thought of as science-oriented. Examples: automotive manufacturers, guitar/instrument makers, etc. Interviews are casual, fun, involving dialog as well as first-hand filming of the work in process (such as making a guitar). The purpose is to highlight: 1. Science and technology is everywhere 2. Tennessee is rich in science/tech, and not just in the obvious places 3. There are great careers that rely on science/tech even if they don't seem to require formal learning in those areas 4. Creative processes and scientific processes often overlap in many ways • The Hub (quarterly): bringing a prominent science expert to ASC for an informal discussion about their work and their personal story of becoming a scientist. Usually tied to a current event, when possible. This month we will be talking about COVID vaccines with Dr. David Aronoff, who heads up Infectious Disease at Vanderbilt. • Small Bytes (bi-weekly): a "did you know" series that highlights something relevant in the moment, bringing an unexpected science story to something already circulating in the world. Examples: explaining the "is the dress blue/black or yellow/white", or the connection between the recent planetary alignment and the biblical star. Intended to provoke discussion, each segment ends with a question for the audience to ponder. • Slo-Mo (bi-weekly): a very short 30-second exploration of a scientific phenomenon in slow motion. Minimal narration, it's all about the "cool" factor of how the world looks in slow motion, effectively "making the unseen seen". Intended to inspire curiosity, asking questions, and a sense of wonder. • How it works (monthly): brief explorations of technology, phenomena, or whatever our audience would like to know. Topics are 100% driven by our audience's questions. • DIY Science (monthly): simple at-home activities targeted towards families with children ages 5-10. Uses materials that are commonly found at home and/or can be purchased very inexpensively via Amazon kit.