Program Descriptions

Program Descriptions

Christopher Columbus & the Great Exchange
Imagine a world without vanilla ice cream, tomato sauce for pizza and pastas, or even chocolate! Sadly, this is the world Europeans lived in before Christopher Columbus “sailed the ocean blue” in 1492. Get ready to celebrate Columbus Day as we retrace his historic voyage and examine the impact the Great Exchange of plants, animals, and diseases had on the Old and New World alike.
 

The Age of Exploration

This popular program takes students to a time when half of the world was unknown to the other and the European desire to find a sea route to Asia fueled an Age of Exploration. Museum teachers will lead discussions about the economic and cultural life of the Old World, present spices for hands-on examination, and discuss the importance of these spices to 15^th-century Europe.

 Students will learn about such explorers as Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Leon, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport and examine the navigation tools they used to find their way. The program concludes with a look at the previously unknown New World and its abundant resources.

Piracy

Set sail during the Golden Age of Piracy to learn about the reality of pirates. Students will be introduced to the stereotypical concepts of pirates and discuss where images of hooks, peg legs, and eye patches originated. Students will learn about the lives of real pirates and see many of the popular weapons used by these “rogues of the seas.” This program is a perfect complement to the reading of Treasure Island or the study of the early colonial period. Older students will also learn about modern day pirates.

Big Winds, Big Waves: The Science of Hurricanes

A hurricane is one of the most destructive forces of nature, but it begins as a small cluster of disorganized clouds. Using animated graphics, students will explore the life cycle of hurricanes, from their beginnings as disturbed weather to the storms that can cause devastation to coastal and inland communities.

During the program, we’ll discuss the factors that contribute to the development of hurricanes and the destructive nature of these giant storms. Students will also learn how hurricanes get their names, and we’ll examine some of the most destructive storms in history. The program concludes with an interactive hurricane tracking exercise.