Parks Science and Astronomy Center
Pick the class you are interested in below and you will be taken to either the course description, course materials, or registration page. Classes aren't available yet, but we have set up the Astronomy class links to test our registration system. Try it out, but you will NOT be signing up for a real class yet! If you see this symbol, the class will qualify you for the Scout Merit Badge.
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Youth classes are for ages 10 to 17.
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General public classes are ages 18 and up. Ages10 to 14 may also attend if accompanied
by an adult parent or family member.
This Class is for the Birds!
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Bird Study Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about the amazing world of birds! Some say they evolved from the dinosaurs, but whatever their origins, these amazing creatures who call the sky their home have fascinated humans since the dawn of time. This class will include an outing to study as many different birds as we can and will turn anyone into a bird lover!
Bug Out! The Amazing World of Insects!
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Insect Study Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about the amazing world of insects! Without them, there could be no life on Earth! This class will include an outing to study as many different insects as we can and will turn anyone into a great admirer of the incredible insect!
Classes (Starting in April 2014)
Plant It! The Amazing World of Plants
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about the amazing world of plants! Plants are incredible! Plants provide the air we breathe, food, shelter, medicines, clothing, fuel, paint, countless other necessities for human survival. In this class, you will learn about the role of plants in contributing to all aspects of humanexistence.
Environmental Science
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to get a taste of what it is like to be an environmental scientist, making observations and carrying out experiments to investigate the natural world. An outdoor field trip will be included.
All Natural!
Nature Study
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Nature Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about the amazing world of nature! Each week features a different nature theme in addition to games, experiments, crafts and other fun filled activities. An outdoor field trip will be included.
Get Dirty & Wet! Soil & Water Conservation
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about two of our most important resources - soil and water. We need to learn more about the natural resources on which our lives depend so that we can help make sure that these resources are used intelligently and cared for properly. An outdoor field trip will be included.
This Computes!
Computers in the New World
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Computers Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about where computers came from, how they work, and how they fit into our lives. An outdoor field trip will be included.
All Spaced Out!
Space
Exploration
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about the real world of space travel. Do experiments and activities to help you learn about how we explore space and communicate with robotic machines millions of miles from the Earth! An outdoor field trip will be included.
Picture This!
Photography
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about modern day photography. Much has changed in the last few years and now it is easier than ever to take excellent photographs. But how does a camera work? An outdoor field trip will be included.
Let's Study the Weather!
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Weather Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about the amazing types of weather on Earth. Meteorology is the study of Earth's atmosphere and its weather and the ways in which temperature, wind, and moisture act together in the environment. In addition to learning how everyday weather is predicted, students will learn about extreme weather such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, and how to stay safe. An outdoor field trip will be included.
This Will Sustain You!
Sustainability
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about how we can sustain life on Earth with all the challenges we face. An outdoor field trip will be included.
Can You Dig It?
Archaeology
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Archaeology Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn how people lived in the past. We will try to figure out what happened, when, how, and why. Using the clues that people left behind, we will try to understand how and why human culture has changed through time. An outdoor field trip will be included.
Using the Boy and Girl Scout Astronomy Merit Badge requirements as a foundation, this class is for anyone ages 10 to 17 who wants to learn about our amazing universe! This class will include an evening under the stars to observe the heavens with cool telescopes. Learn about telescopes, the Sun, the Moon and the planets. Study the nature of light, how the human eye sees, and why things move in the sky. Study other planets that have
been found outside the Solar System and learn about our space exploration missions that have journeyed to other worlds.
Astronomy and the Wonders of the Universe
