Please call the Education Office at 717-291-4371 if you have any questions about additional opportunities or group visits.

Additional Opportunities

Teacher Workshops for Professional Development
Annually, the North Museum offers PSU, DCNR, Museum and GEMS workshops from October to June. For example, Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) teaching guides currently address over 50 topics for preschoolers through grade twelve with integrated experiences in math, science and literacy. The GEMS approach uses hands-on, integrated, and inquiry-based teaching methods. The developers at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California based these teaching guides on research, and incorporated developmentally appropriate activities. Act 48 hours and graduate credit are available. Call 717-291-4371 for brochures or check the Educational Classes link on our web site.

• Project Learning Tree (PDE) (two workshops)
• Brain Research & Classroom Practice (PSU)
• GEMS Life Sciences/Life Cycles
• GEMS Oceanography
• GEMS Forensics
• Pennsylvania Songbirds (DCNR)
• GEMS Elementary Chemistry
• GEMS Geology

Scouting Programs for Boys and Girls
We offer opportunities for Scout groups to participate in activities that will enable them to earn badges.

Badge Workshops
The Planetarium offers workshops that fulfill the requirements for the Brownie Space Explorer Patch and Junior Sky Search Badge.

National Science Partnership (NSP)
The North Museum in partnership with the Penn Laurel Girl Scout Council provides science badge workshops for Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts.

BSA Merit Badge Workshops
This one-hour workshop fulfills many of the requirements of the Astronomy Merit Badge. In the planetarium, Scouts learn how to identify necessary stars, constellations and planets. Planetarium staff provide information for those requirements which the Scout must fulfill under the real night sky.