The Norman Transcript

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November 6, 2009

Middle school students can apply now for Sam Noble Museum's summer field programs

Transcript Staff

Oklahoma middle school students interested in science can apply now for a summer field program offered by the Sam Noble Museum at the University of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Science Adventure is a one-week residential program that will give students hands-on experience working with museum scientists and in real field settings.

Fourteen students statewide will be accepted. The program, scheduled for July 10-17, 2010, is based at sites in northeastern and north central Oklahoma.

The program is fully funded by the Whitten-Newman Foundation and there are no costs to participants.

Students will be chosen through a competitive application and interview process. Applications are available online at http://explorology.snomnh.ou.edu/2010-application-osa.

Applications will be accepted now through Feb. 28 for Oklahoma students currently enrolled in grades six through eight. Applicants must submit an application form, parts of which are to be completed by a parent or guardian and a teacher. In addition, all applicants will be required to attend one of the scheduled group interviews which will be held at locations in the following communities: Woodward, March 6; Lawton, March 13; Claremore, March 27; Idabel, April 3; and Norman, April 10. A follow-up telephone interview also may be required.

Participants will be chosen based on several factors, including their written application, their interest and enthusiasm in science, teacher recommendation, availability of local opportunities to experience science, the location of their school and home and personal interviews.

Students participating in Oklahoma Science Adventure will spend the week exploring a variety of "ologies" in Oklahoma forests, streams, ponds and fields with scientists from the museum.

They will be housed in hotels or dormitories at night, with daytime activities including outdoor field work, indoor laboratory work, and a variety of recreational activities including canoeing, swimming and hiking.

The week will culminate on the OU campus where students will work in the museum's research labs to further study the fossils and specimens that they encountered in the field. On the final day, students of both programs will give an oral presentation to share their research with others.

Oklahoma Science Adventure is part of ExplorOlogy, a museum educational project funded by the Whitten-Newman Foundation. In addition to the field programs, ExplorOlogy includes Paleo Expedition, a two-week residential paleontology field program for high school students, SciencEscape, a spring break opportunity for schools, and Science Institute, a summer professional development workshop for teachers.

Additional information about these and other programs at the museum is available online at www.snomnh.ou.edu, or by calling the museum education department at 325-4712.

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