Your Monthly News & Updates | |
|
Our Mission
To ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world
| |
|
Join us for Afternoon Explorations each Thursday and Friday
from 1:30-5PM!
• Explore the Environmental Science and Sustainability Building, Harrison Hall of Science, and the Living History Farm!
• Bring items to our popular Nature Exchange
• Search for life-size models of both young and adult dinosaurs along our outdoor Dinosaur Adventure Trail.
• Enjoy a stroll through our beautiful Butterfly Garden
• Sail the high seas while playing at the Pirate and Castle playground
• Engage in creative outdoor play in Wildwood
| |
Afternoon Explorations will be closed March 21st, 22nd and 29th due to Greenville County Schools holiday closures. | |
|
April 8, 2024: Partial Solar Eclipse for Greenville
If you were in this area back in 2017, you probably remember the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. Next month, on April 8, Greenville will see a partial solar eclipse! A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth that will block the Sun’s light. In 2017, all of the Sun’s light was blocked and we could only see the outer atmosphere (the corona), making it a total solar eclipse. The eclipse next month will be a partial for Greenville because in our area, only about 82% of the Sun’s light will be blocked. The partial eclipse will begin at 1:50pm and end at 4:24pm. Remember to wear your special solar eclipse glasses to view! Are you interested in historical views of eclipses, the differences between lunar and solar eclipses, and more? Check out our Starry Night feature film – Eclipse: The Sun Revealed – at both 6:00pm and 7:30pm during the month of March!
Be sure to visit us at Fridays Starry Nights or Afternoon Explorations for a FREE pair of eclipse glasses with your admission ticket thanks to our partner Greenville Water.
Roper Mountain will not have Eclipse programming on April 8th.
| |
|
SUMMER 2024 CAMPS!
The 2024 camp guide is now available! Please review the guide and prepare for registration during the times below.
Members only online registration begins Monday, March 4, 7:00am.
Public registration begins Wednesday, March 6, 8:00am.
| |
|
LIVE DEMO ON FOX CAROLINA
What do you get when you combine Dry Ice and Film Canisters? Tune in on March 12th between 10-11AM to see Erin EuDaly completing a LIVE demo on Fox Carolina!
| |
ROPER MOUNTAIN CLOSED
FRIDAY MARCH 18-22 & FRIDAY MARCH 29
| |
|
This year the Symmes Hall of Science team rolled out four brand new hands-on lessons for fourth graders. Each lesson is geared toward a specific standard, and the students have been having a blast!
In the “Powerful Decision” lab, students learn about different types of energy and energy conversions, then practice wiring a variety of snap circuit boards. Once they’re prepared, they have to decide how they will wire up their model houses during a blackout when power is limited.
| |
|
Students are “locked” into an escape room experience when they enter the new “Patterns & Information” lab. They are assisting Dr. Patty Turner in her research while exploring and applying the concept of using patterns to transmit information. Students use Morse code, binary code, symbols, light patterns, and more! The kids have a lot of fun while practicing what they are learning.
| |
|
During “Light Heist” students use the properties of light to solve a crime! A statue has been stolen from the Art and Light Museum, and students must determine whodunnit. Students investigate shadows, laser mazes, periscopes, opacity, and color mixing. After each investigation students eliminate suspects until there’s only one left!
| |
In “Need for Speed” students help Weevil Knievel complete three challenges. During each challenge, they collect speed data using a pocketlab G-Force car and an iPad. They use this information to form conclusions about the car’s energy all along the track and help Weevil Knievel complete his ambitious goals as safely as possible.
| |
|
Did you know that we have a new giant dragonfly on display in the Ecology Lab in our Harrison Hall of Natural Science? Thanks to a donation from Mr. Rob Roy, a resident of Rolling Green Village, this giant dragonfly made from recycled products, now hangs in our Ecology Lab. The intricate wings are made from steel wire, the thorax made with a large plastic salad dressing jar, the tail made with a stack of large foam cups and the legs made with thin-walled metal tubing from the dumpster. A wig stand shaped like a human head was trimmed to look like a dragonfly head and lame’ fabric was used for the eyes.
Dragonflies are named from Romanian folklore and the story of St. George. In the myth, the Devil turned St. George’s horse into a huge insect. That earned dragonflies the Romanian name for “Devil’s Horse”. Since the Romanian word drac means both “Devil” and “dragon”, the insect soon became “dragonfly”. Did you know that dragonflies are the fastest flying insect; can fly in any direction that a helicopter can fly; are older than dinosaurs; can eat 100 mosquitoes a day; and spend most of their life in their nymph or larva stage?
During Afternoon Explorations, look for this new giant hanging in the Ecology Lab. Also look out for a giant Carolina Mantid and a giant Carolina Wolf Spider climbing the walls. Even our main hallway in Harrison is filled with giants of the animal world.
By Tim Taylor, Roper Mountain Life Science Specialist
| |
|
Thanks to partners like Piedmont Natural Gas, we are able to provide unique, hands-on STEM opportunities for both students and the public. Employees from Piedmont Natural Gas were onsite during our recent "For the Love of STEM" event during Afternoon Explorations. Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy teamed up to provide hands-on hands learning experiences for our visitors. Their fiery demonstration educated guests of all ages about the benefits and dangers of natural gas. Crowds were amazed!
| |
|
WK Dickson and Greenville County Soil and Water, also valued community partners, worked together to create this rain garden, located behind our Environmental Science Building. The garden was designed to manage runoff, using pools to help infiltrate water into the ground before it travels downstream.
| |
|
Our Community Partners make it possible for us to fulfill our mission to ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world. Thank you, Piedmont Natural Gas, WK Dickson, and Greenville County Soil and Water!
| |
|
Members receive 10% off all t-shirt and hat purchases. Mention that you are a member to receive your discount.
PLUS earn an additional 25 points each time you wear your t-shirt to Nature Exchange!
| |
|
Spark Good
Walmart recently launched Walmart Spark Good Round Up where customers can round up their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate the change to their favorite charity. We would love for you to choose Roper Mountain Science Center as your charity to receive these donations every time you shop on Walmart.com. Just select us from the drop down menu when you checkout!
| |
|
2024 Pi Day Party
Register now to attend the 2024 Pi Day Party! Registration is open until March 8th.
Pi Day Party – March 14, 2024, 6 – 8 pm, at the Environmental Science Building
Join us for an evening of fun, hands-on STEM demonstrations, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and pie (of course!) at our second annual Pi Day Party, hosted by Roper Mountain Science Center Association (RMSCA). Questions? Contact Phyllis Henderson, pjhenderson@greenville.k12.sc.us.
| |
|
Give Back to Roper Mountain
We appreciate your consideration in making a donation to support our mission to help lay the foundation for future successes for school and public programming.
Make a gift to Roper Mountain today.
| |
THANK YOU COMMUNITY PARTNERS | | |
|
Visionary:
BOSCH Community Fund
The Daniel-Mickel Foundation
Dodge Industrial, Inc.
Duke Energy Foundation
Fluor Foundation
Fluor Golf For Greenville
Greenville Water
Lockheed Martin Corporation
ReWa
South Carolina Farm Bureau
Explorer:
BMW Manufacturing
GE
SEW Eurodrive
Voyager:
Audacy Communications
Rose Ball Committee
Linda and Tom Hamilton
Milliken, Inc.
South Carolina Charities
Spartanburg County Foundation
| |  |
|
Adventurer:
AFL Global
Bank of Travelers Rest
Bannon Foundation
Contec, Inc.
John R. and M. Margrite Davis Foundation
Greenville FCU Koops, Inc.
Ryobi Power Tools
Hal and Minor Shaw
South Carolina Charities
TD Charitable Foundation
Innovator:
Brian Cauthen
DC Blox
Greenville Master Gardeners
Kay and Les Knight
Carla and Brian Olson
Piedmont Natural Gas
Publix Super Market Charities
ScanSource Charitable Foundation
Kathryn and Jerry Smith
South Carolina Humanities
| |
We welcome your feedback. Email Roper Mountain to share your thoughts. | | | | |
