Mid Hudson Children's Museum play

The STARLAB planetarium is an inflatable dome that requires approx. 20 x 20 foot space and 11 foot ceiling (half gym space). STARLAB seats 30 children at a time. Recommended show time is 30 - 45 minutes. Choose from Constellations, Moon Phases and Sunrise Sunset programs.

Programs fulfill objectives in conjunction with New York State Learning Standards.

New York State public schools may be eligible for a full reimbursement for environmental programs like STARLAB programs. Schools from Putnam, Rockland, Dutchess, and Westchester counties can apply for a full reimbursement with the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES.

Here is the link to the BOCES forms web site page click here . Go to the form for State Aid Request Form for Consultants.

All Outreach Programs require a $150 non-refundable deposit. Travel fee applies outside a 15 mile radius.

Some scholarship subsides available for various programs. Call us for more information.

Constellations

Enter our inflatable dome planetarium and gaze up at a clear starry night. Explore the universe with a fully trained museum educator as your guide. Be inspired by the magnificent expanse of the universe. Learn how to find real stars in the night sky. Be enchanted by ancient Greek myths. Or, choose the African or Native American constellations and stories.

Presentation is 30 - 45 minutes, maximum capacity in planetarium is 25 students and adults.

Outreach cost: $250 first program, $75 each additional program

Moon Phases

Enter our inflatable dome planetarium and experience the phases of the moon with hands-on activities. The program will be followed by a brief night time sky presentation.

Presentation is 30 - 45 minutes, maximum capacity in planetarium is 25 students and adults.

Outreach cost: $250 first program, $75 each additional program

Sunrise Sunset

Inside our inflatable planetarium you will travel through the seasons following the sun on its ecliptic line. Explore the changes in the rising and setting points of the sun and its daily path through the sky.

Presentation is 30 - 45 minutes, maximum capacity in planetarium is 25 students and adults.

Outreach cost: $250 first program, $75 each additional program

See, Touch & Hear the Hudson

Students will identify and describe items related to the Hudson River using their five senses. Children will see a sturgeons puppet, touch a dried sea star, hear gulls, smell a fish, taste salt as they learn about the environment through their five senses. A classroom presentation for up to 25 students.

Classroom Presentation: $175, $75 per additional program, 30 minute presentation, max. 25 students.

Pollution & the Food Chain

Wearing imaginative costumes that represent the food chain and colorful props, students can act out an interactive play about the bio-magnification of pollution in the Hudson River. Also learn about tides, hear Native American legends about the river and explore local geography.

Assembly Presentation: $350 first program;  $200 for each additional program. 50 minutes, max. 150 students. 

Classroom Presentation: $175, $75 per additional program, 30 minute presentation, max. 25 students.

Water Cycle Game

Students pretend to be a drop of water and use their imaginations to go on a fantastic journey through the water cycle. Learn how water is reused in mini-cycles all over the globe- from plants and animals to ground water and glaciers. A classroom presentation for up to 30 children.

Classroom Presentation: $175, $75 per additional program, 30 minute presentation, max. 25 students.

Algonquian Lifeways

The program emphasizes the lifeways of the Native Americans in the Mid-Upper Hudson Valley during the Late Woodland era (ca. 1,000 - 400 years ago), as demonstrated through their use of the 'seasonal rounds.' Students dramatize companion planting using the three sisters; corns, beans and squash. This program offers the opportunity for students to make a clay pot while learning about traditional Algonquian pottery and its uses.

Outreach cost: $250 for the first progam, $75 for each additional programs. Maximum of 25 students.

The Immigration Trunk

The ImmigrationTrunk, New Friends & Neighbors on Main Street, focuses on recent immigration in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

The immigration trunk was designed to work in conjunction with New York State Learning Standards and the fifth grade social studies curriculum. It is accompanied by a comprehensive Teacher's Guide, which includes a timeline of immigration to the U.S. with emphasis on the Mid-Hudson Valley. It also contains sample lesson plans and activities related to each of the cultures covered. The trunk explores commonalities between the various cultures such as the arts, festivals and food. This program was funded through the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency and fund through the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Outreach cost: $250 for the first program, $75 for each additional program (75 minute presentation, max 25 children)

1777 Battle of Saratoga

Step back in time for a reenactment of the Battle of Saratoga. Sit around a room-size map (14' x 4') of the Hudson Valley in 1777. March with the British army to capture the Hudson River. Experience the Patriots efforts that lead to the victorious turning point in the war. Revolutionary reproductions are available to explore. This program meets the 4th Grade NYS History Standards.  Funding for this program was provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in conjunction with the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Outreach cost: $250, $75 for each additional program,(75 minute presentation, max. 25 children)

Flight

Ever wonder how a 5 ton jet flies? See dynamic demonstrations of the Bernoulli Effect and air pressure. Learn how shape affects flight. Even help launch a hot air balloon!

Assembly  presentation: $350 for the first program;  $200 for each additional program. 50 minutes presentation, maximum of 150 students.

Classroom presentation: $175 for the first program, $75 for each additional program. Maximum of 25 students.

Static Electricity

Using the Van de Graff Generator, learn about electrons and static electricity. It makes for a hair-raising experience! (October to March only) 

Assembly  presentation: $350 for the first program;  $200 for each additional program. 50 minutes presentation, maximum of 150 students.

Classroom presentation: $175 for the first program, $75 for each additional program. Maximum of 25 students.

It's Not Magic - IT'S SCIENCE

Scientific Method Comes Alive! Investigate! Experiment! Observe! Scientific Method process comes alive with hands-on demonstrations using air and water.

Assembly  presentation: $350 for the first program;  $200 for each additional program. 50 minutes presentation, maximum of 150 students.

Classroom presentation: $175 for the first program, $75 for each additional program. Maximum of 25 students.