Field Trips and Programs Registration
Field Trips and Programs
About On-site and Virtual Field Trips
The Howard B. Owens Science Center (HBOSC) staff is dedicated to providing engaging learning experiences that align with the Next Generation Science Standards and enrich and support Prince George's County Public Schools curricula. We are exempt from Administrative Policy 6153 Administrative Procedure 6153 (See Section H) .
Registration for SY 2024-25 for second quarter is now open. During the 2024-2025 school year there will be two options for fieldtrips; in-person field trips onsite at the newly renovated Howard B. Owens Science Center or virtual via Zoom. A school bus(es) will be arranged for the school for in-person trips by transportation once the trip has been scheduled. The school is responsible for paying for the bus(es) needed for the trip. If you have any questions, please email howardb.owens@pgcps.org or call 301-918-8750.
To register for an in-person field trip, click the In-Person Field Trip Registraion Link.
To register for a virtual field trip, click the Virtual Field Trip Link.
In- Person Field Trips
In-person field trips will take place on site at the newly renovated Howard. B Owens Science Center. They will be two hours in length. Read the information below to get a brief description of the in-person field trips being offered during second quarter. To register for an in-person field trip, click the In-Person Field Trip Registraion Link.
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Grade 1- Robo Wunderkind Robots: First grade students will build, code and test fabulous Robo Wunderkind robots to use for science missions.
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Grade 2 - Oasis in Space: Explore the planets of our solar system, applying your knowledge of where liquid and solid forms of water are found on Earth to search for its presence on other worlds. During the journey, develop an understanding of the scale objects in our solar system.
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Grade 4 - Code Breakers: Students explore how messages can be sent and received using light and sound with a variety of materials including coding a micro:bit. They leave with an understanding of how coding patterns can transfer information in a variety of ways!
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Grade 4 - Sensational: Ignite your fourth graders curiosity by allowing them to engage with tools that help them identify energy transferred through sound, light, heat and electrical objects! Participants engage in a whole group exploration, in conjunction with student-lead mini-stations, then teachers return to school with three take-away-student stations to continue the experience!
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Grades 6 & 8 - Newton’s Rocket Launchers: Students explore Newton’s laws as they apply them to various things including space rockets. Next, students will put on their engineering hats and build and launch their very own straw rockets.
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Grades 9-12 - Case of the Missing Menagerie: An expensive animal collection is missing. Use scientific tools and investigative methods to examine the evidence and decide what to do next.
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Virtual Field Trips
Virtual field trips will take place via Zoom. They will be one hour in length. Read the information below to get a brief description of the virtual field trips being offered during second quarter. To register for a virtual field trip, click the Virtual Field Trip Link.
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Grades 1-2- Coding Unplugged: Can You Code a Sandcastle?-During this one hour introductory program students explore computational thinking through the engaging story of “How to Code A Sandcastle” by Josh Funk.* Throughout the story students engage in “unplugged interactive activities” that allow them to help Pearl solve a big problem with coding and practice simple coding vocabulary. *Permission was obtained from the author to use the book, images and text in this program
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Grades 3-5- Aquatic Investigators: In “Aquatic Investigators”, students become Aquanauts for the day led by Commander Carpenter, a woman from NOAA who is leading an underwater research crew aboard Seabase Ballard.to track down a Hawaiian Monk Seal named Eric that has gone missing from the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.
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Grades 3-5 - Nature Rangers: In this simulated science expedition, students work on a team of naturalists led by Park Ranger Isaiah Howard. They will identify an invasive plant that could destabilize the ecosystem in the Great Smoky Mountains and, after analyzing the plant, decide whether it must be eliminated. Ecology and plant anatomy and physiology are emphasized.
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Grade 4 - Exoplanets: Lighting the Way to Discovering New Worlds: Students discover how light and its path is used to find and observe distant worlds around other stars: exoplanets! They will describe how light helps us determine an exoplanet’s potential for supporting life.
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Grade 4 - A Preferred Choice: Hop on board as we prepare to drop anchor in the midst of a weather alert, that gives way to a localized, Earth changing disaster for humans-bringing about torrential rains and quickly gives way to a sloppy, soggy, floody mess! During our program students prepare for a flood event, assist another, and use criteria and constraints to provide the best solution for the scenarios experienced.
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Grades 5-7- Destination Mars: In this simulated space research mission, students collect and analyze data from rovers and satellites to decide where to recommend that a remote Mars research base be built. They compare data on several variables to choose between six possible locations on two Martian Moons.
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Grades 9-12-Beer’s & Breathalyzers: Use a simulation to work through some relationships between matter and light energy in order to learn how Beer’s law is applied in breath alcohol testers. See that UV-visible spectroscopy is a powerful tool in quality control, especially beer production.
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