Ocean County College

The Robert J Novins Planetarium
The Universe in Your Backyard School Programs

Field Trips

Get Your Astronomy "To Go" With Our Traveling Programs

Classroom Workshops | Portable Planetarium Programs | The Space Man | Pricing & Reservations

The doors to the universe are open once more! Visit the planetarium for a journey to space that will help bring your curriculum to life. A variety of programs are offered on a range of topics for various grade levels.

Note: Shows marked by"§" are recommended for groups of 70 or less for best viewing.
Regular school year (September - June) only

Planetarium Field Trips

Wonderful Sky
Grades Pre-K & K
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.2c, 5.4a, e
Wonderful Sky is designed for our youngest visitors. Students will learn about the things they can see in the sky from their own backyard. We'll explore the sun, weather, meteors, how the Moon changes, and the stars, planets and constellations visible in the current sky. Fun stories, songs, and even a passing rainstorm help make this an exciting introduction to the sky for young children.

The Sky Above Me
Grades 1 & 2
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.2c, 5.3b, 5.4a, e
Learn about our Sun as a star, and how it moves across the sky. Explore the evening sky including the Moon and its phases, as well as the planets and constellations visible in the current night sky. Children will also enjoy a beautiful sunrise, sunset and interesting stories about the night sky.

Sky Tales
Grades 1-3
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, c, 5.4a, 6.1d
The sky is filled with stories of kings and queens, animals, warriors and more. Students will learn a few of these tales as we tour the day and night sky through the stories of many cultures. Constellations and planets for each season will also be highlighted.

§Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
Grades 1-3
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.4a, e
Enjoy this animated adventure which makes use of the new full-dome video capabilities of the planetarium theater. We join two children as they use their imaginations and an old refrigerator box to take a rocket trip through the solar system. Students will learn about the Sun and its family of planets. The program aslo features a live segment to discuss planets, the moon and the constellations visible in the current sky.

Earth's Nearest Neighbor
Grades 3 & 4
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.4a
Explore some of the secrets of our neighbor in space, the Moon. Motions and phases, eclipses and tides are some of the topics that will be covered. Then we'll hear some ancient and modern legends about the Moon, and visit with the Apollo astronauts to uncover its true nature, and its possible future uses as a natural resource.

Other Worlds
Grades 3-5
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, c, 5.2c, 5.3b, 5.4a
To ancient people, the planets looked like bright stars, moving slowly through the heavens. Today, we know that they are other worlds, traveling around the Sun. This program takes students on a tour of the Solar System, to see each planet as a unique world.

The Sky Tonight
Grades 3-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.2c, d, 5.3b, 5.4a, e
In this live presentation, we will discuss the Sun and its motions, the Moon, Lunar phases, and the constellations, bright stars, and planets visible in the current night sky. The specific constellations, stars and planets discussed will vary with the season.

§Season of Light
Grades 4-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.4a
Explore some of the myths and origins of the holiday season to learn why, for many cultures, the dark winter months have become a time of light and celebration.

Reasons for the Seasons
Grades 4-6
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.2c, d, 5.3b, 5.4a, e
We will take a trip around the globe . . . from the Equator to the North Pole and back to the Jersey Shore to explore the reasons for the seasons. From sunrise to sunset, and around the globe, students will learn about the sun and its effects on the earth. Once darkness falls, we will explore some of the season's constellations, bright stars and planets before taking an exciting trip through space.

The Private Lives of Stars
Grades 5-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.2a, c, d, 5.3b, 5.4a
The quiet night sky holds many secrets; among these are the spectacular events in the lives of stars. We'll take a look at the Sun as a star and, by comparing it to other stars; we'll discover how stars are born, how long they live, how they die, and how the universe itself may have begun. Finally, we'll look five billion years into the future, to the ultimate fate of the sun and our own planet.

Cosmic Journey
Grades 5-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.4a
Cosmic Journey tells the story of the universe from a uniquely human perspective. Drift through images from the Hubble Space Telescope and other NASA Great Observatories to explore the size, scale and majesty of our universe.

The Mathematical Universe
Grades 6-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, c, 5.4a, 6.1d
For ages, the behavior of the sky was a mystery. The reasons for the regular and irregular movements of the heavenly bodies were unknown. But the invention of mathematics changed that. In our program, we trace the story of mathematics in astronomy: the Egyptian invention of surveying and an improved calendar; Greek geometry and the first physical models of planetary motion; the invention of calculus and Isaac Newton's discovery of the laws that govern the universe; and modern mathematical and computer techniques which probe the interiors of stars and the large scale structure of the Cosmos.

§Dawn of the Space Age
Grades 6-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, c, 5.4a, 6.1c
Dawn of the Space Age traces Man's first steps into space through a look back at both the Russian and American ventures into the cosmos from the launch of Sputnik, to the American Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs and missions to Mars and the outer planets. We then begin to look ahead, learning about the International Space Station, private space exploration ventures and the possible future of human exploration. Beyond the technology, you will also be inspired by the drive, passion and perseverance of the men and women who took part in these death defying endeavors. This show makes full use of the new full-dome video capabilities of the theater.

The Vital Triangle
Grades 6-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, 5.2c, d, 5.3b, 5.4a, e
What would our planet be like without the sun or moon? How can you use the sun to help you tell time? Why does the moon seem to change? We will try to answer these questions and others by focusing ont he interrelationship between the sun, earth and moon. Students will experience the Sun's energy in the form of a passing thunderstorm, and view some of the more obvious constellations. They will then travel through space to learn how this triangle forms a system that has remarkable effects on our home planet.

Journey through the Solar System
Grades 6-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, c, 5.2c, 5.3b, 5.4a
As we travel through the solar system, students will learn about Earth as a planet by comparing it to other planets. We will highlight recent space missions as well as discoveries of planets outside our solar system.

Universe
Grades 8-12
Curriculum Standards: 5.1a, c, 5.2a, c, 5.4a
Today's astronomers are tackling some of the biggest questions in the universe . . . How did the universe begin? How will it end? How were the Sun, planets and other stars formed? Universe will take you on a search for answers to these questions, and explore how astronomers are finding out about the nature of our universe.

Gift Shop Options
Goodie bags are available from our gift shop for $2.50 per student. Bags contain a space patch, and a variety of space-related items which may include: star or shuttle erasers, notepads, moon calendars, earth keychains, Novins pencils, stickers, star necklaces, and more (dependent upon availability.) Please provide a minimum of one week's notice as bags are created for each individual group.

Pricing

Planetarium Field Trips

Duration	Students	Chaperones	Teachers	# Seats
60 min	$3	$3	1 per class admitted free	101

Note: Shows marked by"§" are recommended for groups of 70 or less for best viewing.

Regular school show times are 9:40 AM, 10:50 AM, Noon and 1 PM
School programs and pricing are only valid during the normal school year September - June.

School purchase orders are accepted

Don't see the program you need? Contact us to discuss your particular needs and options for a customized program.

Please contact Planetarium Director Gloria Villalobos to inquire about these programs or other ways we can meet your educational needs at 732.255.0400 ext. 2111

For more information:
Recorded information:    732.255.0342
Planetarium Office:         732.255.0343
Planetarium Director:     732.255.0400 ext 2111
Email: planetarium@ocean.edu