School Programs at The Discovery Center

We have over 20 school programs to choose from to entertain, educate, and enlighten your students. All of our school programs are guided by the NYS Learning Standards and are available for purchase through BOCES. The goals of our school programming are simple: to provide programs that are engaging for students, content intensive for teachers, and manipulative rich for retention. Our programs are a great way to kick off or culminate a themed unit!

Students GET THEIR HANDS-ON the five senses, water and bubbles or static electricity. ROLE PLAY paleontologists, squatters, EJ tanners, and newspaper reporters. Children LEARN when they touch, role-play, explore, discover, observe, experiment and challenge themselves with our engaging school programs. Click on the buttons to the right for more information.

For more information on any
of our school programs
please contact Gabrielle Montanez
773-8661 ext. 205, or email

Click here to download a Field Trip and Group Visit Guide

School Program News

A Free Bus to Us -

The Discovery Center is pleased to announce the continuation of A Free Bus to Us. Through the generosity of MeadWestvaco, we are able to provide $200 grants to help schools meet the transportation costs of coming to The Discovery Center. A Free Bus to Us meets a growing need to help schools fund student field trips to The Discovery Center which are often eliminated due to the pressures of dwindling budgets.

The creative learning at cultural institutions is critical to academic development, innovative thoughts, and creativity. Field trips also help teachers enliven the curriculum and engage students in learning. The program invites any K-5 school in the Southern Tier to apply for a $200 grant to be used during the 2012-2013 school year. Money is awarded on a ‘first come, first awarded’ basis until the funds are gone. Please contact edu@thediscoverycenter.org for info on how to apply.

Early Bird Special!
Get the year started off right with one of our school programs! Schedule a one-hour long workshop at The Discovery Center and receive $1 off the regular per-student cost. Contact Gabrielle by email or (607) 773-8661 x205 for more information on how to integrate our programming with your Fall curricula. Offer valid from September through December 2012.

Low Bridge! The History of the Chenango Canal
With the opening of the Erie Canal, this area like many others, sought their own canal to connect the Erie to aid development. The Chenango Canal- a 97 mile long engineering marvel- connected Binghamton to the South with Utica and the Erie Canal in the North. Students will explore the many implications the Canal had on the Binghamton area and its surrounding area as they role play different individuals- Indians, merchants, farmers, and many more- to understand the many impacts, both positive and negative, that it had. Students will use mapping skills as we identify key New York towns and landmarks along the Canal path.

Just For Our Preschool Age Friends!

There is something special just for our youngest friends! In these 40 minute classes designed for our preschool aged friends, your students will be dancing and singing, painting and crafting, learning and laughing. Schedule the program here at the museum or we can bring it right to your classroom!

Dinosaur Roar (Grade Pre-K) Pre-K paleontologists set off on a fossil adventure! Explore what dinosaurs looked like, what they ate, and even get your hands dirty with an excavation of your own!

Preschool Sprouts (Grade Pre-K) Everything grows and grows! Explore the world of seeds as we use the skills: classifying, sorting, and counting to learn how different seeds can be. Break one open to discover that a tiny plant lives inside of every seed and plant one to take home to grow.

Sand, Sea and Me (Grade Pre-K) Explore the world under the ocean with this hands-on ocean class. Your students will be amazed as they touch live sea creatures and sing fun songs to learn all about our friends under the sea.

Who are the People in Your Neighborhood? (Grade Pre-K) Hats off to our community helpers! Pull out a hat- who does it belong to? Children will explore the world of community helpers and learn all about the uniforms they wear, touch some of the tools of the trade, and discuss what important job they do for us. Songs and role play make this program a hit!