Planetarium Programs for Scouts

The Treworgy Planetarium offers workshops for many different levels of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. These workshops satisfy most, or in some cases all, of the requirements for belt loops, merit badges, or Girl Scout badges. Workshops can be booked for a daytime visit to the Planetarium—or, for the fully-immersive experience, a workshop can be built into an Anchor Watch scout overnight visit. Please see below for information about each of our unique scout programs.

Workshops for Girl Scouts

Daisy Girl Scouts (grades K-1): Be a Space Science Explorer!

Join us for some fun with the sky, and complete a badge at the same time! This two-hour workshop will provide Daisies with the knowledge, materials, and encouragement to complete their NEW Space Science badge! In this active workshop, Daisies will meet the sun, moon, and stars by:

learning how the sun changes with shadow pictures
seeing the moon with a telescope (weather permitting)
making their own telescope
learning about the shapes that stars make in the sky during a planetarium show

By the end of this two-hour workshop, Daisy girl scouts will have completed ALL of the requirements for their Space Science Explorer badge.

Brownie Girl Scouts (grades 2-3): Be a Space Science Adventurer!

Join us for some fun with the sky, and complete a badge at the same time! This two-hour workshop will provide Brownies with the knowledge, materials, and encouragement to complete their NEW Space Science badge! In this interactive workshop, Brownies will be introduced to Astronomy by:

learning about our neighbors in the sky by making a “pocket solar system”
discovering what makes our moon special
creating their own constellations
experiencing a planetarium show, where they will see the stars in a new way and learn about some amazing women space scientists!

By the end of this two-hour workshop, Brownie girl scouts will have completed MOST of the requirements for their Space Science Adventurer badge, and will have an opportunity to share what they learned with fellow girl scouts at a later date.

Junior Girl Scouts (grades 4-5): Be a Space Science Investigator!

Join us for some fun with the sky, and complete a badge at the same time! This 2.5-hour workshop will provide Juniors with the knowledge, materials, and encouragement to complete their NEW Space Science badge! In this inquiry-based workshop, Juniors will build on their space science knowledge by:

making hypotheses about the solar system
testing their hypotheses in creating a solar system scale model
learning that a year on Earth may not be the same as a year on other planets
creating their own way of measuring distances
learning about space missions, and creating our own rovers!
learning about fellow women space scientists while seeing the sky in a planetarium show

By the end of this two and a half hour workshop, Junior girl scouts will have completed MOST of the requirements for their Space Science Investigator badge.

Cadette Girl Scouts (grades 6-8): Be a Space Science Researcher!

Enlighten yourselves (literally), with this day long workshop! How can you get sunburned when it’s cloudy out? Who decided how to classify the stars? What is light pollution? Find out the answers to these questions, and earn a badge at the same time! Cadettes will be provided with the knowledge, materials, and encouragement to complete their new Space Science badge! In this experiment-driven workshop, Cadettes will:

create and execute their own light experiment
discover the different colors of light by creating their own Newton Spinner
learn about the woman who changed the way we classify stars
become a citizen scientists by participating in a night sky study
be introduced to fellow women space researchers while seeing the sky in a planetarium show

This 5-hour workshop includes a lunch break in the middle. Lunch will not be provided, but will be available for purchase. Scouts and their accompanying adults will need to bring their own lunches with them. We will provide an indoor lunch space.

Senior Girl Scouts (grades 9-10): Be a Space Science Expert!

Are we all made of star stuff? Find out in this workshop! Explore light and discover what it teaches us about the universe in this day-long workshop. Seniors will be provided with all of the materials, knowledge and encouragement to become Space Science Experts! Workshop highlights include:

Learning about how telescopes collect light
How can Pluto not be a planet anymore? Discuss the controversy, and discover how things can actually change in space
What is the Period-Luminosity Relationship? Find out, and learn about the woman who discovered it
Discuss the forgotten or ignored women of space science, discover the importance of Wally Funk’s space flight, and see the night sky with a private planetarium show

Workshops for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts

Sky is the Limit: Tiger Cub Scouts Workshop

This two-hour workshop helps Tiger Cub Scouts complete their Sky Is the Limit elective adventure. The program includes a 45-minute Planetarium show about the night sky, plus hands-on activities in our Planetarium classroom.

Tiger Cub Scouts will:

Visit a planetarium with their den or family.
Draw and name their own constellation.
Learn about two astronauts who were Scouts when they were younger.
Look at an object through a telescope or binoculars and demonstrate how to focus the device.

All materials—and plenty of encouragement—are provided.

If the workshop takes place during the day, Scouts will use binoculars to explore distant objects along the Mystic River. If the workshop is part of an Anchor Watch overnight scout program, and weather permits, an outdoor telescope-viewing activity can be added.

Finding Your Way: Wolf Cub Scouts Workshop

This two-hour workshop helps Wolf Cub Scouts complete their Finding Your Way elective adventure. The program includes a 30-minute Planetarium show about using the sky for navigation, plus hands-on activities in our Planetarium classroom.

Wolf Cub Scouts will:

Locate where they live using a map of their city or town.
Draw a map for a friend so the friend can locate their home, a park, a school, or another neighborhood landmark.
Identify what a compass rose is and where it appears on a map.
Use a compass to identify the cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west.
Go on a scavenger hunt using a compass and locate an object by following its direction.

All materials—and plenty of encouragement—are provided.

This workshop satisfies most of the requirements for the Finding Your Way elective adventure. Following the workshop, or beforehand, Scouts need only use a map and compass to go on a hike with their den or family to complete the adventure requirements.

Out of This World: Bear and Webelos Cub Scouts Workshop

This two-hour workshop helps Bear and Webelos Cub Scouts complete their Out of This World Nova Award. The program includes a 45-minute Planetarium show about the night sky, plus hands-on activities in our Planetarium classroom.

Bear and Webelos Cub Scouts will:

Visit a place where space science is being done.
Draw a diagram of the solar system.
Draw and label five constellations.
Explain how revolution (orbit) compares with rotation.
Investigate and create models of solar and lunar eclipses.

All materials—and plenty of encouragement—are provided.

This workshop satisfies most of the requirements for the Nova Award. Each pack is responsible for completing the remaining requirements and for purchasing and awarding the Nova Award materials.

Astronomy Merit Badge: Boy Scouts Workshop

This 2.5-hour workshop helps Boy Scouts complete requirements for the Astronomy Merit Badge. The program includes a 45-minute Planetarium show about the night sky, plus hands-on activities in our Planetarium classroom.

Sections of the Astronomy Merit Badge workbook covered in this workshop include:

Section 2: Light Pollution
Section 3: Binoculars and Telescopes
Section 4: Stars and Constellations
Section 6: Moon (some, but not all, components of this section)
Section 7: Sun
Section 8: Visit a Planetarium

All materials—and plenty of encouragement—are provided.

This workshop satisfies most of the requirements for the Astronomy Merit Badge. Each troop is responsible for completing the remaining requirements and for purchasing and awarding the merit badges.

Program Details

Workshops for Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts:

Duration: 2.0-2.5 hours
Cost per scout: $15
Cost per adult: $7

Workshops for Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts:

Duration: 5 hours
Cost per scout: $25
Cost per adult: $7

Registration

To register call 860-572-5322, ext. 1 or email reservations@mysticseaport.org.