Museum of Science and Industry

STUDENT FIELD TRIP EXPERIENCES

To schedule a field trip, please call (773) 684-1414.

Learning Labs

Learning Labs provide focused, facilitated, hands-on learning experiences for students visiting on school field trips. These experiences are aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards and provide teachers with pre- and post-visit materials to assist them in integrating the Museum experience into their classroom instruction. Three Learning Labs will be offered to school groups making reservations as part of their Black Creativity: Taking Charge of YOU! field trip.

ER/OR Lab

February 2, 10:15 and 11:45 a.m.; February 16, 10:15 and 11:45 a.m.; February 23, 10:15 a.m.; February 25, 11:45 a.m.
Balcony Level in the YOU! Lab
In this hands-on program, students will explore medical careers and cutting-edge medical technologies by training as residents in the Emergency Room or Operating Room. In the ER, they will meet iSTAN®, the Human Patient Simulator, and will take his vital signs before, during and after an asthma attack. This medical mannequin is set to reflect patient profiles that highlight risk factors within the African-American community. Students will also take their own vitals and try their hand at reading X-rays of broken bones. In the OR, students will suture with real surgical tools, practice virtual surgery with a Wii tutorial, and learn the importance of sterilization by exploring germs and proper scrubbing techniques.

Heart Surgery 101

February 2 and 9, 11:45 a.m., Balcony Level in the e-Suite
Students will learn about coronary artery disease and its increased incidence in certain segments of the African-American community. Using pre-recorded video segments of open heart surgery edited from MSI’s Live…from the Heart program, students will explore the risk factors associated with coronary heart disease and how lifestyle choices can reduce some of these risks. They will also learn about the medical careers in the operating room and handle the real surgical tools used to perform the surgery.

Life Begins

January 19 at 10:15 and 11:45 a.m., Balcony Level in the YOU! Lab
Students will encounter a simple yet thorough discussion of male and female reproductive anatomy, the role of the pituitary gland in puberty and the female menstrual cycle, as well as an introduction to human fertilization, development of the fetus and the process of labor and delivery. Dramatic illustrations and photographs, a short video and a visit to the Prenatal Development exhibit to view actual prenatal specimens enhance and reinforce the information presented. This lab will be presented by a trained health educator from the Robert Crown Center for Health Education (a primary provider of reproductive health education to the Chicago Public Schools).

Career Bowl

February 16, 17, 18 and 19, 10 a.m. to noon, Lower Level in the Little Theater
By energetically combining elements of Jeopardy and Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, students from neighboring areas explore possible careers, while competing for cash prizes for their schools in the annual Career Bowls. Each student is empowered by the program’s interactive ability to communicate essential foundations skills, workplace competencies and various occupations. Visions of a successful future are placed within the growing minds of participating students.