AT THE MUSEUM
Self-guided visits to the Museum are temporarily unavailable.
Information on cost, scheduling, and more HERE.
NEIGHBORHOOD WILDLIFE: LIVE ANIMALS | LEVEL: K–12th
Live animal programs offer an up-close look at native Ohio species while providing an exciting and memorable learning experience. Each program is customized based on the grade level of your group. Students may investigate types of animals, adaptations, or animal roles within an ecosystem as part of the lesson.
Save time after your program to take your group outside to meet the rest of our animal ambassadors in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden— Presented by KeyBank.
Download the Teacher Guide to Neighborhood Wildlife
6 LS – Cellular to Multicellular
7 LS – Cycles of Matter and Flow of Energy
8 LS – Species and Reproduction
PLANETARIUM
The newly renovated Nathan and Fannye Shafran Planetarium features high-definition imagery. Updated educational programs offer an interactive, out-of-this-world learning experience.
• Total planetarium capacity is 95 people, including students, teachers, and chaperones.
• All topics include views of the current night sky.
• All programs are 60 minutes unless otherwise noted.
Information on cost, scheduling, and more NOW
THE SOLAR SYSTEM: A PLANETARY TOUR | LEVEL: 3rd–8th
Immerse yourself in the Solar System and discover what makes it go round. We will talk about the formation of the Sun, planets, and moons -- gravity, energy, and motions included.
Download the Teacher Guide to The Solar System
7 ESS – Cycles and Patterns of the Earth and Moon
8 PS – Forces and Motion
REASONS FOR THE SEASONS: WHY DO WE HAVE SEASONS ON EARTH? | LEVEL: 5th–7th
Find out the real reasons that we have seasons (it isn’t the varying distance of the Earth from the Sun). We’ll see seasonal changes of the skies from Cleveland, with additional views from other parts of the globe.
Download the Teacher Guide to Reasons for the Seasons
7 ESS – Cycles and Patterns of the Earth and Moon
STARS FROM BEGINNING TO END: HOW STARS ARE BORN, LIVE, AND DIE! | LEVEL: 5th–12th
Follow the cycle of a star’s life from its birth in a nebula to its final end. Discover red giants, white dwarfs, supernovae, and black holes.
Download the Teacher Guide to Stars From Beginning to End
6 PS – Matter and Motion
7 PS – Conservation of Mass and Energy
8 PS – Forces and Motion
TARGET MOON: FORMATION, PHASES, AND TIDES! | LEVEL: 5th–12th
We’ll focus on all things lunar: the origin of the Moon, its ancient battered surface, and its tidal effects on Earth. Follow the Moon’s monthly path across the sky and learn why its shape appears to change.
Download the Teacher Guide to Target Moon
7 ESS – Cycles and Patterns of the Earth and Moon
8 ESS – Physical Earth
8 PS – Forces and Motion
SKY LEGENDS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD | LEVEL: 6th–7th
Journey back in time to hear the exotic star myths of the early civilizations of India, Egypt, China and Mesopotamia. We’ll also relate creative stories of the constellations as told by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Download the Teacher Guide to Sky Legends
6 HIST – Historical Thinking and Skills: 1
7 ESS – Cycles and Patterns of the Earth and Moon; SS – Historical Thinking and Skills: 1
THE UNIVERSE: FROM THE BIG BANG TO THE SOLAR SYSTEM THROUGH TOMORROW | LEVEL: 8th–12th
Beginning with the Big Bang, travel through time and observe the formation and evolution of stars, planets, and galaxies. We’ll provide a comprehensive overview of the major objects in our Universe.
Download the Teacher Guide to The Universe
8 PS – Forces and Motion
ECLIPSE EXTRAVAGANZA | LEVEL: K–8th
Okay kids, lights out. On Monday, April 8th, 2024, the city of Cleveland will witness its first total solar eclipse in more than two hundred years. Now is the perfect time to start preparing for this extraordinary event, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History has you covered. Why do eclipses happen, and are they really all that rare? What is it like to experience twilight in the middle of the afternoon? Most importantly, how do you stay safe while observing the Sun? We’ll answer these questions and more as we investigate the clockwork regularity of the cosmos in this limited-time field trip at the Nathan & Fannye Shafran Planetarium.
Runs September 1, 2023 to April 8, 2024. Classroom kits with eclipse glasses will be provided.
6 PS – Matter and Motion
7 ESS – Cycles and Patterns of Earth and the Moon
8 PS – Forces and Motion
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