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Family Science Nights
A Family Science Night is an evening program in which students and their parents work together on simple, inquiry-based science activities. Two Family Science Night kits are available on loan, each containing over 25 activities. Garden Earth Naturalists (GEN) and Our Shared Forest (OSF) Science Night kits provide an effective way to draw the community and parents into schools.
Why are Family Science Nights important?
- Bring scientific learning to the entire family.
- Encourage doing science at home with everyday materials.
- Spark children's scientific interest.
- Stimulate parents' interest in science and their child's science education (research shows a direct link between parental attitudes and student achievement).
- Build connections between classroom science and the real world.
- Provide an excellent opportunity for intellectual interaction with parents and children.
- Increase parents' scientific interest and knowledge.
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 The Garden Earth Naturalist Science Night Kit
The Garden Earth Naturalist (GEN) Science Night kit helps children (grades 3-6) understand their school site ecosystem and value the eco-services provided by their ecosystem. The kit contains 25 hands-on science activities that address ecology concepts including pollination, soil production, climate control, food production, biodiversity, water purification and more. The GEN program and kits are a partnership of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, the Georgia Museum of Natural History, Georgia 4-H and the Georgia Partnership in Science and Math (PRISM). They were funded by a grant from the Teacher Quality Program for the Improvement of Math and Science Education.
GEN Science Night kits are available at four Georgia locations. The usage fee varies at different sites but is $50 at the State Botanical Garden and the Georgia Museum of Natural History, Athens. GEN kit loan sites include:
- State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens. Contact Cora Keber at ckeber@uga.edu.
- Fortson 4-H Center, Hampton, Ga. Contact Susie Greer at sgreer4h@uga.edu.
- Chattahoochee Flint Georgia Youth Science and Technology Center, Georgia Southwestern State University, School of Education, Americus, Ga. Contact Lynn Larson at orlpl@canes.gsw.edu.
- Confederate Hall Historical and Environmental Education Center, Stone Mountain Park, Stone Mountain, Ga. Contact Susan Meyers at smmeyers@bellsouth.net.
- Georgia Museum of Natural History, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. Contact Carol Hoffman at hoffman@uga.edu.
 Our Shared Forests Science Night Kit
Our Shared Forests (OSF) is a multi-cultural, environmental education project featuring Parent Teacher Association (PTA) sponsored science nights, standards-based instructional units, service learning and fundraising opportunities with fair trade, organic, shade-grown coffee. Overall, this project highlights the importance of conserving existing habitat and reestablishing fragmented habitats of neotropical migratory birds in North and South America. Our Shared Forests connects local education to global conservation! Science Night kits, field trips and teacher workshops are major features of this project.
OSF Science Night kits include supplies and posters to conduct 25 interactive stations. Local units of the Georgia PTA, other parent volunteer groups, or teachers can plan and sponsor an OSF Science Night at their school. Production of the kits was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Usage fee is $50. The OSF kit can be borrowed from six sites in Georgia that are listed in the OSF brochure.
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