Science Alliance Middle School Program

Step into the boots of a conservation scientist in this action-packed week! Inspired by Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy, students will explore how humans can protect and restore our planet’s biodiversity. Through fieldwork in local ecosystems, hands-on data collection, and behind-the-scenes Museum adventures, participants will discover what it takes to be an Eco Ranger: someone who defends nature and inspires others to care for our shared world. 

What You’ll Learn 

• Investigate urban ecosystems: Collect and analyze real data on local species and habitats in Central Park. 
• Contribute to community science: Collect data on biodiversity and oyster health in the Hudson River to contribute to conservation efforts with the Billion Oyster Project. 
• Share your perspective: Present your discoveries and inspire others to take action for the planet. 
• Think like an Eco Ranger: Connect human impact to environmental change and plan for a more sustainable future. 

Dates: Monday–Friday 7/6, 7/7, 7/8, 7/9, 7/10
Time: 9 am–3 pm
Cost: $1300

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Ever wonder how our planet formed, what it’s made of, and what’s happening beneath your feet? In this weeklong adventure, students will journey through Earth’s dramatic history—from its fiery beginnings to the forces that shape its surface today. With hands-on experiments, Museum explorations, and a field trip to uncover New York City’s geologic past, participants will dig deep into what makes our planet so extraordinary.

What You’ll Learn 

• Track Earth’s forces: Map how plate tectonics, volcanoes, and earthquakes shape the planet’s surface. 
• Identify rocks and minerals: Examine and classify real specimens to reveal their origins and stories. 
• Explore the field: Observe and interpret rock formations in Central Park to decode Earth’s history.
• Model a dynamic planet: Build simulations that bring planetary formation and Earth’s inner workings to life. 

Dates: Monday–Friday 7/6, 7/7, 7/8, 7/9, 7/10
Time: 9 am–3 pm
Cost: $1300

Full tuition seats are SOLD OUT.
Tuition assistance available. Please complete this application.

Step back in time to meet our ancient cousins: the Neanderthals! In this hands-on course, students will uncover who the Neanderthals were, how they lived, and why they disappeared. Through fossil studies, artifact analysis, and cutting-edge genetic discoveries, participants will explore what daily life was like during the Ice Age. From crafting stone tools to examining DNA, you’ll see how scientists piece together the story of these early humans and what they reveal about us today. 

What You’ll Learn 

• Analyze fossil evidence: Examine skulls, tools, and artifacts to interpret Neanderthal life. 
• Decode ancient DNA: Uncover how genetic discoveries reveal surprising connections to modern humans. 
• Explore Neanderthal creativity: Craft art and tools to explore Ice Age innovation. 
• Crack the extinction mystery: Weigh the evidence and debate what led to the Neanderthals’ disappearance. 
• Think like a scientist: Combine clues from fossils, artifacts, and genetics to tell the story of human evolution. 

Dates: Monday–Friday 7/13, 7/14, 7/15, 7/16, 7/17
Time: 9 am–3 pm
Cost: $1300

Full tuition seats are SOLD OUT.
Tuition assistance available. Please complete this application.

Join us for an exciting journey through time to explore how life has evolved on Earth! In this hands-on course, students become evolutionary biologists by uncovering fossils, investigating ancient species, and discovering how organisms adapt and change over millions of years. Through Museum explorations, games, and lab investigations, participants will learn how evolution explains the incredible diversity of life that surrounds us today. 

What You’ll Learn 

• Analyze fossil evidence: Investigate real Museum specimens to uncover evolutionary patterns. 
• Build cladograms: Classify living things based on shared traits and ancestry. 
• Model natural selection: Explore how variation and competition drive evolution. 
• Understand deep time: Connect Earth’s vast history to the evolution of life. 
• Think like a scientist: Use observation, creativity, and evidence to explain how species change. 

Dates: Monday–Friday 7/13, 7/14, 7/15, 7/16, 7/17
Time: 9 am–3 pm
Cost: $1300

Full tuition seats are SOLD OUT.
Tuition assistance available. Please complete this application.

What if you could see the hidden world that exists all around—and inside—you? In Tiny-Verse, you’ll dive into the fascinating field of microbiology, the study of organisms too small to see with the naked eye. From bacteria and fungi to protists and algae, you’ll discover how these tiny forms of life shape our planet, our health, and our food. Through hands-on investigation, you’ll learn how to grow and study microbes, use microscopes to examine them up close, explore how microbiology helps us solve real-world problems, and gain an understanding of how biologists apply microbiology and genetic techniques in research. 

Dates: Saturdays  10/3, 10/17, 10/24, 11/7 
Time: 10 am–3 pm

Cost: $1000

What if your design could help an injured animal walk, swim, or fly again? In this hands-on course, you’ll explore how technology and creativity can improve the lives of animals with physical challenges. Using tools like Tinkercad, clay, building bricks, and 3D printing, you’ll work in teams to design and build your own prosthetic prototypes. Along the way, you’ll learn how engineers brainstorm ideas, test designs using augmented reality, and refine their creations to meet real needs. By the end of the course, you’ll showcase your final designs and highlight how compassion and innovation can make a difference.

Dates: Tuesdays 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/10, 11/17, 12/1, 12/8, 12/15
Time: 4:30–6:30 pm

Cost: $1000

Tuition assistance is also available. Please complete this application.

Humans have gazed into the sky for centuries and wondered how our lives are connected to the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars that dot our night view. Through the science of astronomy, we have uncovered not just connections to our own lives, but to the universe at large. This class is designed as an introductory step into astronomy. We will survey the history, scale, and motions of the universe and learn about the ways that humans continue to gain a coherent picture of the cosmos. Along the way, we will also explore how Museum astronomers carry out their observations and other work to make new discoveries. 

Dates: Tuesdays 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/10, 11/17, 12/1,12/8, 12/15 
Time: 4:30–6:30 pm

Cost: $1000

Why do humans walk upright? Why are chimpanzees so different from us despite sharing 98.8 percent of our DNA? Why do great apes and humans not have tails? Human Story is the dynamic story of us—our evolution, our interactions, and our expansion. Learn how scientists and artists work together to reconstruct our ancient ancestors through explorations of our halls, laboratory experiments, and meetings with Museum scientists. In following this evolutionary “tale,” you will explore our place in the tree of life, investigate the evolutionary processes that shape us, and discuss what makes us human. 

Dates: Thursdays—10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10 
Time: 4:30–6:30 pm

Cost: $1000

Imagine a world without minerals—no jewelry, no cool technology, not even the planet beneath your feet! In this class, you’ll uncover the secrets of minerals, from the dazzling specimens in the Halls of Gems and Minerals to the rocks that built NYC—and even the crystals inside your own body. Along the way, you’ll see how minerals power our phones, shape our cities, and help us explore space. If you love discovery, adventure, and things that rock, this class is for you! 

Dates: Thursdays 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10 
Time: 4:30–6:30 pm

Cost: $1000