DISCOVERINGS VOLUME 22 A Newsletter for The Discovery Center of the Southern Tier ISSUE THREE

WINTER 2013g14

SKATE THROUGH

WINTER WITH US!

DIRECTOR’S LETTER

WINTER HOURS

Monday 10am-3pm Toddlers only (Birth—PreK) Open to all on school holiday Mondays 10am-4pm

Tuesday—Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday noon-5pm

Closed December 24 & 25, 2013, January 1, 2014

If the Binghamton City School District is closed due to weather, The Discovery Center is closed.

After a very busy fall, weare in transition mode

to Thanksgiving feasts, family gatherings, raking lastminute leaves and on to theensuing holiday festivitiesthat fill the month of De

cember. So many exciting celebrations fill the monthof December! Honoring Kwanza, Hanukah and Christmas is a meaningful education for all of us.We look ahead to January 1, 2014, the first day of a30 year celebration just for us! Time has flown andwe have been “having fun”! Thanks to the Binghamton Junior League and the team of Imagination Builders (a stellar group of assorted community greats)who conjoined to introduce a children’s museum toour community. A new paradigm, it was a risk! Opening in inner city (1984) in the gymnasium of a thenempty Christopher Columbus School we charged intothe future and learned how to make it work. Specialevents, interactive exhibits, educational experiencesand passion for the mission followed us. It still does!Ross Park is home! The recycled building became a

haven for growth, for exciting exhibits (thanks to Angie Traverse and her treasure house of imagination)and continuing on with magic adventures in everycorner! Outside we have embellished every inch ofleased land. Our campus is a destination—the delights of our Story Garden; the whimsical PLAY NICEplayground and the wonders of stored sunlight thatlights up The Solar House. And the Zoo is a great palfor sure.Well, we have a year to celebrate! There will bemany events to pay tribute to these 30 years. Aswell, a major exhibit is in the works. I applaud mystaff, our Board of Directors and our Discovery Center Foundation for moving us into the future withcreative thoughts and rose colored glasses! Myheartfelt thanks to all of you for being members, forencouragement, for financial support, for wonderfulideas, for volunteering and for being great friends.PLEASE HELP US CELEBRATE IN 2014!!

We’ve come a long way!

SPECIAL EVENTS & SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Ho! Ho! Ho! Holidays!Start the holiday season off on Saturday, December 7th with a hearty breakfast of pancakes withSanta Claus! Breakfast begins at 9am 11am for all you can eat pancakes and is available for $5ages 5 and up and $3 under 5 years. Call 607 773 8661 ext 201 for tickets or more information.Then the holiday magic begins with the Grand Opening of Santa’s Workshop and our annual Village of Gingerbread Display. Santa has some surprises in store for all of the children. After SantaClaus has a delicious breakfast of pancakes, he will be checking out his Workshop to see his elves!If you would like to get your picture taken with Santa Claus and give him your wish list, Santa will

be available from 10:30am to 12:30pm. Cost of a 5 x 7 picture card is $8.00 each which includes postage and handling.

Cookies For Santa! Recipes from Around the WorldDoes Santa love oatmeal raisin? Or is he more of a pan de Pascua fan? We’ll have fun learning about what Santa eatsall night as he visits the children of the world. Sample some international favorites, and paint your very own holidaysugar cookie! Mon. Dec. 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free with museum admission.

Boxing DayPop! Crack! We’re marking this Canadian after Christmas tradition with the bang of homemade poppers and a ton ofholiday cheer. Thurs. Dec. 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free with museum admission.

KwanzaaEnd the year with this African American celebration of family and heritage as we mark the second day of Kwanzaa!Make corn necklaces and weave a family placemat as we sample traditional feast foods and learn how Kwanzaa bringsus all closer together. Fri. Dec. 27, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free with museum admission.

New Year's Eve International Dance PartyWe're going to two step across the globe this New Year's Eve at The Discovery Center! Travel withus to Greece, Israel, South Korea and Central America as we ring in the New Year with balloondrops every hour. We'll play "Catch the Duck," a New Year's family tradition from South Korea, after the 11am balloon drop. Ring in the Greek New Year at 12pm with paper boat lanterns andkalanta dancing. Then jet over to Central America at 1 p.m. for a special performance of LatinAmerican dancing by Central American students from SUNY Broome. Finally, we'll end up in Israelat 2 p.m. for the hora and make our own shofar, or ram's horn trumpets. Tues. Dec. 31 from 11amto 3pm. NOTE: The Discovery Center will be closing at 3 p.m.

Outrageous Antics: Winter Break at The Discovery Center!Make new friends at The Discovery Center! Spend winter break with us as we invite our friends from all across theSouthern Tier for three days of fantastic fun! Celebrate our furry, four legged friends on Mon. Dec. 30 with “Animals inWinter,” as we talk about hibernation and enjoy a visit from the Zoomobile. On Thurs. Jan. 2, we’ll meet our favoriteSouthern Tier mascots and learn all about sports and teambuilding. Finally, mark your calendars for Fri. Jan. 3 for PBSKids Day with WSKG, as we welcome Thomas the Tank Engine and friends! All activities are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free withmuseum admission.

Teamwork Makes the DreamWork: Martin Luther King, Jr. DayMartin Luther King, Jr. had a dream of peace and unity among people from all walks of life. Celebrate his legacy of non violence and acceptance with The Discovery Center and the Vestal HighSchool Peace Club. Add your dream to our Peace Chain as we build a better world link by link andlearn how to work together to make the world a better place. Stay for our puppet show andPeace Parade, and enjoy all the crafts and activities on the museum floor. Mon. Jan. 20, 11 a.m.to 3 p.m. Discovery Kids Food Sales fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additional tickets required.

SPECIAL EVENTS & SCHOOL HOLIDAYS Chinese New Year Celebration

Welcome in the Year of the Horse at our annual Chinese New Year’s Celebration on Saturday,February 1st from 11am to 3pm. The BU Confucius Institute and the BU Institute for Asia andAsian Diasporas will present hands on activities to celebrate the Year of the Horse. Make a Chinese New Year lantern, try some Chinese food and join the Dragon Parade to start the year witha bang! Visit with real horses and learn what your horoscope predicts! All activities are freewith admission. Call 607 773 8661 ext 201 for more information.

Victorian ValentinesRoses are red, violets are blue—The Discovery Center has a Valentine for you! Spend the day with usexploring the fanciful world of the Victorian Age for this very special Valentine’s Day celebration. We’llmake pop up cards, fold secret Valentine puzzle purses written in Rebus code, and more! Friday, Feb.14, 11am to 2pm. Free with museum admission.

President’s Day DecodedInfiltrate the DC this President’s Day and join the Culper Ring, George Washington’s topsecret spy organization! Learn about the codes and spies that helped win the RevolutionaryWar. Crack the coded scavenger hunt, write with invisible ink, and dress up as Revolutionaryspies like the mysterious Agent 355. Monday, Feb 17, 11 am to 2 pm. Free with museum admission.

Hoodie Hoo DayChase away the winter with us on Thursday, February, 20th! We’ll decorate hats, providenoisemakers (or bring your own pots and spoons!), and create a ruckus to scare away thecold and make room for a warm spring. Make it a Discovery Center day and stay for LittleHands Science at 1pm. Gather for crafting at 11am, parade at 11:30am. Free with museumadmission.

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

We're ready to start off the new year with a bang! This fall, we debuted revised school program listings, with dozens ofprograms sure to be a hit with your child's classroom. Field trips foster a love of learning in students, and when youadd a workshop to your trip, you create an educational experience tailored to your classroom. Whatever your curriculum needs may be, our programs are a great way to kick off or culminate a themed unit, from the five senses to theErie Canal. And with special offerings for the preschool crowd, there's sure to be a Discovery Center workshop in yourschool's future. This is the time of year to book your trip to be assured you get the dates you want!

Don't forget about our "Museum to You" program. If your classroom can't afford the bus to us, we'll come to you!Every Discovery Center school program is fully adaptable to be offered in class, for both school age and preschoolgroups. Let your kids get their hands on artifacts, science projects, and more as they delve deep into the subject ofyour choice! Book early!

This is the best time of year to start planning that one of a kind teacher's gift for the holidays with your PTA or classroom liaison. A Discovery Center program is the best way to thank your favorite teacher for all their hard work, and agreat gift for hard working students, too. Gift certificates are now available, and start at just $6/student. Contact Gabrielle at (607) 773 8661 x205 or edu@thediscoverycenter.org for more information about all our options for greatschool programming this year.

FREE WITH ADMISSION PROGRAMS

EXPLORE & MOREThere’s something special going on every weekendat The DC! Stop by this summer and visit the Explore& More station for crafts, science experiments andall sorts of hands on fun. Saturdays from 11am to1pm, and Sundays from 1pm to 3pm.Dec. 8 – Help Santa’s elves bymaking a toy with us inSanta’s Workshop, and learn about the simple machines that make toys move.Dec. 14 & 15 – You won’t need 3D glasses for thesefun pop up holiday cards to jump out at you! Learnabout Sir Henry Cole, the man who invented Christmas cards, while making your own 3D creations totake home.Dec. 21 & 22 – Every snowflake is a beautiful andunique crystal. Join us for a fun science lesson as wemake our own snowflake ornaments and talk aboutcrystallization.Dec. 28 & 29 – You’re invited to a Mexican holidaycelebration! Come for Las Posadas, a Mexican Navidad tradition as we make fun masks and taste tamales.Jan. 4 & 5 – Where do worms go in winter? Find outwith this wriggly, wormy science demonstration.Jan. 11 & 12 – Predict the weather just like a meteorologist! Learn what it’s like to be a weather scientistand make a weathervane to take home.Jan. 18 & 19 – Teamwork makes the dream work thisMartin Luther King, Jr. Day! We’ll make peace ornaments and learn all about peace signs from aroundthe world.Jan 25 & 26 – Are you ready for some football? We’llmake origami footballs and figure out why footballshave such a funny shape!Feb. 2 – Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow?What about Dunkirk Dave or Staten Island Chuck?We’ll learn about the other famous groundhogsacross the country and make a pop up groundhogcraft!Feb. 8 & 9 – Stomp and sing! Celebrate Black HistoryMonth with us as we feature cultural dancing andsongs with special community guests.Feb. 15 & 16 – Dubb lup, dubb lup… feel the beat ofAmerican Heart Month! Get up close and personalwith your heart health as we learn about our circula

tory systems and get our hearts racing with fungames and science.Feb. 22 & 23 –We can’t wait for spring to come! Joinus at The Discovery Center as we explore the scienceof thawing ice and together maybe we can bring onsome warmer weather.

TOT TIMEFunday Mondays The Discovery Center is open justfor toddlers (birth through preschool age) on Mondays from 10am to 3pm (Museum will be open to allages on Mondays 10am 4pm when school is not insession) There’s big size fun to be had by our littlestfriends as they explore the museum, enjoy specialactivities and make new friends without worryingabout crowds of bigger kids. Enjoy Messy Masterpiece at 11am. Little hands create the best artwork!Guided art projects will focus on sensory experiencesand ideas from science and nature. Let your tot’s fingers do the work practicing fine motor skills and putting imagination to paper or whatever the materialmay be.A Tale of Tails, Tuesdays at 11am Tunes & Taleshas gone wild! Special guest readers and animalfriends from around the community will take youand your little ones on a reading adventure eachweek. Afterwards, stay for a story related activityand a meet and greet with this week’s animal friend.Little Hands Science, Wednesdays at 1pm There isnothing little fingers like to do more than explore theworld around them! Hands on activities and excitingscience demonstrations are designed to challengeyoung minds, stimulate their senses and make learning fun.Parade Day, Thursdays at 11am Watch what happens when you unplug and spend time playing withthe world around you. Set your imaginations freeeach week as we learn new games, crafts andsongs—all without a TV or computer!Who’sWho in Your Neighborhood? Fridays at 1pmWho is the man driving the big red fire truck? Whatis it like working in the Mayor’s office? Find out withus each week as we invite community members fromall walks of life to share their favorite children’s storywith us and talk about their jobs.

Local Scouts Complete Award Projects at The Discovery Center!It’s been a great year for Scout involvement here at The DC, and we couldn’t be happier. Our Story Garden was the beneficiary oftheir hard work and excellent leadership skills.With the support of Discovery Center staff and communitymembers, their contributions will enhance the visitor experience and live on for years to come. Kelly Decker, of Apalachin, NY, is a senior Girl Scout in Vestal’s Troop 152. Kelly earned her Gold Award, the highest rank in Girl Scouting, this year by creating a Book Catalog and Book ManiaGame for the Story Garden’s 83 different specialty books. In August, Christy Sherman of Binghamton earned her Silver Award, thesecond highest award in Girl Scouting, by designing and implementing a three week literacy program. Christy read stories to thepublic, then led guests through science demonstrations based on the books before finally handing out free books to her audience.Greg Taylor, a senior at Vestal High School and a lifelong Boy Scout, completed his Eagle Award project this October with the installation of a new stone staircase and a small renovation of the parrot chair. For more information about these Scouts’ specific projects, visit our website or request a copy of The Discovery Center Winter 2013 14 Scout Newsletter.Are you interested in the inner workings of a children’s museum? How about early childhood education? If so, The Discovery Center wants you! Contact us for Girl Scout Gold or Boy Scout Eagle award project ideas and get involved at The DC.We’re looking forhard working Scouts who are interested in childhood development and the importance of play to help us develop new and excitingprograms and materials for our museum guests. Younger Scouts can get involved, too! Make your award project something to betreasured for years at themuseum.

Are You A Grown up Girl Scout?Calling all adult Girl Scouts and Girl Scout alumnae! Get involved with The Discovery Center and build on the lifelong leadershipexperience of being a Girl Scout. If you've been thinking about getting involved with young Scouts, we'd like to invite you to join usas a volunteer during our Girl Scout badge workshops and evening events. Share the things you do and love with the next generation of Girl Scouts in fun workshops such as "Bedazzled: Jewelry Making," "Showy Chefs: Home Cooking" and more. Once a GirlScout, always a Girl Scout!

Contact Gabrielle Wayman at edu@thediscoverycenter.org or (607) 773 8661 x205for registration or more information on all of our scout programs, or to register as a volunteer today.

SCOUT NEWS & PROGRAMS

BADGE WORKSHOPSWhat could be more fun than earning a badge at The DiscoveryCenter? Troops should RSVP to their desired badge workshopsat least one week in advance. Fees include museum admissionfor the day.

GIRL SCOUT BADGESFlower Garden Cupcakes ShareMari’s Story and learn what itmeans to be responsible for what you do and say every day.Afterwards, stay for a special cupcake decorating workshop!We’ll learn simple tricks to turn plain cupcakes into beautifulgarden masterpieces. Come early and celebrate Martin LutherKing, Jr. Day at the Discovery Center with special activities andpresentations. Sat. Jan. 18, 10 to 11am $8/Scout. For Daisiesonly.My Sensational Senses Come along on a “Five Senses” adventure as we learn about the science behind each of our senses,and the important role the brain plays in sensory interpretation. Scouts will have fun rotating to game stations dedicatedto learning and playing with their senses to see just how“sense” ational their bodies are! Sat. Jan. 18, 12 to 1pm $8/Scout. For Brownies only.Cookie CEO Cookie season is here! Get a leg up on the competition with our first Girl Scout Sales workshop. Learn how towork together as a sales team, identify each others’ strengths,and practice your pitch! It’s a day of girls teaching girls how tobe the best cookie salespeople they can be (and earning abadge while they do it!). Sat. Jan 18, 2 to 3pm $8/Scout. ForJuniors only.

Happy Helpers Share an indoor picnic with us as we readSunny’s story and learn how to be helpful. We’ll make a sunflower keepsake, a bird bath and even meet a special community helper. Earn your Sunny petal and enjoy a day of fun andplay with us! Sat. Feb. 8, 10 11am $8/Scout. For Daisies only.Letter Ladies Writing letters is a fun way to share your storieswith friends! Join us as we earn our Letterboxing badge learning more about this fun game. We’ll make our own signaturestamps, write in secret friendship codes and go on a letterboxscavenger hunt at The Discovery Center! Sat. Feb. 8, 12 1pm$8/Scout. For Brownies only.Showy Chefs There’s steam and bubbles, interesting tools,amazing smells and lots of experiments for your fun lovingScouts. And it’s not a laboratory it’s our own kitchen! We’llearn our Simple Meals badge and share handmade foods thatthe girls create. Sat. Feb. 8, 2 – 3pm. $10/Scout. For Juniorsonly.

CUB SCOUT BADGESWeather Wizards Weather may be hard to predict, but it’seasy to understand through our fun filled workshop. Learnabout climate and dangerous weather, experiment with clouds,rainbows and tornadoes, and make a weather vane to takehome! A simple take home observation activity will completethe requirements for the “Weather” academics pin. Sun. Jan.19, 1 2pm $8/ScoutComic Creations Cub Scouts will earn their Art academics beltloop and pin learning about the classic art of comic books!We’ll explore the art of The Discovery Center exhibits, learnabout comic book art, and write our own superhero adventure.

SCOUTS CONTINUED Cub Scouts can even choose to hang their creations for publicdisplay in Studio 60! Sat. Feb. 15, 10 11am $8/Scout

SCOUT SNOOZESIt’s time to spend a night at the museum! Sign up for a Discovery Center Scout Snooze for an evening of fun workshops andprivate museum playtime, then set up your sleeping bag in yourfavorite exhibit for the best kind of sleepover there is. Snoozesinclude dinner, a workshop and plenty of museum play! Fee forall snoozes is $28 per Scout and $6 per adult, unless otherwisenoted. Troop leaders are always free! NOTE: Snoozes which donot meet the minimum requirement of 20 registrations will besubject to cancellation at the discretion of DC staff.Gingerbread Magic It’s time for the holidays to begin! Spendthe night in our very own Sweet Shop Workshop as we decorate gingerbread cookies, explore some gingerbread science,and welcome the holiday season with a night your sweet toothwon’t forget. Fri. Dec. 6, 6pm 8:30am Saturday (Girl Scouts)Sat. Dec. 7, 6pm 8:30am Sunday (Cub Scouts)Chinese New Year (Girl Scouts) Celebrate this annual tradition like never before, with a night full of crafts, activities andfood from the Far East. It’s the Year of the Horse—learn what

that means for the coming year while immersing yourself instunning culture. This snooze will help meet requirements forcertain international and multicultural badges and awards formany Scouts. Saturday, Feb. 1, 6pm – 8:30am SundayGrossology (Cub Scouts) Ever wonder about the ooey, gooeygross things our bodies do every day? Why does our nose makesnot? Why do farts smell? Why do I sweat? Learn all about thescience of the gross thing of our body with hands on learningactivities, gross discussions, and science fun. It is totally gross,but totally science! Saturday, Feb. 8, 6pm – 8:30am SundayTHE DISCOVERY CENTER JOURNEY PATCHESEarn pieces of The DC Journey Fun Patch by attending specialevents at The Discovery Center this fall! Simply check in at theFront Desk and ask to purchase the day’s special square to addto your DC base patch. Come to four events, and you’ll have acolorful Discovery Center fun patch to show off to all yourfriends! Base patch $3, each additional square $1.Yellow Square –Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Mon. Jan. 20Red Square – Chinese New Year, Sat. Feb. 1Blue Square – Valentine’s Day, Fri. Feb. 14Green Square – President’s Day, Mon. Feb. 17

PRESCHOOL & AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS

Discovery Kids Club‘The place to be after 3’

This holiday season at DiscoveryKids Club is dedicated to givingback! Our Kids Club memberswill be making holiday ornaments, holiday crafts and bakedgoods for local charities andorganizations. As we ring in the

New Year we’ll get into training mode for Discovery KidsClub Winter Olympics.

Discovery Kids Club is an interactive program that focusesa strong emphasis on team building, leadership skills andcommunity service. Children utilize their creative skillsthrough arts & crafts, learn all about the world of scienceand have the opportunity to explore the Discovery’s Center interactive exhibits.

If you would like more information about Discovery KidsClub please call (607) 773 8661, ext. 208. Discovery KidsClub hours are Monday Friday 3 6pm plus full days onmost Binghamton City Schools holiday breaks. Limitedspaces still available for 2013 2014!

Discovery Kids Preschool‘All the A,B,Cs and 1,2,3s of Learning Fun’

There is so much excitement at Discovery Kids Preschool during theholiday season. Our little elves willbe busy making ornaments, bakingholiday goodies and singing holidaycarols for local community friends.As winter will be upon us, DiscoveryKids Preschool will be learning allabout our winter animal friends.

Discovery Kids Preschool is a place where your child willlearn all of their A, B, C’s & 1, 2, & 3’s and much more!Your child will enjoy learning all of the traditional preschool activities and monthly themes. Children will be ontheir feet working those small & large motor skills, usingtheir imagination skills through dramatic role play and willlearn how to use their creative arts skills.

For more information please call (607) 773 8661 ext. 208.Cost for 2013 2014 morning programs are $77 per week,afternoon programs are $65 per week and for full day(please send a bagged lunch) $135 per week. Preschoolhours for both 3 & 4 year olds: 8:30am 11:30am(morning) & 12:15pm 2:45pm (afternoon), MondayFriday. Registration for 2014 15 starts in January!

60 Morgan Rd. Binghamton, NY 13903

Non-Profit Org. US Postage

PAIDBinghamton, NY

Permit #192

TIS THE SEASON FOR THANK YOUS! THANK YOU ONE & ALL Day of Caring: Binghamton University (Decker School of Nursing), Steve Kraley & BAE Volunteers, United Health Services, IBM, GHS, Visions FCU, Pizzeria Uno's, United Way, McCormick Paints, Lily Mapes, Nancy Lamberty, Susan Pappas. Story Garden: Mark KetchoyianCORE Building Supply, Mary Mamary, Belle Fosbury Maloy Family Foundation, Nancy & Jim Hargrave, Gloria Block, David Muska, Lowesof Vestal, Beaver Mountain Log Homes. DSGO Skybox Volunteers: Jamie Atkinson, Angel Aton, Annette & Bob Bakalar, Marge Bakalar,Craig & Laurie Bowen, Jim Buhay, John Carnevale, Nate Caro, Tracy Casey, Jack Chanetka, Lisa Cooper, Lindsey Crawford, Ron Crawford,David Crocker, Dorothy Dowdle, Brian Foy, Jim Gorski, Mary Gorski, Courtney Hadden, Suzanne Huften, Matt Hwalek, Tom Kozakowski,Kelly Layden, Christina McCloe, Carol McMurray, Tony Monaco, Melissa Morris, Meredith Mullins, Tom & Kay Murray, Pete Patten, MattRuggiero, Ed & Dotty Sledzonia, Jerry & Pat Smith, Len Steed, Emma Steed, Joyce Steed, Gene Wagner, Maureen Warren, Kelly Warren,Gary & Nancy Youmans. Last but not least: Binghamton University Student Athletes Linda Reynolds (Coordinator), David Dutko, DougMoore, Pat Brady—BPD K9 Unit, Harpurs’ Ferry Student Volunteer Ambulance Service Felix Stacconi, David Hogan, Judy Dennis and JoanHunt, Farmer Bill Owen, David Crocker, Starr LaTronica, 5 Below, Sweet Frog, Danny Eggleston Binghamton Fire Department, Gary HartParty City and Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways Rita Ernstrom History & Archives Committee, Senator Libous and BOOKS, Sentry AlarmsSecurity, Taylor Garbage, Willow Run Foods, Crowley/Hood, Staples, Binghamton Holiday Inn, NYSEG, Freihofer’s Foods, Broome County

Dental Society, Sally Beauty Supply, Frito Lay, BCC SEED students, WIVT Channel 34, WBNG Channel 12, Fox 40, WNBF radio, the Binghamton Senators, The BU Confucius Institute, BU Institute for Asia and Asian Diasporas. Angel Mead & the BOCES Cosmetology students.

Think Spring….Spring Fling that is! Mark your calendars and save the date, Friday, April 11, 2014 for our annual “Spring Fling...Sowing the Seeds”dinner dance benefiting the Story Garden, our FREE outdoor exhibit space. The evening at Terra Cotta on StateStreet in Binghamton, will begin at 6:30pm with cocktails followed by dinner and dancing to music by Brotherhood until 11:00. For tickets or information call 773 8661 x 204 or visit TheDiscoveryCenter.org