Educational Activities & School Field Trips Teach Students About the World of Germs and Viruses 

Learning about the frightening world of viruses, bacteria and other microbes isn’t necessarily an easy thing to teach, and yet the last year has taught us about the severe impacts they can have on society and one’s personal health. That’s why Midland Center for the Arts has developed an interactive exhibit, lightening the conversation on germs and how we can combat the spread of viruses.

“The young explorers in our community will be pivotal in our approach and thinking behind the viral outbreaks our society faces in the future, and teaching them about how they can stay healthy, active and live a balanced lifestyle through a scientific lens at their young age will make them more knowledgeable, confident and empathetic as they avoid the spread of germs,” said Jennifer Kanyo, Director of Education. “The educational activities and school field trips we are offering for kids in our current exhibit will give them tools and tricks in a fun and engaging manner.”

The exhibit which offers limited contact activities like the Germ Shooting Range and a giant Operation Game, as well as the New York Hall of Science’s traveling exhibits that delve into the facts about transmission and prevention, is available for free to the community through the support of the Midland Area Community Foundation and Dupont, offering FREE admission for kids to learn about the science of little microbes.

But now, families and school groups visiting the exhibit can enjoy further exploration at home with additional educational experiments and projects to practice what they learned. Made possible through a grant from the Midland Area Community Foundation, the Center has instructions available online for several activities to understand the types of microbes that exist in the world.

From discovering that little microbes exist in many of our favorite foods by conducting an experiment to capture the carbon dioxide produced by yeast to inflate a balloon, to creating art projects using mushrooms which are one of the thousands of fungi in the world, the online activities offer something exciting and educational for further enjoyment! To explore the experiments and art projects outlined for families, visit midlandcenter.org/ExploringMicrobes

This exhibit is open weekly through September 4 in the Brick Lobby at Midland Center for the Arts. Visitors can explore From the Inside Out Thursday evenings 5 – 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays 12 – 4 p.m. Learn more about this exhibit along with other current exhibits by visiting midlandcenter.org. Free admission to this exhibit has been made possible through the support of Dupont and the Midland Area Community Foundation.

The Midland Area Community Foundation provides philanthropic leadership to strengthen our community by fostering collaboration and giving today and in the future.