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Café Sci
Café Sci removes science from the lecture hall into a cozy, fireside discussion. The goal is to engage the public in science in a non-traditional way. At Café Scientifique, a scientist introduces a current, science-related topic and then opens the floor for discussion. Café Scientifique is held once a month, usually on the 4th Thursday of the month, from 7-9 p.m.

 
  Cox Arboretum MetroPark
Cox Arboretum MetroPark
6733 Springboro Pike, Dayton, Ohio 45449
(937) 434-9005
 
   
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Cox Arboretum MetroPark is dedicated to creating a dynamic education experience that inspires people to think about their relationship to the environment, enhance their sensitivity to the natural world, and help to shape positive attitudes and feelings toward nature through horticulture, conservation, and science experiences.




Adult Education Programs:

Lunch & Learn Series
Spend your lunch break with us! Learn about gardening and horticulture while you eat.

Learning from the Landscape Series
"Walk and Talk" and learn from the park grounds.

Café Sci
Café Sci removes science from the lecture hall into a cozy, fireside discussion.. The goal is to engage the public in science in a non-traditional way. At Café Scientifique, a scientist introduces a current, science-related topic and then opens the floor for discussion. Café Scientifique is held once a month, usually on the 4th Thursday of the month, from 7-9p.m.

Gardening Tips
Read the brochures below for seasonal information on garden care and maintenance. The gardening tips are listed in an easy-to-use, monthly format. To learn more about gardening programs, contact Yvonne Dunphe at (937) 434-9005 or by email.

VIEW PAST PROGRAM HANDOUTS

 

Youth and Family Education Programs:

Award-Winning Eureka! Lab
School may be out on Saturdays, but children don’t need to stop learning and parents are eager to help facilitate the process. However, during the weekend, the teaching environment needs to be fun. Cox Arboretum MetroPark is a perfect place for informal, hands-on learning that allows children to experiment and explore. Eureka Lab takes place one Saturday a month, year round. It is a three-hour, drop-in program featuring hands-on experiments and demonstrations that stimulate inquiry and engage students in problem-solving activities. Eureka Lab is free and open to the public

Science stations are set up in the Kettering Learning Lab and out on the grounds (weather permitting) to encourage scientific discovery in a fun, interactive environment. Program topics are developed from the Ohio Academic Content Standards for Science and encompass multiple grades.

Join us for the Fun! Eureka Lab is held each month on a Saturday. Check the program schedule

School Tours
A visit to Cox Arboretum MetroPark will help you meet the requirements of the Ohio State Academic Content Standards. Learn about science through standards-based, hands-on tours. Call (937) 434-9005 or email coxinfo@metroparks.org for details about this free program!

Get more information about Discover & Grow Tours . Call (937) 434-9005 to schedule your visit!

Self-guided school tours Scouting
Butterfly House Tours
Please call (937) 434-9005 to schedule your tour for groups of 10 or more.

 

Resources for Schools:

School Resource Fund
While over 10,000 school children participated in guided discovery tours at Cox Arboretum last year, many disadvantaged students continue to miss out on the hands-on learning that takes place on our grounds due to financial constraints at their schools. While school tours are free, schools do need to cover the cost of transporting students. In a recent teacher focus group, teachers in districts serving at-risk youth stated that many of their students have never seen some of the plants, flowers, and wildlife they are reading about and studying in science, which makes it particularly difficult to grasp concepts in the abstract. By experiencing science concepts first hand, students can build on classroom knowledge. All teachers are looking for ways to translate “book learning” into real life experiences and to engage students in interactive learning to help them understand and retain the knowledge they need to master the Ohio Academic Content Standards.

To address these needs, the James M. Cox Jr. Arboretum Foundation has established the School Resource Fund with the objective of increasing the use of the Arboretum as a teaching venue by teachers of at-risk students – for horticulture and the natural sciences, as well as math, literature, art and geography. The fund will allow teachers who serve these at-risk students, especially those from the City of Dayton and other urban areas.

School Resource Fund:

  • Cover the cost of stipends that must be paid to substitute teachers while the classroom teachers attend the workshop or provide a stipend to encourage their participation in the summer workshop.
  • Cover the cost of transporting students and teachers from their school to the Arboretum, should the need exist.
  • Cover costs of materials used in hands-on activities (water testing, dissecting, art projects, fiction and non-fiction science books)

This fall 10,000 bulbs were planted in the front zone of the Arboretum by students from the City of Dayton Schools with help from staff and volunteers as part of the School Resource program. Many students will return this spring to view the results of their hard work!

 

 
 
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"Protecting the region's natural heritage and providing outdoor experiences that inspire a personal connection with nature."
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