Students from Coral Reef, John Ferguson, Homestead
and Southwest High Schools started the day viewing the Academy Award nominee Cosmic Voyage.

Filmed for IMAX, Cosmic Voyage pinpoints where humans fit in our ever-expanding universe. Highlighting this journey is a 'cosmic zoom' based on the powers of 10, extending from the surface of Earth to the largest observable structures of the universe, and then back to the sub nuclear realm - a guided tour across 42 orders of magnitude! Students were exposed to some of the greatest existing scientific theories, some of which have never before been visualized on film, from the birth of the cosmos and solar system to the nature of black holes and exploding supernovas.

Tour of the Pine Rocklands
MDC Environmental Center

Jake Tucker, naturalist at the Environmental Center,
guided students through the rich, but fragile pine rocklands ecosystem, currently under restoration at the MDC Environmental Center at the Kendall Campus. He introduced them to the restoration process and pointed out South Florida native plants and animals.  He also discussed exotic flora and fauna and the impact on the South Florida bioregion.

Students visited the organic demonstration garden at the Center, identified common vegetables, learned about growing food pesticide and fertilizer free, picked vegetables and used them to prepare part of their lunch.

Sculpture from Found Objects,
Rope and Paint Brushes from Palm

Professor Annette Zimmerman Wells, MDC Art Department, worked with students to explore the natural environment for materials for site specific art as well as sculpture.

Brian Peck, naturalist at the Environmental Center and Native American historian and enthusiast, taught students how to gather fiber from palms for a hands-on rope making activity used by Native People in the Everglades. In addition, students made paint brushes from palm fronds.