Your Monthly News & Updates | |
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Our Mission
To ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world.
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AFTERNOON EXPLORATIONS
closed December 26th, 27th, January 2nd, 3rd
Afternoon Explorations is open every Thursday and Friday from 1:30PM-5:00PM (last entry at 4:00PM). During each visit you’ll have the opportunity to explore some of your favorite parts of Roper Mountain including Environmental Science Building, Harrison Hall, the Living History Farm, Pirate Playground, and so much more!
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HOLLY JOLLY SCIENCE
Join us on December 13th for Holly Jolly Science! Come visit with Mrs. Claus, make it snow, and experience all of the wonders of science this holiday season.
Get a jump start and mark these Afternoon Explorations Special Event Days in your calendar:
- Scales and Tails : January 17th
- For the Love of STEM: February 14th
- Earth Day Celebration: April 17th
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Afternoon Explorations will be closed during the Greenville County Schools Winter break, December 23rd-January 7th. We look forward to seeing you on December 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 19th, and 20th prior to break and then welcoming you back for our first Afternoon Explorations in the new year on January 9th. | |
Members: If you are unable to attend your scheduled showtime, please contact us at 864-355-0805 by 2:00pm Friday so your reserved seats can be made available to other patrons. | |
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Celebrate the Holiday Season at Roper Mountain with a Holiday Laser Show! More details and tickets can be found on our website.
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FLOURESCENT
MINERAL EXHBIT
The new fluorescent mineral exhibit is now open in the Harrison Hall of Science. Step into a world of glowing minerals at our new Fluorescent Mineral Exhibit. Featuring 20 fluorescent minerals sourced from every continent except Antarctica, the display highlights the incredible diversity of Earth's geology. Set in a faux cave environment with a viewing window along the main hallway, the exhibit showcases minerals like fluorite, calcite, and willemite as they glow under ultraviolet (UV) light. Visitors can enjoy the contrast between the minerals' natural appearance and their transformation under UV light, creating a truly unique way to experience these natural wonders.
An interactive section allows visitors to see the minerals under both normal and UV light, revealing their hidden colors. This hands-on experience helps explain how UV light interacts with certain minerals, creating the fluorescence effect. Informative panels provide additional details about the minerals and the science behind the glowing phenomenon. This portion of the exhibit offers an engaging way for visitors of all ages to learn about geology while enjoying the striking visuals of fluorescent minerals.
Fluorescence occurs when certain elements within a mineral absorb ultraviolet light and re-emit it as visible light. These elements, called activators, are responsible for the colors seen in fluorescent minerals. Manganese, uranium, and rare earth elements are common activators, and their presence varies widely across different minerals. Not all minerals fluoresce, which makes this display particularly special. Visitors can explore why some minerals glow while others do not and discover the scientific processes behind this fascinating natural occurrence.
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GIVING TUESDAY
Have you heard of Giving Tuesday? It’s an international day of giving and it’s happening on Tuesday, December 3rd. Roper Mountain will be raising money to install a piranha tank in Harrison Hall! And, thanks to a generous donor, all donations up to $10,000 will be matched, so you can DOUBLE your impact! We are excited about this new addition to our campus. Will you join us?
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PLT LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION AWARDED TO ROPER
Roper Mountain Science Center was recognized as the 2024 SCPLT Jerry Shrum Leadership in Education Award at the recent Forest Association of SC annual meeting as a champion of forest conservation education. Roper Mountain is the first organization to receive the award since its inception in 1997.
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Since 2018, Roper Mountain has been a SCPLT Environmental Education Center hosting workshops. Project Learning Tree EE Centers promote collaborations that encourage long-term, high-quality environmental education programming. PLT Facilitators, like our adjunct instructor Carrie Whitlock, helps coordinate and teach workshops for educators here at Roper. Through PLT, teachers are helping to mold the future stewards of our environment.
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LET'S MOVE IT, MOVE IT!
Roper Mountain Outreach department debuted a brand new kindergarten force and motion program called Let’s move it, move it. During this program, students learn how scientists use tools, and they get to help Roper Mountain conduct research on a new launching tool. Multiple math and science standards are covered during this interactive and fun program.
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SUMMER 2025 CAMPS!
We are hard at work planning for next summer’s camps! We expect the camp guide to be online on our website no later than February 1st.
Members only online registration begins Tuesday, March 11th at 7:00am.
Public registration begins Thursday, March 13th at 8:00am.
Upgrade your membership to CREATOR or ORIGINATOR level for access to our special Concierge ONSITE registration days on Tuesday 3/4 and Wednesday 3/5. Creator members may register for up to 6 total camps per family on Concierge registration days. Originator members may register for unlimited camps during the Concierge period. Creator and Originator memberships are good for one year of Concierge camp registration. Upgrade your membership on our website here: https://www.ropermountain.org/pages.asp?titleid=membership.
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Do You Know that in our Ecology Lab we have a Piedmont Forest Mural including a working tree farm? In 2007, Roper Mountain partnered with tree farmer Dr. Walt McPhail and Georgia-Pacific to secure funds for this mural. A sustainable forest not only provides trees from which to make useful products, it also provides for recreational opportunities, soil conservation, oxygen for us to breathe, clean water, and habitat for a wealth of other plants and animals. A sustainable forest not only provides these things for us today, it will continue to provide them for future generations. | |
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If you look closely, you will see a working tree farm showing logging operations and plantings in the pine forest. Did you know that for every tree cut, roughly 5-6 are planted to replace it? Around 500 trees are planted per acre. Loblolly pines are usually the choice for our tree farmers because they usually grow straight and are fast growers. At 15 years, some are harvested for pulpwood. Those cut around 20-25 years are usually for 2X4 lumber and those cut around 35-40 years are used for planks, plywood, telephone poles, etc.
There are 12.8 million acres of forestland in South Carolina, more than 11 million acres are privately owned. Forestry is the #1 industry in our state and a 17 billion industry. Roper Mountain teaches about forest ecosystems in our field trip lessons and teaches forestry badge classes for scouts. Last month, Roper Mountain Science Center was presented a Leadership in Education Award for outstanding contributions to environmental education in SC through the use of Project Learning Tree. PLT is a national environmental education program with an emphasis on forestry education.
By Tim Taylor, Roper Mountain Natural Science Specialist
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This month we want to thank Milliken & Company and HDR for their support in sponsoring some of our new physical science and engineering learning labs in Symmes Hall.
The new 6th grade wave engineering lab, part of the Hands-on Engineering: Shape the Future of Roper Mountain series, is sponsored by Milliken & Company. The lab engages students in experimentation with speakers and lights to optimize sound and light design across Roper Mountain, making “improvements” to some of our current exhibits.
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HDR, a new Community Partner, sponsors the 4th grade Powerful Decisions lab, where students explore different energy transformations and use them to build circuits and wire their individual “homes” with a limited supply of electricity, powering the devices they deem most important.
Without the support of partners like Milliken & Company and HDR, Roper Mountain would not be able to provide the unique, hands-on learning experiences that we offer to students across South Carolina. Thank you for helping us fulfill our mission to ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world.
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Members: If you are unable to attend your scheduled Starry Nights showtime, please contact us at 864-355-0805 by 2:00pm Friday so your reserved seats can be made available to other patrons.
Members receive 10% off all t-shirt and hat purchases. Mention that you are a member to receive your discount.
PLUS earn an additional 25 points each time you wear your t-shirt to Nature Exchange!
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Spark Good
Walmart recently launched Walmart Spark Good Round Up where customers can round up their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate the change to their favorite charity. We would love for you to choose Roper Mountain Science Center as your charity to receive these donations every time you shop on Walmart.com. Just select us from the drop down menu when you checkout!
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Give Back to Roper Mountain
We appreciate your consideration in making a donation to support our mission to help lay the foundation for future successes for school and public programming.
Make a gift to Roper Mountain today.
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THANK YOU COMMUNITY PARTNERS | | |
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Visionary:
BOSCH Community Fund
The Daniel-Mickel Foundation
Dodge Industrial, Inc.
Fluor Foundation
Fluor Golf for Greenville
Greenville Water
Lockheed Martin Corporation
ReWa
South Carolina Farm Bureau
Explorer:
BMW Manufacturing
GE
SEW-EURODRIVE
Voyager:
Audacy Communications
Greenville Federal Credit Union
Milliken & Company
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Adventurer:
AFL Global
Bank of Travelers Rest
Bannon Foundation
Brian Cauthen
Contec, Inc.
HDR
John R. and M Margrite Davis Foundation
Ryobi Power Tools
South Carolina Charities
TD Charitable Foundation
Upcountry Fiber Foundation
Innovator:
Broad River Electric Charities
Greenville Master Gardeners
Kay and Les Knight
Koops, Inc.
Carla and Brian Olson
Piedmont Natural Gas
Publix Super Market Charities
ScanSource Charitable Foundation
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We welcome your feedback. Email Roper Mountain to share your thoughts. | | | | |
