November 2019
Your monthly news & updates
Our Mission
To ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world
MOUNTAIN UPDATES
Holiday Laser Shows
Kick off your holiday season by planning a fun-filled sensory journey with us at our second annual Holiday Laser Shows. Featuring two holiday classics – Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas and Holiday Wonderland, we will offer shows over three weekends in December.
RMSC Gift Memberships
Give the gift of unforgettable experiences at Roper Mountain to a loved one this holiday season. You can save $5 on a gifted membership from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, using the code MERRY19. In the spirit of giving, be sure to explore our Supporting Membership options; all levels include sponsored membership donations to families in need and a portion of your gift is tax deductible. Visit the Membership Page to learn more and purchase your gift today!
Roper Mountain Science Center is a facility of Greenville County Schools. Because of that, our buildings are not open to the public during the week, as we are busy facilitating engaging, hands-on learning for hundreds of students from all around the state and beyond within our walls. Please check our website or social media for details on when we are open to the public for special events. 
UPCOMING EVENTS
Fall Harvest Festival
Second Saturday
Saturday, Nov. 9
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Friday Starry Nights
  • 6 p.m. Feature Show: Perseus & Andromeda
  • 7:30 p.m. Feature Show: STARS

DEPARTMENT UPDATES
HARRISON HALL OF NATURAL SCIENCE UPDATES:
If you’re visiting for the Fall Harvest Festival, be sure to look through our big picture window in the Ecology Lab to see the Backyard Habitat Exhibit. We feed many different types of wild birds at our birdfeeders. Fall is the time to be on the lookout for migratory birds; be sure to keep your feeders at home full for autumn visitors passing through on their way to better feeding grounds and a warmer climate. Warblers, Grosbeaks, Hawks and many others migrate to their winter grounds through South Carolina. Clean your hummingbird feeders and hang them back out for ruby-throated hummingbird stragglers and the occasional rarity like the rufus hummingbird. 
The next time you come through Harrison Hall of Natural Science, visit our very own anatomically correct Acromantula spider (Aragog from Harry Potter). This special model was hand-crafted by former Marine Specialist and current part-time employee of Roper Mountain, Dr. Brandis Hartsell. 



Some new animals have joined the Harrison family. There is a young alligator – approximately one year old – living in in the Discovery B classroom and several new Marine Lab residents, including:
  • Foxface, Banana Wrasse, and Clown Triggerfish living in the Predator Tank
  • Six Dragonface Pipefish introduced with the Seahorses
  • One Giant Red Hermit Crab and six Striped Hermit Crabs awaiting your visit to the touch tank
LIVING HISTORY FARM UPDATES:
Construction for our new environmental science and sustainability center isn’t the only thing we’re constructing these days. Right now you may notice more leaf litter around the landscaped areas of the buildings. This is purposeful regeneration of nutrients to the topsoil to create healthier topsoil for the plants and critters that live in the area. 
SYMMES HALL OF SCIENCE UPDATES:
Save The Date for Second Saturdays: STEMFest on Feb. 8, 2020. We are looking forward to our annual STEMFest event, which will take on a “Build Together” theme as we celebrate the construction of the new Environmental Science and Sustainability building. We will have many of our awesome community partners bringing local scientists and engineers with unique hands-on experiences for visitors. Watch for more information and details about the event coming soon!
3D printing capabilities have been expanded thanks to a generous grant from Aeronix, which allowed for the purchase of four Dremel IdeaBuilder 3D printers and filament. This provides higher quality, larger build volumes, faster prints and the ability to use the printers for STEM challenges, 3D modeling and 3D printing, a key part of advanced manufacturing to middle school and upper elementary students. These printers let us design and build high-quality customizable materials, interactives, and manipulatives for our engaging STEM labs. They will also provide opportunities to continue and possibly expand our 3D printing summer camps. In addition, these printers can serve as a showcase to demonstrate this technology for students and visitors during field trips and public events.
HOOPER PLANETARIUM AND DANIEL OBSERVATORY UPDATES:
 Hooper Planetarium and Daniel Observatory is excited to officially have Maggie Connelly here from Charlotte as the new Planetarium and Public Program Specialist. Maggie comes to Roper Mountain with 10 years of experience teaching informal science, which includes running a Starlab planetarium, creating and leading astronomy workshops, and curriculum writing. She is excited to join a team that is already well-known for providing superb astronomy programs and looks forward to meeting you at your next visit to one of our public programs.
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS UPDATES:
  • Virtual Field Trips has added a new program: Becoming a Butterfly! This fun and interactive program addresses 2nd grade South Carolina science standards.
  • Afterschool BLAST! Classes have begun their second block. Blocks are still available for the spring semester to bring robotics and programing classes to local elementary schools. More information can be found HERE. 
  • For the first time during the school year, Science on Wheels will be traveling to Myrtle Beach for three days of Starlab Programs for 4th graders. 
SCIENCE PLUS INSTITUTE UPDATES:
  • The second Mini-PLUS and Afterschool Program were held in October. We welcomed 94 teachers from around South Carolina to three different courses.
  • The 2020 Summer Science Institute application will go live at the beginning of November so please spread the word with any public school science teachers you know across the state of South Carolina about this amazing opportunity!
DID YOU KNOW?
…that the Sourwood tree is one of the first trees to change into a rich red or scarlet color along the trails at Roper Mountain Science Center? Bright red colors in some trees are produced when the glucose is trapped in the leaves after sunny days followed by cold nights. 
In our woods, the Sourwood tree is one of the smaller to medium-sized ones in our understory and often grows with meandering branches, trying to find an opening toward the sun. 
Walk the trails in November and enjoy looking for the red color of our Sourwood trees. 
SUPPORT THE MOUNTAIN
Spread The Word About Roper Mountain
Do you love visiting Roper Mountain? Would you consider sharing your personal experiences with others? Please visit our Facebook page, TripAdvisor page, Google listing and / or Yelp page to leave a review and help us spread the word about all that we have to offer.
Give Back To Roper Mountain:
Have you considered making Roper Mountain one of the charities you support this year? Without donations from individuals like you, we wouldn’t be able to invest back in the hands-on, story-based lessons children come to know and love when here for school field trips; we wouldn’t be able to be the “place of yes” for visitors who attend our public programs; and we wouldn’t be able to invest in our current and future workforce in the community. Please consider making a gift to Roper Mountain today. 
AmazonSmile
What if you could contribute to science education without spending a dime? Go to Smile.Amazon.com and choose Roper Mountain Science Center Association as your charity. Bookmark the site – which looks exactly like the regular Amazon site – so that when you make your normal purchases, we will be credited. Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchases back to Roper Mountain.
THANK YOU CURRENT SUPPORTERS!
Visionary:
Duke Energy Foundation
Fluor
Lockheed Martin
Michelin North America

Explorer:
GE

Voyager:
BMW Manufacturing
Prisma Health – Upstate
ScanSource
Wells Fargo Foundation

Adventurer:
Aeronix, Inc.
Chick Fil-A of Pelham Road
State Farm Insurance

Innovator:
AFL Global
Loggerhead Apparel
Tapestri Digital Advertising 
ZF North America, Inc.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Is there something you want to learn more about? We welcome feedback on what you like to read about or see more of when you visit Roper Mountain. Email Amanda Lenar to share your thoughts. Thank you for your support.