
SHARP in the Field
Opportunities for Discovery and Adventure
SHARP Literacy is thrilled to partner with museums and organizations around Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha Counties to provide a more diverse educational experience for students.
Educational Tours
K3 – Physical Science – Physics
Urban Ecology Center
- 3-year old students embark on exciting, nature-based experiences unique to the season during their visit
K4 – Science – Living Things
Milwaukee Art Museum
- Docents trained by SHARP help 4-year old students explore animals and fine art through movement, storytelling and play-based learning techniques
Urban Ecology Center
- 4-year old students interact with real animals, learning about their habitats and behaviors; includes an outdoor scavenger hunt with play-based kinesthetic learning
K5 – Science – Plants
Lynden Sculpture Garden
- Small groups of students conduct field research on different types of flowers, leaves, seeds and trees; includes creating clay impressions and drawings to reinforce concepts learned
Grade 1 – Science – Pollinators
Mitchell Park Domes
- Students develop a pollinator model sculpture and enjoy a scavenger hunt for various pollinators like bees, bats, birds and lizards
Grade 2 – Science – Fresh Water and the Great Lakes
Discovery World
- Students see the world’s largest model of the Great Lakes, recreate the life cycle of a salmon, explore Reiman Aquarium and touch a live lake sturgeon
Grade 3 – Science – Urban Agriculture
Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful
- Students learn the basic concepts of recycling, sustainability and the concept of urban food deserts
- Includes The Four R’s sorting game, interacting with live bugs and a relay race to harvest fruits and vegetables
Grade 4 – Social Studies – Wisconsin
Museum of Wisconsin Art
- Fourth grade students explore 12-15 pieces of Wisconsin art in a 90-minute tour covering Native American culture, the Wisconsin landscape and the works of Frank Lloyd Wright
- Students create their own three-dimensional architectural sculptures with help from a teaching artist
Grade 4 – Design through Code 1.0
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, MSOE or Brinn Labs
- Fourth grade SHARPcoders who participate in the 18-week coding program tour MIAD’s openlab, MSOE or Brinn Labs
- Includes learning about college and career options, rapid prototyping, physical computing and more to prepare for the end-of-year Design Challenge: building a prototype with practical applications
Grade 5 – Social Studies – American Stories
Milwaukee Art Museum
- Fifth grade students acquire an understanding of American history, writing, and critical thinking skills through the arts as they engage in interactive writing-to-learn activities; includes take-home SHARP art journals
Grade 5 – Design through Code 2.0
Brinn Labs
- Fourth grade SHARPcoders who participate in the 16-week coding program tour Brinn Labs
- Students learn about college and career options, entrepreneurship, design technology, and the relevancy of computer programming
K3 – Physical Science – Physics
Urban Ecology Center
- 3-year old students embark on exciting, nature-based experiences unique to the season during their visit
K4 – Science – Living Things
EB Shurts Environmental Education Center
- 4-year old students enhance their understanding of living things by engaging with real animals, an animal habitats diorama room, arts-integrated projects and play-based learning (when weather permits)
K5 – Science – Plants
Prairie Springs Environmental Education Center
- Students learn about plants through play-based activities, a five senses nature walk, a “mystery bag” inquiry into the parts of a plant and arts-integrated experiences designed and facilitated by Carroll University Early Childhood Education students
Grade 1 – Science – Pollinators
EB Shurts Environmental Education Center
- Students enhance their understanding of Wisconsin pollinators by engaging in play-based learning, kinesthetic (movement-based) experiential learning and a hands-on arts-integrated project
Grade 2 – Science – Fresh Water and the Great Lakes
EB Shurts Environmental Education Center (La Casa de Esperanza)
- Students learn how humans impact local watersheds, how severe weather affects the Fox River and other Waukesha county water resources, and ways we can be part of the solution for protecting our natural resources
Grade 2 – Science – Pollinators
Prairie Springs Environmental Education Center (School District of Waukesha)
- Carroll University Early Childhood Education works alongside Prairie Springs to show students a bee hive, take a nature walk and gain understanding related to pollination and thriving plant ecosystems
- Includes students from Banting, Summit View and Whittier Elementary Schools in the School District of Waukesha
Grade 3 – Science – Urban Agriculture
Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum-Intergenerational Heritage Fair
- Intergenerational Heritage Fair gives helps students learn about the history and culture of Waukesha County through hands-on craft and culture activities, as well as approximately 20 exhibits
Grade 4 – Social Studies – Wisconsin
Museum of Wisconsin Art (La Casa de Esperanza)
- Fourth grade students explore 12-15 pieces of Wisconsin art in a 90-minute tour covering Native American culture, the Wisconsin landscape and the works of Frank Lloyd Wright
- Students create their own three-dimensional architectural sculptures with help from a teaching artist
Grade 4 – Design through Code 1.0
QUAD (School District of Waukesha)
- SHARPcoder students tour the printing company facility, engage in a logic puzzle generally reserved for potential hires and hear from a panel of diverse employees who use technology in their everyday work
K4 – Science – Living Things
River Bend Nature Center
- 4-year old students engage in hands-on activities linked to Next Generation Science Standards to learn about animal behaviors and habitats; programs occur entirely on outdoor trails (weather permitting)
K5 – Science – Plants
River Bend Nature Center
- 5-year old students engage in hands-on activities linked to Next Generation Science Standards to learn about plants, seeds, climate and seasons; programs occur entirely on outdoor trails (weather permitting)
Grade 1 – Science – Pollinators
River Bend Nature Center
- Students enhance their understanding of pollinators by engaging in hands-on activities linked to Next Generation Science Standards; programs occur entirely on outdoor trails (weather permitting)