September 15, 2005

'Learning Adventure' series starts on Saturday

by Tom Woolf

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Hey kids: If you're ready for some outdoor adventure, you'll want to sign up for a Saturday series of field trips and lab work designed with you in mind.

The University Museum at Southern Illinois University Carbondale sponsors the "Learning Adventure" series. Faner Hall's north wing houses the museum.

Cost is $20 for each child/adult pair and $12 for each additional child in the family. To register, call the museum at 618/453-5388.

Here's the schedule:

• 1-4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17: Botany Quest. Meet at the museum and catch a ride to Giant City State Park. Create your own plant journal and enjoy the beauty of Southern Illinois.

• 9 a.m. - noon, Saturday, Sept. 24: Fossil Hunt #1: Creatures of the Ancient Ocean. Meet at the museum to get a ride to Vienna where you'll search for real fossils of prehistoric sea creatures. Dress for the weather. Bring a plastic bag for your bounty.

• 9 a.m. - noon, Saturday, Oct. 1: Fossil Hunt #2: Exploring the Prehistoric Jungle. Starts out at the museum and continues to Carterville to look for fossilized prehistoric plants and creatures.

• 10 a.m. - noon, Saturday, Oct. 8: Making a Fossil Collection. University Museum. Learn to preserve, organize and display fossils. Bring a plastic bag for your finds.

Providing cultural outreach is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the long-range plan the University is following as it nears its 150th birthday in 2019.