Project O.R.I.E.N.T.

Project O.R.I.E.N.T is an environmental science program for middle school students that combines hands-on science learning activities with team-building to deliver a unique and truly immersive experiential learning opportunity for students. Lessons on the first day of the program focus on becoming familiar with the use of topographic maps, the concepts of latitude and longitude, and how to use GPS units for navigation. Students also learn about the high-tech sport of ‘geocaching,’ by exploring Penn’s natural surroundings and finding small caches hidden on our campus.

Once the students have become acquainted with maps and GPS navigation, they launch into a camp-wide scavenger hunt using their newly learned skills to find caches hidden all over the hills, forests, lakes and streams of BJP. Each cache contains specific instructions for a science, math, or team challenge exploration based upon the surrounding physical, biological or cultural features of the site. Students work together to complete the exploration before receiving coordinates for their next cache. Teachable moments occur along the way as students immerse themselves in the experiential learning environment at Penn.