FREE Science Saturdays For Families

Create an Origami Dragonfly and Learn about Water Infrastructure

At Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center

Science Saturdays and Matinee Sundays offer free family

fun each weekend in January.

PHILADELPHIA – Have you ever wondered why dragonflies swarm near pools of water, or how they got their name? Did you know that their larvae, known as nymphs, are aquatic for the first several years of life? Can you tell the difference between a dragonfly and a damselfly? In January, the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center’s (FWWIC) free educational program teaches families about the lives of dragonflies and the role they play in the ecosystem.

Science Saturdays are free and open to the public on January 14, 21 and 28 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at half hour intervals.  The Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center is located at 640 Waterworks Drive in Philadelphia.  For information call 215-685-0723.

Families will learn about the life cycle and living behaviors of dragonflies and examine the specific patterns of common local species through interactive experiments by FWWIC educators at the Interpretive Center’s water lab. Children are invited to get creative and fold their own origami dragonfly to take home!

“Families will be fascinated by the beauty of dragonflies and enjoy learning about the behaviors of these whimsical and interesting creatures,” says Karen Young, director of FWWIC. “This is also a wonderful opportunity for children to try their hand at creating damselfly and dragonfly origami shapes.”

In addition to Science Saturdays, FWWIC’s Sunday Movie Matinee will screen “Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure” on January 15, 22 and 29 at 2 p.m. in the Interpretive Center’s media center. This 2008 documentary tells the story of essential infrastructure systems – water, wastewater, and stormwater – that most times we take for granted. The film explores how ten cities and towns, including Philadelphia, strive to meet the challenges of protecting public health and ensuring quality of life through the complex, aging water infrastructure systems. Come enjoy this 90-minute film for free with friends and family each Sunday in January.

The Fairmount Water Works, the ideal location to learn more about the life in and around the river, was constructed in 1812 to pump water from the Schuylkill River. Almost from the day the waterwheels began turning, the graceful neoclassical buildings and beautiful grounds made the place an international tourist attraction renowned for melding nature and technology. Today the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center is the Delaware River Basin's watershed education hub, offering visitors information about the impact of water on their daily lives and how they in turn impact their water supplies. Located off Kelly Drive in Philadelphia's East Fairmount Park, the Interpretive Center features a variety of hands-on, highly interactive exhibits including a live view of the Fairmount Dam fishway and a flyover of the Schuylkill River watershed. For more information, visit http://www.fairmountwaterworks.com/.