DISCOVERY Children's Museum

The Museum’s premier community engagement program provides Southern Nevada’s elementary school-aged students with hands-on, interactive, health science programming. Founded by Dr. Joe & Joan Lapan in 2009, this mobile health science instruction was conceived to fill a need Dr. Joe saw as a pediatrician for early intervention for children.

Recognized for its high-quality curriculum designed to meet Nevada Academic Content and Next Generation Science Standards, the curriculum incorporates extensive hands-on experiences to promote learning through engagement. The program addresses practical health concerns head-on through a uniquely designed age-appropriate curriculum customized for each grade level. Older students are encouraged to explore careers in the health and medical fields through first-hand experience with medical tools and models.

The full suite of curriculum is delivered by trained DISCOVERY Educators. Pre-K through 5th grade, includes:

Pre-K: Let’s Get Moving!—Movement of the Human Body

Students explore the bones and muscles that work together to help us walk, bend, stretch, and play. Students learn how bodies are fueled by oxygen through the practice of simple breathing exercises and yoga poses. *DISCOVERY on Wheels educators are trained mini yogis, yoga for kidscertified.

Kindergarten: Let’s Eat!—Foods and Nutrition

Students explore various food groups, learn why a balanced diet is part of a healthy lifestyle, and how the digestive system turns the nutrients from our food into energy.

1st Grade: Bright Smiles & Clean Bodies—Dental Health and Hygiene

Students learn about dental care, proper hand-washing techniques, and how to prevent the spread of germs.

2nd Grade: Making Sense of Our Senses—The Five Senses

Models, interactive demonstrations, and activities help students learn about the five senses, how they help to understand the environment and survival, and how to protect the sense organs.

3rd Grade: Wonderful ME!—Cells and Genetics

Through models, karyotypes, and hands-on activities, students learn the basic concepts of the human body to take care of it properly.

4th Grade: Young at Heart—Circulatory and Respiratory Systems

The importance of the circulatory and respiratory systems is explored along with healthy versus unhealthy lifestyle choices.

5th Grade: What’s Up Doc?—Medical Professions and Equipment

Through hands-on investigations, learn why it is important to make informed health and wellness choices and experiment with actual medical equipment to measure lung capacity and heart health.

YouthWorks is an all-inclusive internship program for current high school students ages 15-17 years old. This program provides youth with opportunities to enhance their own lives through education and a unique opportunity to gain work experience, building a community service record for high school credit and college portfolios.

Established in 1993, YouthWorks combines educational and career guidance, work readiness, and life skills training with an interdisciplinary Museum setting to benefit local teenagers.

YouthWorks participants begin volunteering throughout the main eight Museum galleries. This allows them a chance to become familiar with Museum policies, procedures, and most importantly the Museum’s mission. We are happy to accommodate youth who may have a disability restricting them from participation on the gallery floor. In this instance, the individual may be placed in another area more suited for their abilities maintaining interaction and collaboration with other interns and staff.

The YouthWorks Internship is a highly competitive and sought after program with limited positions. To be accepted to this program indicates an individual shows the drive to grow professionally and personally. This internship is more than just a job!

While an intern will perform job assignments alongside staff members, they will also be given the opportunity to experience many different areas of the organization with the goal of providing practical experiences as a beginner in a professional environment. Further, intern positions are paid, allowing the youth an extra source of income for personal needs such as college applications, school expenses, or simply to supplement family income.