Portable Planetarium Purchased for Tipp Students

Students in the Tipp City Exempted City Schools will have the opportunity to enhance science learning via a portable planetarium theater.

The Discovery Dome Portable Planetarium Theater purchased with funding from several sources including the Tipp City Foundation arrived in Tipp City near the end of the 2024-25 school year, said April Taylor, a 27-year teacher who made math and science her focus areas while teaching to third graders last year. “As a science teacher, mostly collaborating with other science teachers has been a way for us to apply others' ideas and materials to teach our standards. I have always tried to be a hands-on teacher so that the students have more opportunity to explore and have fun with learning,” Taylor said. “I knew a portable planetarium theater could be an addition to provide students with more motivation and experiences to further their learning and understanding of scientific concepts.”

With encouragement from the schools’ curriculum director Dawn Scott, Taylor said she researched domes and found a company that could supply one that was adaptable for grades K-12, offer wheelchair accessibility and provide programs in languages to include English learners. The dome is large enough to hold an entire classroom of children. This dome, which came with 22 free programs created based on the Ohio and Next Generation Science Standards, is available to all educators in the Tipp schools district to use in their classrooms.

Due to the timing when the planetarium arrived in the district, the dome first was used this summer during the STEM camp. “The students used this theater to create a better understanding of constellations, after creating and naming their own constellation during their time in the classroom,” Taylor said. “We are very appreciative of all the generous foundations that have made it possible for educators in our district to utilize the dome to inspire, engage and provide a deeper understanding for all students.” Funding for the $20,000 purchase came from the Tipp City Foundation with a $5,478 grant along with the schools, Tippecanoe Educational Endowment and the Miami County Foundation.

For more information on the Tipp City Foundation and a grant application, visit tippfoundation.org.