Summer Explorations

Explore ancient worlds. Practice basketball skills. Discover Harvard's hidden gems. Become a botanist! These are just some of the learning opportunities offered during the Harvard Ed Portal's Summer Explorations for Allston-Brighton students entering grades 1–8!

Please check back at a later date for information about Summer 2024.

Note: This information was for Summer 2023 offerings

Summer Explorations 2023 will provide Allston-Brighton students entering grades 1–8 this fall with in-person programming in small group settings. These single-week programs will take place in-person between July 10 and August 4.

Please be aware that COVID-19 precautions differ by program. Please read the program descriptions carefully to ensure you are able to meet all program requirements. Generally, Summer Explorations program requirements are as follows:

  • Harvard Ed Portal, Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH), and Harvard Athletics (Moore Hoops Academy) programs do not require vaccination and face coverings are optional.

 

How to Apply:

The online application should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Please note that you will need information about your student's July and early August schedule.

Select your student's grade cluster to see the opportunities that are available to them this summer. These single-week programs will take place in-person, and all opportunities have a unique schedule and meeting location, so please read all descriptions thoroughly.

Application Deadline: The deadline has passed for Summer 2023. Please check back at a later date for information about Summer 2024!

Media Release: Note there is an optional media release included in the online applications. Please read it carefully.

Who can sign up?
Any Harvard Ed Portal member (or Ed Portal eligible) who meets the age/grade requirements. Ed Portal eligible children will be required to sign up for a free Harvard Ed Portal membership.

How do I sign my child up for Summer Explorations?
Please check back at a later date for Summer 2024 information and application!

How many weeks of programming can I sign my child up for?
A student may apply for as many programs within their grade range as they would like. Space is limited and varies among the programs. Therefore, the Ed Portal cannot guarantee placement in all programs an applicant expresses interest in. Placements will be announced 5–7 business days after your application has been submitted.

How much does the programming cost?
Summer Explorations is free for all participants!

Note: These opportunities were offered in Summer 2023

Entering Grades 1–2:

American Repertory Theater: Our Stories, Our Journeys, Our Home
Location: Harvard Ed Portal, 224 Western Ave., Allston

Join us for a week of exploration, storytelling, and movement inspired by the themes of journeys, home, and welcoming! Led by A.R.T. teaching artists, children will engage with stories connected to the week's themes and explore them through body, voice, mind, and imagination.


Harvard Museum of Natural History: Earth Explorers
Location: Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

Our planet is an exciting place! Explore geology and paleontology using the museum's collections and exhibits. Study rocks, fossils, volcanoes, and earthquakes through experiments, specimens, stories, and models.


Harvard Museum of Natural History: Budding Botanist
Location: Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

Take a closer look at plants. Some are older than dinosaurs, others eat animals, and many can survive environments that are too extreme for people. We'll examine living plants, fossils, and even the museum's glass flowers. Come get your hands dirty while we play, experiment, learn, and, of course, grow!


Harvard Museum of Natural History: Amazing Animals
Location: Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

Leaping lemurs, sluggish sloths, burrowing beetles, cagey crows... Explore the world of animals as we travel through museum exhibits, observe live animals up close, and get to know these amazing creatures through crafts, games, and experiments.

Note: These opportunities were offered in Summer 2023

Entering Grades 3–5:

Moore Hoops Academy: The Crimson Kids Hoops
Location: Lavietes Pavilion, 65 N Harvard St., Allston

Join the Moore Hoops Academy for a fun-filled introduction to the game of basketball for our younger hoopers. Our aim is to have these soon-to-be ballers fall in love with the sport as we continue to grow the game for future generations to come. All skill levels are welcome as an emphasis will be made on improving fundamentals as well as sportsmanship through competition. Led by our high energy coaching staff at Harvard, we hope young players will find a new home in Lavietes Pavilion!
 

Harvard Museum of Natural History: Ancient World Adventures
Location: Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

Visit exhibits featuring Israel, Egypt, and Mesopotamia to learn about daily life in the ancient world. Examples of activities include writing hieroglyphs, constructing mini pyramids, handling artifacts both real and through augmented reality, bejeweling a beard mask, and playing the Royal Game of Ur.
 

Harvard Museum of Natural History: Ins and Outs of Skeletons
Location: Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

Investigate the ins and outs of skeletons! Using observations of skulls, bones, and live animals, we will explore how animals use their skeletons for protection, support, and movement. We will see how bones and fossils can solve recent and ancient mysteries. Extend the fun and learning through experiments, puzzles, and crafts!

Note: These opportunities were offered in Summer 2023

Entering Grades 6–8:

Harvard Revealed: Arts-Rageous!
Location: Harvard Ed Portal, 224 Western Ave., Allston

Explore the creative components of arts at Harvard! Students will visit Harvard's hip-hop archives and art museum, plus experience life behind the stage curtains at the American Repertory Theater and its show "Evita"! Participants will also have the opportunity to get creative by making art with Harvard Ed Portal's most recent muralist.


Harvard Revealed: I Spy Science!
Location: Harvard Ed Portal, 224 Western Ave., Allston

Take a behind the scenes tour of Harvard's historic animal collections. Engage in hands-on activities inside a chemistry and nano-materials lab. Participants will also meet young scientists who study animals to learn how to design new technologies and medicines, plus they'll explore the interactive exhibits inside Harvard's Museum of Natural History!


Harvard Revealed: Crimson Goes Green!
Location: Harvard Ed Portal, 224 Western Ave., Allston

Visit Harvard's on-campus recycling center and take a behind the scenes look at the solar panels, beehives, and green rooftops of new Harvard buildings. Students will also explore Harvard Arboretum's beautiful green spaces with on-site educators, and learn how to fix simple devices.

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Upcoming Deadlines:

The application deadline has passed for Summer 2023. Please check back at a later date for information about Summer 2024!

Online Application

Please check back at a later date for Summer 2024's online application!