The Museum of Science and Industry will develop "Genetics: Decoding Life," a 4325 sq. ft. permanent exhibit about the basic principles of genetics, the Human Genome Project, new tools and technology to study life, and the biomedical and biotech applications resulting from genetic information. As a result of interacting with this exhibit, visitors will understand the basic principles of genetics, they will become familiar with the role of genes in the development of life, they will learn something about how and why scientists used genetic tools, and visitors will become aware of applications of these principles and the potential social, ethical, medical and economic outcomes. In addition to the exhibit there will be a number of complementary outreach programs. An electronic web site will be created, software used in the exhibit will be modified into a format suitable for use in schools, computers loaded with genetic programs will be loaned to Chicago public school groups, churches and other community agencies, and the content of the exhibit will be used to enhance special Lamaze and prenatal classes held at the museum. Special consideration will be given to developing the relationship between the project personnel and the staff of the Chicago Systemic Initiative. They will work together to produce a school program about genetics that will be suitable for grades 5 to 8. School materials will include a teacher's guide for the exhibit, a program of classroom activities, and materials to be used before and after a trip to the museum to see the exhibit.
This project is composed of a 1,500 square foot permanent, and traveling exhibit, and a schools program focused on problem- solving, targeted primarily for children in grades 5-8. The exhibit includes a variety of classroom-tested puzzles, interactive computer programs, and hands-on challenge problems. These will enable participants to try and utilize different problem-solving strategies, and gain experience in spatial relationships, communicating mathematically, and reasoning inductively and deductively. Materials produced include: Solve It! Trunks, a problem-solving program that teachers can use as a single unit or integrate throughout the year; a publication which will enable others to reproduce the exhibits; and a Guide with suggestions about how to use the Problem-Solving Program. Other activities include Student and Family Problem-Solving Programs, and puzzle- based workshops.
DATE:
-
TEAM MEMBERS:
James FrenzaJohn BowditchCynthia Yao
The Sound to Mountains exhibit showcases contemporary and emerging watershed issues which affect the Pacific Northwest region. This exhibit addresses the need to focus awareness on non-point pollution for the general public and among Washington State teachers and school children (K-12). This represents one of the major pollution problems affecting the greater Puget Sound region. A school curriculum and visitation program will be developed, along with a Watershed Wonders kit. The components of the Sound to Mountains exhibit include: a freshwater self-discovery laboratory; a lowland waters replication; a life-like conservation trail; an upland mountain stream habitat; and a carved and painted mural depicting the First People story of salmon.
The Museum of Ophthalmology will develop "Amazing Eyes of the Animal Kingdom", a 1500 to 2000 sq. ft. traveling exhibit that will enable young people (ages 11 - 14) and their families to explore the science of vision of humans and animals. Following an introduction about human eyes (structure and function) visitors will then discover the diversity of eye designs within the animal kingdom and learning how visual systems have adapted in response to their surroundings. Complementary activities will include and interactive gallery guide for those who prefer a facilitated experience; a trunk kit for use in a classroom, community center, or other non-museum locations; and pre- and post-visit materials for teachers. The exhibit content and complementary materials will be developed to complement the Science Framework for Californian Public Schools, other state frameworks and The National Science Education Standards. It is anticipated that the exhibit will be managed by the Association of Science-Technology Centers and will travel to nine museums during a three year period. It will open June, 1998.
The New York Hall of Science will develop an interactive exhibit for the general public "The Chemistry of Life". There will be two editions of the exhibit: one 2,500 sq. ft. version will be installed permanently in the New York Hall of Science and another 1500 sq. ft. version will travel nationally. Focusing on the common chemical processes behind all life on earth, the exhibit will help visitors learn four basic chemistry concepts: 1) a shared chemistry underlies all forms of life, 2) the chemistry of energy transformation takes place in all living things, 3) chemical energy is converted to mechanical energy to animate life, and 4) the chemistry of reproduction provides for the continuity of life. The chemistry of the human body will be used whenever possible as an entry point to the concepts. Exhibits will include a hands-on staffed visitor chemistry lab, interactive activities, stimulations, models, demonstrations, and video clips. Complementary materials and workshops will be developed for families, school groups, and teachers. These materials are being developed with the curricular needs of the New York State Systemic Initiative and New York City Urban Systemic Initiative in mind. Teacher and student materials will be keyed to the curriculum guidelines. The long-term exhibit is scheduled to open late in 1998 and the traveling version will be available in spring 1999.
The New England Aquarium (NEAq) will develop a traveling exhibit and associated programs to focus on parallel scientific and environmental issues facing Lake Victoria (East Africa) and North American fisheries. The NEAq is working in partnership with the national Museums of Kenya (NMK). This project results from NSF supported research on Lake Victoria biodiversity crises and a workshop that involved 70 scientists, policymakers, and resource managers. A 5,000 sq. ft. exhibit "Lake Victoria: Mukasa's Tear" will be developed that will present both the Lake Victoria and North American fisheries issues in six modules including: Biodiversity Then and Now; Changing Life Styles; Lake Victoria Timelines; Fisheries Technology; Global Markets; and Towards the Future. Complementary educational programs will include on-site interpretation, special programs for K-12 classes, teacher workshops and curriculum materials, special events. The exhibit will open at NEAq in 1998 and will begin its national tour in 1999. A second version of the exhibit (which will be funded separately), will be shown in Kenya.
The California Museum of Science and Industry (CMSI) will develop a new exhibit "Body in Balance: Developing Integrative Life Science Exhibits." This will be a 3000 sq. ft. component in the new 17,500 sq. ft. World of Life Exhibit Hall when the CMSI opens its new facility in 1997 and becomes the California Science Center. The World of Life is organized around several key science concepts which emphasize the commonalties among living things and their life processes. One of the major ideas to be communicated in this area is homeostasis as it applies to human beings. Homeostasis has been chosen because it is the unifying theme of system physiology. The exhibit will include seventeen exhibits (with a total of sixty- seven interactive elements) as well as a "The Body in Balance" theater presentations and bilingual (English/Spanish) exhibition books. This integrative view of body functions is consistent with recommendations from Benchmarks for Science Literacy and the Science Framework for California Public Schools Grades K-12. A broad menu of complementary formal education materials will be developed.
The Children's Museum proposes to develop two versions of an interative physical.science exhibit dealing with wave mechanics and the related actions of vibrating and oscillation systems. One version will be a permanent exhibit that is to be a central component in the new science area of the museum, while the other will be a traveling exhibit that will tour the country under the auspices of the Association of Science.Technology Centers. The purpose of the exhibit is to heighten the interest of children in scientific experimentation, with learning taking place at three levels including sensory.motor, perceptual.operational and intutitive.conceptual. Materials for teachers will supplement the exhibit, and an internship program will train largely minority middle.school students in basic concepts and then use them as "explainers" for the general public. The request to the National Science Foundation represents 73% of the total cost of the exhibits, with the remainder coming from institutional and other sources.
The Computer Museum proposes to initiate a Computer Exhibits Kits Program whose goal will be to foster a better understanding of computer science and technology among the general public. The program proposes to develop and disseminate nine different kits, each consisting of a computer program, documentation, educational materials and, in some cases, specialized hardware. Other museums and science centers will be able to purchase these well tested kits at modest cost and implement them on personal computers to create exhibits for visitors ten years old and older. Strong support from other institutions suggests that the program will reach twenty million visitors a year.
The Lawrence Hall of Science proposes to develop a major public education program, including a traveling exhibition, two planetarium programs, a play, and a kit for schools entitled "Columbus' Great Experiment." Emphasizing science and technology, Columbus' first voyage is portrayed as an experiment aimed at testing the hypothesis (based on doubtful evidence) that sailing to the west was a more practical way of reaching the Indies than by sailing east around the Horn of Africa. As with many scientific experiments, the results were quite different from what the experimenter had in mind: instead of finding a sea route to the Indies, Columbus vastly expanded knowledge about our planet and spurred developments in science and technology. These events occurred within a social and cultural context that were critical to the development of modern science, and resulted in far-reaching changes in the population and ecology of the world which continue today. The National Endowment for the Humanities has recently awarded a grant for the development of the exhibits. The present proposal requests that NSF join with NEH to complete and expand the project, by funding: a) components of three additional copies of the exhibition to be constructed by other museums, thus expanding the public audience to 19 million visitors; b) two participatory planetarium programs; c) a play about the scientific aspects of Columbus' voyage; and d) school kits that will enable teachers to present the most important ideas embodied in the exhibition to students who are unable to view the exhibition at a science center. Interest in these programs will peak around Columbus Day, 1992, we anticipate that the materials will be sufficiently interesting, informative, and entertaining to be used for many years to come.
To provide the general public with an understanding of the basic principles that underlie the transmission, storage, and retrieval of information, the Fleet Center proposes to build SIGNALS, a 4,500 square foot exhibition. SIGNALS will be divided into three sections, of approximately 15 interactive exhibits each, which explore the physical principles of wave motion, the properties of electromagnetic pulses useful for communications, and the signal processing that enables us to handle information. An Advisory Committee comprised of highly qualified individuals at the leading edge of their fields will support development of SIGNALS; a very experienced team of exhibit developers will fabricate the exhibition. SIGNALS will become a permanent exhibition in an expanded Fleet Center, where it is expected to attract 1 million visitors a year, including at least 100,000 K-12 students. Since the lack of technological understanding is a national problem, we propose to build a 3,000 square foot traveling version of SIGNALS, contingent upon an NSF review of the completed permanent exhibition. The total cost for both exhibitions is $1,983,480. We are requesting $985,900 from NSF: $692,800 for the permanent exhibition and $293,100 for the traveling exhibition. The project will begin in June, 1992, and be completed by June, 1996.
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History in Texas will develop a 4,000 square-foot traveling science exhibit on FORENSICS: The Science of Criminal Investigation for circulation to eight major U.S. Cities through the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative (SMEC). FORENSICS will examine the scientific methods and technologies used in today's crime labs. Core science areas are: DNA profiling; Fingerprinting; Firearms Identification; Evidence Collection; Composites; Forensic Anthropology; Forensic Entomology; Forensic Geology; Odontology; Pathology; Serology; toxicology; Trace Evidence. The development of FORENSICS will draw from the expertise of a distinguished panel of forensic scientists, law enforcement officers, and science educators. FORENSICS will foster science process skills, problem-solving, and deductive reasoning by challenging visitors to solve a crime mystery. A Teacher's Resource Guide to the exhibit will promote indepth classroom investigations of forensics for middle grade (5-9) science lessons. The exhibit will open in Fort Worth in May of 1993, and then tour nationally to eight major U.S. cities, serving over 2.5 million American citizens during its SMEC travel itinerary.