Tuesday, August 18, 2015

exploratorium

exploratorium

"The Exploratorium is a museum of science, art, and human perception located in San Francisco, California. We believe that following your curiosity and asking questions can lead to amazing moments of discovery, learning, and awareness and can increase your confidence in your ability to understand how the world works. We also believe that being playful and having fun is an important part of the process for people of all ages.

We create tools and experiences that help you to become an active explorer: hundreds of explore-for-yourself exhibits; a website with over 50,000 pages of content; film screenings; workshops for lifelong learners including day camps for kids and family investigations; evening art and science events for adults—plus much more. We also create professional development programs for educators, and are at the forefront of changing the way science is taught. We share our exhibits and expertise with museums worldwide."
explore

  • Activities
    • Canoe Tour
    • A How-To Guide for Viewing Eclipses
    • People of the Arctic
    • Breaking the Mayan Code: Mayan Math
    • The Mayan Calendar Round: Keeping Time
    • Make Your Own Petroglyph!
  • Videos
  • Websites
    • Ancient Observatories
      • "Chaco Canyon and Chichén Itzá are two of many places in the world where ancient observers studied the sky. The buildings in these two locations reflect cycles that these observers saw in the heavens. The markings people left behind describe the importance of those cycles to ancient life. Use this teacher's guide as a basis for exploring ancient astronomy. We've provided classroom activities and supplemental material about the sun, seasons, ancient cultures, and the ways in which these cultures' relationship to the sun was expressed. Each module includes National Science Education Standards, downloadable versions of each activity, links to background material, media to use in your classroom, and more."
    • Chocolate Facts, History, and Factory Tour: Exploratorium Magazine
      • "This special online-only edition of Exploring takes a closer look at the sweet lure of chocolate. We'll examine the fascinating -- and often misreported -- history of chocolate, follow the chocolate-making process, and take an online visit to a chocolate factory. We'll also look at the science of chocolate, and find out about the latest research into the possible health effects of its consumption. Lastly, we'll explore the somewhat controversial question of why chocolate make us feel so good."
    • Never Lost
      • "Polynesians voyaged over vast expanses of open ocean, settling far-flung islands across the Pacific. They navigated without GPS systems, without maps, compasses, clocks, or sextants, relying on direct observation alone. They found clues all around them—in the rising and setting of the sun, moon, and stars, in the ocean swells, the winds, the currents, and the birds. Over time, knowledge of these wayfinding techniques dwindled and nearly disappeared. But today, traditional Polynesian navigation is experiencing a revival across Polynesia, especially in Hawai'i.  Join us in an exploration of Polynesian navigation, and learn to see the world as the ancient Polynesians saw it. Once you learn to find your way, you can never be truly lost—no matter where you go."
    • Science of Gardening
      • "Like all great endeavors, gardening is both a science and an art. See how plants we tend feed our bodies, our minds, and our senses."
education
  • Tools for Teaching & Learning
    • Websites
    • Educator Learning Commons
      • "This library and information hub supports the educational, professional development, and research needs of Exploratorium Teacher Institute alumni by providing access to a variety of electronic, multimedia, and print-based learning resources and technology."
    • Publications
    • Digital Library
      • "The collections in our digital library include images, educational activities in PDF and HTML formats, QuickTime movies, streaming media, and audio files related to interactive exhibits and scientific phenomena. Educators can search, select, and download digital files for individual, noncommercial educational use."
    • Science Teaching Tips Podcasts
      • "We have nearly 70 science-teaching podcasts. They offer pedagogy tips, science history, hands-on activities, and other ideas for science classrooms."

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