Minnesota Museums: Science StoryPacks & Science Buzz Blog
[via Informal Science Educators Network Listserv]
Reading PZ Myers, one gets the inkling that Minnesota is an anathema to science education. But these sites seem to be fighting that impression.
Over at the Minnesota Children’s Museum there is an interesting and economical idea for teaching science.
Science StoryPacks™ are backpacks filled with literature and fun science activities for students Pre–K – 5. They’re a great addition to educational settings: as a science book nook for students, a parent involvement activity, or a small group instruction. Shipping: Pick–up available at Minnesota Children’s Museum for free, or a shipping fee of $10 each way is charged for each kit.
And over at The Science Museum of Minnesota, they have a website called Science Buzz, which is a, “regularly updated community newsletter highlighting current science news, events, and findings.” One contributor has written an entry on the recent Humboldt squid invasion off the coast of California which has generated so much…buzz.
Teachers can browse the Buzz Blog by science standards.
UPDATE: Got in touch with Maija from the Science Museum of Minnesota. Their MathPacks website is www.smm.org/mathpacks. They have also published an article in Teaching Children Mathematics, the NCTM elementary journal:
Measuring Growth on a Museum Field Trip: Dinosaur Bones and Tree Cross Sections
The MathPacks program at the Science Museum of Minnesota provides students with in-depth understanding of real-world applications of mathematics and science. Students measure museum specimens and investigate ratios, patterns, and mapping while simulating the work of scientists.
Tags: Maths