My original plan for today was to post the last link in the Creativity in the Classroom model, linking Creativity and Intrinsic Motivation. But I decided I’d had enough theoretical posting for right now, so instead I linked all the information on the model to a new “Creativity in the Classroom: Why and How” tab at the top of the page. If you want it, it is just a click away.
For today I’m feeling tied down by the Michigan winter and ready for some exploration, so I decided, instead, to share the wonderful adventures waiting for you at the Exploratorium, a museum of science, art, and perception located in San Francisco. Luckily for those of us who don’t live nearby, the Exploratorium has an amazing website full of places to explore and resources for educators. In fact, the site is so rich, I’m having trouble deciding where to begin, but here are a few options.
You could start in the Exploration area, where you’ll find exhibits from the latest images from the Mars rover (aptly named Curiosity), to a video on traditional Polynesian navigation in the open seas, and information of all kinds on the science of food. The Exploration area has a topical guide to help you, whether you are looking for exhibits on culture, living things, astronomy, or a host of other topics.
Or perhaps you’d like to start in the Education area, full of resources for teachers (and learners!). I especially loved the Science Snacks, instructions for building miniature versions of some of the Exploratorium’s most popular exhibits. Anti-Gravity Mirror, anyone? These could be a great home project, or an even greater service if a group were to build a small collection in an area where there is no science museum for children.Imagine your school or church group building a temporary mini-museum. I’d love to post pictures!
The Exploratorium is so full of delights, it is impossible to do justice to it in one post, so we’ll come back for more soon. Until then, let’s end with the 1-minute video, Mars in a Minute, all about the places curiosity can take us.
creativiteach 