Last week we hatched our latest batch of ostrich chicks at the California Academy of Sciences for our Earthquake exhibit, and they are mighty cute. There are a dozen of them this time around, which we will keep until about the end of the year. More pics below. And why do we have ostriches in…
Category: Science
Geeking Out with 2,000 Other Science Educators in Columbus
For the next five days, I'll be in Columbus, Ohio for the annual conference of the Association of Science-Technology Centers, or ASTC for short. ASTC gathers nearly 2,000 professionals from science centers and museums from around the world. I'm looking forward to learning about all of the work being done by science centers and…
Cal Academy Digital Learning Team Expands: New Roles & Job Openings!
I realize I haven't updated my blog on the exciting changes to my role and my awesome team at the California Academy of Sciences. The Digital Learning Department at the Academy has been busy launching some awesome pilot projects over the first year of it's existence, from a citizen science scavenger hunt in Mt. Tam,…
Awesome Teens Make Awesome Science Videos that Are Awesome
I'm excited to share here three wonderful "Science in Action" videos created by a group of teens who worked together at the California Academy of Sciences this summer. The 10 high schoolers had just two weeks to learn about the Academy, choose and research a science topic, master camera, sound and video editing techniques,…
Barry Joseph Leaving Global Kids, Leading Digital Learning at American Museum of Natural History
I'm excited to share the news that my friend, mentor and former boss at Global Kids, Mr. Barry Joseph, will be leaving his post after 12 years to take on the position of Associate Director of Digital Learning at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. I could not be happier for him. Barry being…
Watch this Youth-produced Video on Coral Reef Bleaching from the Cal Academy! (video)
I invite you to check out this short science video produced by a group of teenagers during a program that I co-facilitated at the California Academy of Sciences called the "Science in Action Summer Intensive." Entitled "Fading Jewels of the Sea," this is the first of three science videos our team of 10 students produced…
Unlikely BFFs: Pyjama Sharks Meet African Penguins at Cal Academy (video)
Yesterday, the California Academy of Sciences introduced six pyjama sharks into the penguin tank in the African Hall section of the natural history museum. After some quick introductions, they reportedly are co-existing peacefully. As I understand it, both pyjama sharks and African penguins are natural neighbors in their native habitat, off the coast of…
Teaching Teens about Citizen Science, Mobile Game Making, and California Ecology
You may have noticed that the volume of my posting here and elsewhere has been way down for the past couple of weeks. That's because I've been head-down, 100% focused on facilitating a teen summer intensive for the California Academy of Sciences. The summer intensive involved giving a group of 13 middle-school youth a…
Baby Ostrich Chasing its “Mother” Tim at the Cal Academy
Here's your daily adorable-ness. A baby ostrich on its first exercise run outdoors chases Tim Steinmetz, resident ostrich (ratite) expert at the California Academy of Sciences. As their first and main caretaker, Tim functions as a mother figure for the ostriches, who are under the Academy's care for a short spell, as part of…
Newt Crossing! First Visit to Mount Tamalpais
Yesterday, I and a colleague did a quick trip up to Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, California, to scout out the site of a bio-blitz we are organizing for a group of students later in the month. We were fortunate to come across a couple of what we think were rough-skinned newts just hanging out…