Alex and I are working on a visitor experience that will happen in the new GIANT atrium space in the New Science Centre. We’ve stopped counting what version of this program we are on, but I think the multiple iterations are worth it.

Yesterday was a very exciting day because we took 6 of the new activities to the Boys and Girls Club to try them out with the 45 kids who are participating in day camp there.  (Sidenote – this organization is inspiring, and they do incredible work)

SPOILER ALERT!

One activity in particular was a huge hit. It was called, “Human Hockey Puck.” We found some plans online that Alex and our shop wizard Bill have edited to make the perfect hovercraft. It’s essentially made out of ½ inch plywood and a leaf blower. So, students got to ride the hovercraft while their friend tried to “shoot” them into the hockey net. One student, Quinn, emphatically exclaimed, “That was the best thing in the entire universe!” We’ve heard best thing in the world, but never the whole universe.

Here’s hoping the final version of the Atrium program is even a quarter as exciting to visitors as it was to Quinn.

Carly

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Here are a few amazing things that happened on our last day at Our Lady of Assumption School:
1. Parents came to check out what their kids had created. This is Darren’s dad, who is playing the game his son created in the afterschool club, and exclaiming, “Oh man, this game is hard! It’s better than the ones I played as a kid!”

2. Kids taught other kids what they did, how they did it, and showed pride in what they created.

3. Student facilitators talking to lots of visitors! Students showed off their new tech skills and projects to parents, CSSD staff members, U of C professors, and the media!

Thanks again OLA! This was a great adventure, and we now have some great programs to run in the NSC.

Carly

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Here is a sample of a cricket device that was invented this morning by one of the grade 7 students:

When the baby cries, the light alerts the mother, and then plays her a song.  We invented all sorts of devices to help either a baby, a plant, a poodle, or a tetra fish.

Carly

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Just set up our room at Our Lady of Assumption.  It looks great and I can’t wait to start the first class.

Check out our new diggs…..they even left a welcome message on the board!

Stacey, Alan, Alex, and myself will be running technology programs with the entire school over the next 2 weeks.  Stay tuned for updates about this adventure.

Carly

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A older photo, but some of our friends from the Operations Team (one soon to join us doing development in the new year!)
This twin thing makes me giggle.

Carly

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I was replying to a friend today, and wrote the following to him:
“The firm who is designing and building the new Children’s museum is here, and we spend all morning coming up with new exhibit ideas. It’s going to be a magical place.
Next week, I go to school and teach kids how to make their own video games, beam IR light to make weird stuff happen, animate themselves grooving to a beat, and create innovative technology solutions to real world problems.”

After I wrote it, I realized it was true. How awesome is this project?

Carly

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In the lab today, Kris was testing ideas for the Earth & Space gallery. Creating your own raincoat and then testing it out was a big hit with teens and adults.
Here is a picture of us trying it before our visitors:

carly

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Our team worked with grade 7/8 students and teachers and Langevin school on their “Imagine, Create” unit, using the New Science Centre Project. After learning about the project from our team, students imagined their own exhibit ideas, followed a few criteria for coming up with their own, and presented them in a powerpoint presentation.
Ideas were inspired by the various exhibit galleries, and included stuff like a black hole machine, a alternative power building and testing car station, a human body puzzle, a constellation game, and skill-building through becoming a DJ.
Here is a sample of us reviewing their exhibit ideas:
Pivot Animation Review
A big thanks to Krista, Katie, Kenneth, and Sandy over at Langevin for wanting to have their students work on relevant (and awesome) projects. This was a fun collaboration.
-carly

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This past weekend, I was at the WASA triathlon with my sisters and friends. Considering you are running and biking for hours, it gives a person some time to reflect. I started to draw some comparisons between triathlons, and the New Science Centre Project that I’d love to share.
1. Loads of support – without the volunteers and sponsorships, both this race and the NSC could not happen.
2. Pros and Amateurs/TWS staff – the race offers a welcome environment to both those who spend their life doing these things, and first-timers. I find this refreshing mix in our staff at TWS.
3. Something for kids, teens, and adults/Visitor Experience – Wasa is pretty special in that they offer a Kids Triahtlon the day before the adult race. In addition, you can choose a “spint” or “olympic” version of the race, you can break it down and do it as a team.  It all depends on what is the best race for you. This is similar to the visitor experience we offer. There is something for these 3 audiences, as well as opportunities to go beyond (take a program).
4. Lots of people working HARD
5. One goal, many paths – Though this is one event, similar to how there is one new facility, every person takes their own path to get there. Even though it’s one race, it’s really 1,000 races with 1,000 faces.

It’s a race to Fall 2011, though, unlike the race, there is no finish line. We may cut a ribbon or have a grand opening, but this will just be the beginning of a place that will continually evolve and grow.
-carly

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