Mermaid Lifecycle Explained
In case you didn't know the mermaid lifecycle, our Cal Academy TechTeens have made a handy infographic that explains it. Seems about right to me. #science
Awesome Youth-produced Video on Volunteering at the Cal Academy
I'm proud to share this video produced by our viz studio intern Sophia Li on volunteering at the California Academy of Sciences. This was the final product Sophia created for the Academy during her nearly year-long internship with us. Such a great picture of volunteering opportunities at the Academy. And that is was created by …
Cal Academy’s “Science Banksy” Creates Awesome Tape Art
Check out this beautiful tape art that has been cropping up around the staff-side of my museum, the California Academy of Sciences. We are beginning a staff-wide, month-long solicitation for "Big Ideas" for the future direction of the Academy. This is by far the most creative response to the call for inspiring ideas. But …
Read “What Counts as Learning” A New Report on Digital Badges by Sheryl Grant
Sheryl Grant, a veteran in the Digital Media and Learning community, has written a concise and very helpful report on open digital badges called "What Counts as Learning." I am personally really interested in digital badges and view them as having a lot of potential for opening up learning pathways for young people, allowing them …
Watch Teen-created Videos on Dog Evolution, Specimen Prep, and Science Collections
Check out the three awesome science videos created by our teen filmmakers this summer at the California Academy of Sciences. They each reflect the hard work of three teams of 3-4 teens working for under two-weeks on a science topic that they selected. Each video was inspired by our latest exhibit at the Academy, "Skulls." …
Retreating with My Youth Programs Team at the Cal Academy
Here's a fun pic of our core team in Youth Programs at the California Academy of Sciences. We've had some big transitions and changes in the past months, but through it all, we've supported each other, created awesome experiences for our young people, and developed some amazing programs. I couldn't ask for a better group …
Get Youth Feedback on Your Museum’s Tech Program at ASTC14!
I'm happy to announce that the Cal Academy will be participating in an exciting session at the 2014 Association of Science and Technology Centers annual conference in Raleigh, North Carolina this October. We are calling it, "Youth-proof Your Program!" How good do you think your digital youth program at your museum or science center is? …
Design Thinking: Flow Chart of a Disney Animated Film Production
One of my favorite finds at the Walt Disney Family Museum yesterday was this flow chart of a Disney animated film, created in 1943 as part of an employee handbook for their Burbank studios. I love how it details the relationships among all the of the hundreds of people involved in a film production, from …
The Walt Disney Family Museum: A Must-visit for Mouseketeers and Animation Fans
Today I finally got a chance to spend some quality time at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. Situated in a stately building that was originally an army barracks in the Presidio, the Disney Family Museum is dedicated to the life and legacy of Walt Disney. As a long-time Disneypark nerd — I’ve …
Stuffed Tardigrades from the Cal Academy Store!
In my department, we just found out that we carry these adorable mini-plushie tardigrades (water bears) in our store. A bunch of us immediately ran down and bought out the sets that were on display, which confused the store clerks. "We've been carrying these for months," one of them explained. Tardigrades are of course much, …