Fun with Air!

5 02 2010

Today I came to the Museum as a junior intern and learned about air at Air Fair.  I saw that air could move many different objects and is everywhere around us even if we don’t realize it.

Here I am sending messages through air mail, which happens because moving air creates a pushing force and sends the balls through the tubes.

These are the messages I sent, and me receiving them.

Later I tried on headphones that showed me how different ears can hear different things. Bigger ears, like those that elephants have, can hear more. This happens because the sound waves that travel through air and bounce off of shapes of our ear. Bigger ears have more to bounce off of so they can hear more.

Then before I left I tried the pnuematic launch.  In my video you can see how the bowling ball pushes the air from its big tube into a smaller connected tube that holds a tennis ball. When I let go of the rope that holds the bowling ball, the bowling ball drops and forces air from the big tube into the little one, and the speed of the air changes. Watch and see how different air speeds launch the ball!

Remember that air is all around you, even if you can’t see it. I took some more pictures so you could see more experiments with air and what I did today. Just click here to see them. Have a good day!


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Air Fair arrives!

2 02 2010

Over the weekend our new exhibit Air Fair opened.  Installing an exhibit is like building anything else, it takes time and precision. Last week we took some pictures of the process so you could know what happens behind the scenes when we are changing exhibits.  Check it out!

Have you ever photographed a process? You could take pictures every few days of a flower plant until it blooms, or the sunrise or sunset, or even something you’re making yourself. If you want to see more of the process, go here.


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Categories : 5 years & under, 5 years & up, Cool stuff at ACM

Our Favorites

29 01 2010

Today we asked our Gallery Educator, Elizabeth, what her favorite part of the museum was. Watch and see what she says!

What is your favorite part or activity in the museum?


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What can wind do?

27 01 2010

Did you know that wind is very important?  Wind can shape landforms like mountains through erosion.  It can make new plants by blowing their seeds to new places or helping to pollinate existing plants. Birds decide their course because wind can help push them in a certain direction. Sometimes wind can help airplanes and kites in the same way. Wind can also cause bad weather like hurricanes or tornados.

New wind turbine.

Nowadays, we use wind turbines to create energy.  These turbines look like giant, skinny windmills, and are all over the world. When the wind blows, air moves the blades and they begin to turn. When this happens, it starts a generator in the turbine which creates energy. This new energy can power anything electricity can, but it is better for the environment because it does not cause pollution by putting bad things in the air.

To see how wind works for yourself, you can make this pinwheel at home.  Like the wind turbines that create energy for us, this pinwheel also works by catching the wind under its blades to spin.

Supplies:

Construction paper
Ruler
Scissors
Pencil
Push pin
Unsharpened pencil with eraser
Dime
Markers or crayons
Glue stick
Hole punch

Instructions:

1. Measure and cut a 4 1/2″ square out of your paper. Decorate the paper with markers or crayons.

2. Place the dime in the middle of the square and trace around it.

3. Cut from each corner towards the center, stopping at the dime’s outline. You should have 4 sections.

4. With your hole punch, punch the top right corner of each section and the center of the dime’s outline.

5. Use the glue stick and put glue around the center hole. Then bring one of the corners to the center and line up the holes. Press down and make them stick together. Continue to put glue on each corner that you place down, this way they can all stick together. Also make sure the holes are always lined up.

6. Carefully take your push pin and put its needle through the holes. Push the needle end through the pencil eraser. Now you have a pinwheel! Go outside and test it out if it’s windy. If not, try blowing on it or putting it in a room that has a fan or air vent.  

Other than moving our pinwheels,  shaping the land, making plants, helping animals and providing new energy for us, wind can also be fun! Starting Saturday, the Museum’s new exhibit Air Fair will show us the power of wind and more exciting things it can do. To learn more about wind energy, visit Energy Kids.


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Categories : 5 years & under, 5 years & up, Craft, Learn

The Cybersquad is leaving ACM

22 01 2010

This is the Cybersquad’s last week at the Museum.  In their Cyberchase exhibit we solved problems and had fun with math.

We made music by making patterns.

We learned about new things in Motherboard's control center.

As a farewell to Cyberchase and the squad, why don’t we show them some of our math skills?

Supplies:

Real or play coins
50 pennies
20 mickels
15 dimes
6 quarters
Paper and pencil

Instructions:

1. Use the coins to make combinations equal to 50 cents.
2. Keep track of your combinations on the paper.

How many different ways can you make 50 cents? What is the least amount of coins it takes?

For more fun ways to use math, check out Cyberchase’s website and their fun math problems.


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Cooking with Math

21 01 2010

On Monday, our friends at C-Day Camp made trail mix by using math, and you can too!

To make this trail mix, you must count. Counting correctly is very important to math but it is also very important when making food. 

For this counting recipe you will need your favorite trail mix ingredients. At the Museum we like to use:

1 bag of popped popcorn
1 bag of pretzels
1 bag of animal crackers
2 cartons of whole grain Goldfish
1 bag of  M&Ms or raisins or mini marshmallows

Here is everyone waiting to count out their trail mix ingredients.

When making these at home, you could also use dried fruit, nuts, or granola.  You can also use just one cup of each ingredient if it’s only for you and your family so you don’t make too much. If not, invite friends over and you can all count together.

After you set out your ingredients, count each one into a bag to make your trail mix.  This is how I  like to make mine:

9 pieces of popcorn
8 pretzels
7 animal crackers
12 Goldfish
6 M&Ms

Each time you make a bag of the trail mix you can count to new numbers.  Tell us what you like in your trail mix. Don’t forget to keep count!

Here are our friends after they counted out their trail mix ingredients.


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Rainy Day Fun

15 01 2010
Just because it’s raining outside doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.  A rainy day is perfect for making crafts, reading or playing games.

Today at the Museum everyone made the most of the rain by playing in Tinker’s Workshop, exploring, or going to Storytime.

Everyone listened and watched as Paul read "The Mixed-Up Chameleon" by Eric Carle.

Later, someone else made a card with paper cutouts in the workshop.

What do you do on rainy day?


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Categories : 5 years & under, 5 years & up, Cool stuff at ACM, Craft, Read, Things to do at home

New Year, New Moon Phase

15 01 2010

Just like we start the calendar over every year, the Moon starts a new orbit every month.  Today the Moon will start its new moon phase.

The new moon phase happens when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun. Because the sun is not lighting our side of the Moon, we can barely see the Moon.  But don’t worry, in only two weeks you will be able to see the entire Moon!

I think the Moon is great, but there are lots of cool things in space.  Tell us what your favorite part of the universe is.


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The Most Beautiful Spot in the Whole Universe

18 12 2009

The American Museum of Natural History has produced this short film, “The Known Universe”, that starts on Earth, zooms all the way out to the afterglow of the Big Bang, and back again. I think our tiny blue planet is the prettiest place in all the known universe. But I could be slightly biased.

And with that, we at the Austin Children’s Museum wish you a very Happy Holidays and a fantastic New Year. See you in 2010!


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Young Astronomy Photographers of 2009

16 12 2009

The Telegraph has released the winners of their Young Astronomy Photographers awards for 2009. These photos, taken by youth ages 11-15, are amazing! It makes me want to go out and photograph the night sky. See all the winners here.


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Mathematical Holiday Decorations

11 12 2009

These decorations are so easy to make! They make great holiday flare for Hanukkah or Christmas. All you need is colored paper, a ruler, scissors, and a stapler.

First, cut some colored paper into 1 inch strips. You will need 7 strips of paper. Then use a ruler to measure and cut the strips. You should end up with:

- two 12 inch strips

- two 10 inch strips

- two 8 inch strips

- one 6 inch strip

Stack the strips of paper in this order: 12-inch, 10-inch, 8-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch. It’s a measurement sandwich!

Now, staple one end of the stack. Next, gather the other ends of the strips together and staple them. You can tie a string around the top if you want to hang it up.


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Salt dough tree ornaments

3 12 2009

Sure, you can shop for tree ornaments, but why not bring out your creative side by making ornaments at home? Homemade ornaments add a special touch to any Christmas tree because they were made by you!

These salt-dough ornaments look sweet hanging on any Christmas tree, but be warned, they’re not sweet to eat! Although inedible, making salt-dough ornaments is similar to baking cookies.

What you need:

-2 cups of all-purpose flour

-1 cup of salt

-1 cup of water

-Rolling pin

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

2. Whisk the flour and salt together in a bowl.

3. Add water and stir thoroughly until there are no more traces of flour.

4. Knead the dough on a flat surface until it’s smooth. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Try not to let the dough get too rubbery by kneading it too long.

5. On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it’s about a quarter of an inch thick. (Mine were a little on the fat side, however)

6. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes or carve out your own. Place the shapes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a hole at the top of each ornament big enough for a yard or ribbon to fit through.

7. Bake for 2 hours.

This craft came from Anna Getty’s eco-friendly book I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas. See what other ornaments you can make from things found around your house!


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Let’s build gingerbread houses!

1 12 2009

No hard hats necessary for this type of construction! The Museum is hosting weekly Gingerbread House Workshops starting this Friday, December 4th.

How would you design your house? A one story house or a two story house? Would it have a chimney? How would you decorate it? Would there be a zoo of animal crackers in the backyard? What about a gumdrop garden?

Mmm, the best part of making gingerbread houses is eating them afterward. Yum!

To see more information and the schedule of workshop sessions, click here! You can also check out photos from last year at the Museum’s Flickr stream.


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Thanksgiving Fun Facts!

24 11 2009

 

The first traditional Thanksgiving between the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans occured in 1621. That’s over three centuries ago! But did you know there were other feasts similar to that one too? Previously, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and his group of Spanish colonists landed in Florida where they held a Thanksgiving feast to celebrate their safe arrival. Near El Paso, Spaniard Don Juan de Oñate decided to give his expedition party a rest and throw a Thanksgiving celebration.

Other interesting facts about Thanksgiving are…

…although today’s Thanksgiving meal usually features turkey and pumpkin pie, the pilgrims and Native Americans actually didn’t eat these! Instead of turkey, they ate  lobster, deer meat, and duck. Also there were no ovens to bake any pumpkin pies, though some historians believe pumpkins and squash were present—just not in pie form!

…the pilgrims and natives had different eating habits. While the colonists ate breakfast, dinner, and supper, the Native Americans just ate whenever they were hungry and often had pots cooking throughout the day.

…the reason the holiday is called Thanksgiving is because the colonists wanted to express gratitude for surviving the journey from England to the New Land. Native Americans already had a long history of harvest festivals and ceremonial dances to give thanks for a successful crop.

…Thanksgiving is also a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the colonists and Native Americans. There was a lot of tension when the colonists arrived because the Native Americans were already there living their lives. This was one of the few moments of peaceful interaction between the two groups.

Want to learn more about the history of Thanksgiving? Visit History.com – The First Thanksgiving, which is where I found a lot of these interesting facts.


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Gobble, gobble! Turkey snacks & sweets!

23 11 2009

Disney’s Family Fun web site has this great idea to make your regular lunchtime sandwiches more exciting.  Not only are these turkey-shaped sandwiches fun to make, they’re healthy too! Click on the photo to learn how to make this turkey snack!

Afterward, satisfy your sweet tooth with these turkey sugar cookies!

All you need is a sugar cookie recipe, different colored icing, candy corn, and candy for the eyes. I think mini M&Ms make good turkey eyes. You can also use a small bit of red licorice for the turkey’s waddle. 

For one recipe, check out the Pillsbury web site by clicking on the photo.

These turkey-themed snacks are making me even more excited about Thanksgiving! What are some of your family’s Thanksgiving traditions? What food do you look forward to eating?


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