sbrand@bbn.com (Stephen Brand) (08/18/89)
If you are interested in helping children discover what science is all about, I'd like to invite you to sign up as a Scientist-By-Mail. Science-By-Mail is an innovative problem solving program that was established by the Boston Museum of Science in 1987. The program brings together children and scientists in a pen pal program that focuses on the solving of 3 science challenge packets a year. The subjects of the packets range from designing methods of waste management in a space station to learning about the physics of ice cream. We are looking for scientists who are interested in providing constructive and supportive feedback to children who are trying to make sense of the world around them. Currently there are over 3000 children and 350 scientists. We s in museums worldwide. Our present US chapters are in Nashville, Richmond (VA), Jersey City, New York City, Charlotte, Boston, Louisville, and Kansas City. We are also looking for scientists in the UK for our chapter in Derry, Northern Ireland. Future chapters include Georgia, Alaska, and New Zealand. If you are interested, send me a note with your (street) address. I will forward an application. Please pass on this note to anyone who might be interested and would enjoy corresponding with children ages 9-14. We also have applications for student participants who can sign up with their friends, family, classmates, or by themselves. Thanks, Stephen Brand Head of Public Outreach Museum of Science Science Park Boston, MA 02114 (800) 729-3300 sbrand@sh.cs.net
rsd@sei.cmu.edu (Richard S D'Ippolito) (08/19/89)
In article <44473@bbn.COM> Stephen Brand writes about an interesting program for children: >If you are interested in helping children discover what science is all about, >I'd like to invite you to sign up as a Scientist-By-Mail. Science-By-Mail is >an innovative problem solving program that was established by the Boston Museum >of Science in 1987. The program brings together children and scientists in a >pen pal program that focuses on the solving of 3 science challenge packets a >year. The subjects of the packets range from designing methods of waste >management in a space station to learning about the physics of ice cream. We >are looking for scientists who are interested in providing constructive and >supportive feedback to children who are trying to make sense of the world >around them. Sounds like a neat idea, and without detracting from it, may I say that the problems you suggest sound more like engineering problems, not scientific experoments? I respectfully suggest that one of the reasons that more children don't become attracted to science is that they are never shown what engineering, the application of scientific knowledge to produce useful products, is, and how much fun it can be, so they don't see the value of learning the requisite science. Perhaps you could make the program more attractive to children and expand your reach of professionals if you were to recognize engineers and engineering in some manner. If you took inventory of your challenge packets and the items in your fine museum, how many are really engineering examples (tools, systems, processes, products, etc.)? Please don't read any of the above as anti-science -- as one who has made a good living applying science, I could hardly fail to recognize its value! Think of it as a gentle suggestion on how to broaden the perspective of your program, and perhaps turn a few more kids on to engineering. Good luck and much success! Rich -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- When arrogance blooms, it bears the fruit of doomed RSD@sei.cmu.edu infatuation, when it reaps a harvest rich in tears. Ghost of Darius, The Persians, by Aeschylus
vaso@mips.COM (Vaso Bovan) (08/19/89)
In article <44473@bbn.COM> sbrand@sh.cs.net (Stephen Brand) writes: > >If you are interested in helping children discover what science is all about, >I'd like to invite you to sign up as a Scientist-By-Mail. >The program brings together children and scientists in a >pen pal program that focuses on the solving of 3 science challenge packets a >year. The subjects of the packets range from designing methods of waste >management in a space station to learning about the physics of ice cream. We >are looking for scientists who are interested in providing constructive and >supportive feedback to children who are trying to make sense of the world >around them. Sounds like you should be recruiting engineers in addition to scientists. Children (and most adults) don't know tthe difference between, or the relationship between, science and engineering.