DCI Insider Spring 2020 Issue

SPRING 2020 ISSUE

HIGHLIGHTS: Black Innovators in STEM Science with Style Gala STEM Resources for Online Learning King Tut - Treasures of the Tomb

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR Greetings from the Discovery Center of Idaho!

I sincerely hope this letter finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. While this is a challenging time for everyone, the Discovery Center remains committed to our members, staff, volunteers and our community as a whole. And, although we are temporarily closed, our mission to inspire lifelong interest and learning in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) has never been more important.

We are proud to contribute to the efforts to keep our community safe by providing relevant information through our website, email, social media and other channels. We are working with our partners and other science centers to continue to ignite curiosity and fuel a passion for discovery, experimentation, and critical thinking. This newsletter and our website feature great STEM learning resources for you to explore while at home.

The Discovery Center has exciting plans for the future including King Tut – Treasures from the Tomb, a 4,000 square foot exhibition opening soon. You can grab a sneak peek of this exhibition on p. 7. We encourage you to visit dcidaho.org for updates and to learn more about what you can experience when we reopen.

As Idaho’s only hands-on science center, the Discovery Center’s work is more important now than ever. If you agree, please consider a donation. Your support will help keep curiosity open during these uncertain times. And, if you have additional ideas about how we can best serve the community, please let us know!

We look forward to welcoming you back to the Discovery Center soon and appreciate your continued interest and support.

Be Safe and Healthy, Eric Miller

Executive Director

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CELEBRATING BLACK INNOVATORS IN STEM In partnership with the Idaho Black History Museum We cannot aspire to something we've never seen. Children seldom see images of Black scientists and technologists- while Black men and women have made great contributions in science, technology, engineering, and math.

On February 8th, in honor of Black History Month, we partnered with the Idaho Black History Museum to recognize the accomplishments of these men and women.

Awareness empowers an entire new generation of scientists- and every one of us. There are no limits on what we are able to achieve.

©Smithsonian Institution

Lonnie G. Johnson Lonnie Johnson is a former Air Force and NASA engineer who holds 80+ patents. He is the inventor of the beloved Super Soaker water gun - one of the world's bestselling toys.

©Houston Defender Media Group

Dr. Alexa Irene Canady Dr. Alexa Canady was the first African American woman in the United States to become a neurosurgeon.

©IT History Society

Mark E. Dean Co-creator of the IBM personal computer that was released in 1981. He also developed the color PC monitor and the first gigahertz chip

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2020 SCIENCE WITH STYLE GALA - OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL YET! Thank you to our individual donors, corporate supporters, and partners – we couldn’t have done it without your generosity!

On February 28th, more than 250 friends and

Ace auction team Kent Corbitt and Chad

partners of the Discovery Center gathered at

Houck

Chateau des Fleurs for the annual Science

several bidding wars, including hot contests

with Style gala. The King Tut theme was

for the Become a Whiskey Whiz and Out of

reflected in the décor, the food, and the

this World with Barbara Morgan items, which

extravagant costumes of many guests. Belly

both topped $6,000! The Discovery Center of

dancers wove throughout the crowd prior to

Idaho would like to thank all of the individual

the auction, which raised a record $150,000

donors, corporate supporters, and in-kind

to

donors who together raised $150,000 for

support

STEM

Field

Trips

for

Idaho

students, new exhibits, and programming at the Center.

In a surprise appearance, students from the Bananas Robotics Club brought along their robot who delighted guests and delivered a $5,000 check from the Idaho STEM Action Center to match all $200 gifts during the Fund-A-Need portion of the auction.

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kept

the

crowd

engaged

STEM learning at this year’s gala.

during

2020 ANNUAL SCIENCE WITH STYLE GALA SPONSORS

THANK YOU Gala Fund-a-Need Directly Supports STEM Field Trips This fall, the Discovery Center is excited to partner with the Treasure Valley’s two largest school districts to make it possible for over 6,000 6th and 7th grade students to visit the upcoming traveling exhibition:

King Tut: Treasures of the Tomb.

Thanks to our generous donors and support from corporations and foundations, all 7th grade students in the Boise Independent School District and all of West Ada’s 6th graders will have opportunities to visit the exhibit on a school field trip.

The exhibition aligns with Idaho Social Studies and Science curriculum standards, and the Discovery Center’s education department has created a rich educational resource guide for teachers which will ensure that classroom learning leverages what the students experience during their visit.

TEACHER FEATURE In response to attending the Gala, West Ada School District instructor, Lori Gash, was moved by the support West Ada received for its students.

I AM STILL OVERWHELMED BY THE GENEROSITY OF YOUR DONORS! THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE GALA!

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WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS! At the Discovery Center, we currently have 40 volunteers work regular shifts, ranging from retired professionals and educators to college

students

and

teens

completing

service hours. Additional groups from the Arc and Community Connections come in every Monday and Tuesday to help clean exhibits.

Some

of

our

volunteers

have

been

volunteering for many years, including Bill, who has put in over 20 years of

service

totaling 5,060 hours, and Chuck, the former President of the Boise Astronomical Society, who did most of the work designing the Discovery Center’s Solar System Model and has volunteered for 12 years!

the

Discovery

Center

with

visitors

and

answer

questions.

Volunteers assist with demonstrations during field trips, contribute to curriculum planning

Some of the important roles volunteers play at

as our main face on the floor and engage

include

Floor

Education, Exhibit Tech, and general cleaning and maintenance. Volunteers also help at special events like Adult Nights and the annual gala. Floor Education Volunteers serve

for summer camps, and help out in the Young Learners area. All of our volunteers bring such a wealth of knowledge and positivity to the Discovery Center.

Stay tuned for our Volunteer Wall of Fame, going up soon in the front lobby! If you are interested in volunteering, contact Cortney Olson, our rock star Volunteer Coordinator at c.olson@dcidaho.org

MEET CORTNEY OLSON - VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR "This is my first endeavor as a volunteer coordinator but I have years of volunteer experience as a girl scout leader and volunteered as the head of a school-wide read-a-thon for three years. I’ve worked as a volunteer Art Docent in the classroom and was in charge of a school Art Docent program for five years. As a preschool teacher for 14 years in Northern California, I helped start a hands on science classroom for kids. I have degrees in Biology and Early Childhood Education.

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The part of my job I love most is working with such a talented and diverse group of humans. I feel lucky to be part of our volunteers’ weekly routines and getting to know them on a personal level. Every volunteer brings something unique to the Center and it is my pleasure to be there for them to show appreciation and to be their liaison between the staff through training and regular communication."

YOUNG LEARNERS AREA RECEIVES A RENOVATION GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE LAURA MOORE CUNNINGHAM FOUNDATION Designed in a way to give tiny tots and their

at DISCOVER wh you en wh s en happ ts jec ob D 3place id on a flat gr

caregivers a safe and comfortable, age appropriate place to explore, the Young Learners Area is a fantastic place for those under

age

5

to

learn

STEM

concepts

through play. Exhibits are inquiry based and

Smaller version of our immensely popular LIFE-SIZE lite-brite

interactive.

A $20,000 grant from the Laura Moore Cunningham

Foundation

allowed

us

to

install new benches with soft vinyl seats as well as to provide easy-to-clean, durable vinyl building blocks available for children to stack, build and knock over without fear

An IN TERAC TIVE K Pond oi that respon when ds you st ep on it

of hurting themselves. The interactive Koi Pond is a big hit; kids can “wade” through the pond and watch the koi move in real time, as the “water” ripples as it’s stepped on.

The Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation

SCARF BLOWER- insert scarves or soft balls and watch them travel along the tube and come out on the other end!

has consistently supported STEM education at the Discovery Center for many years.

With their support, 5 newly renovated, child-sized

exhibits

and

2

comfortable

benches were added to the Young Learners Area of the Center in 2019. Thank you!

Young Discoverers NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE! Young Discoverers is a STEM literacy program for children ages 2-5. Discovery Center's trained educators develop and facilitate each week's program with fun activities geared toward engaging youth and their caretakers. Visit 'DCI at Home' at dcidaho.org to start watching!

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KING TUT: TREASURES OF THE TOMB COMING SOON!

Discovered in 1922 by Englishman, Howard

impact that sciences such as Archaeology

Carter,

and Anthropology have on our collective

King

Tut

was

entombed

with

thousands of artifacts that give us a glimpse into

Ancient

Egyptian

life.

understanding of world cultures and history.

Superbly

reproduced, this magnificent collection of

These important sub-sciences employ STEM

legendary artifacts curated by the Origins

tools as scientists uncover the secrets of past

Museum Institute preserves the grandeur and

civilizations

mystery of one of the most astonishing

Crafted from the same ancient, traditional

archaeological

ever

designs, the riches in this collection of over

of

100 artifacts are presented as a composite

known

portrait of an ancient individual and the

discovered-

tombs

the

Nebkheperure

tomb

and and

treasures treasures

Tutankhamun,

using

modern

technology.

informally, as King Tut.

civilization in which he lived.

The mission of the Discovery Center of Idaho

The Discovery Center’s Education team is

is to inspire lifelong interest and learning in

proud to be partnering with Boise’s own, Jan

science, technology, engineering and math

Summers Duffy of the OJ Smith Museum of

(STEM). With King Tut, the Discovery Center

Natural History at the College of Idaho to

seeks to connect the community to the

provide an expert voice in the development of our Teacher Resource materials, content and tour development for the exhibition.

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DIGGING DEEPER WITH JAN SUMMERS DUFFY Archaeologist Egyptologist OJ Smith Museum at the College of Idaho

A & Q

Q:

A: Since a girl I loved history and

have been intrigued about the past. I did reports focused on ancient Egypt and gradually knew I wanted to be an archaeologist working in US & Egypt.

[KING TUT] AND HIS TOMB, KV62, CONTINUE TO REVEAL MORE INFORMATION TO THIS DAY!

What inspired you to become an archaeologist?

Q:

very positive project at the Discovery Center because the tomb and all we’ve learned since 1922 is still changing! It encompasses many sciences; students can learn about everything from writing, medicine, human anatomy, DNA, family relationships and political scenarios plus textiles, pottery and art.

What is something surprising we can expect to learn from this exhibition?

think the exhibition will A: Ishow everyone how sophisticated, religious, and intelligent ancient cultures were. The care, selection and craftsmanship found in the tomb contents will be surprising. Besides mummification, never before seen artifacts are revealed. A religious adoration for the afterlife-is all important to the Egyptians.

Why is King Tut a positive addition to a science center that focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math?

A: King Tut and tomb KV62 is a The Discovery Center of Idaho has partnered with local Egyptologist and Archaeologist Jan Summers Duffy to build educational resources. We took the time to ask her some questions regarding the new exhibition.

Q:

Q:

What are some common misconceptions we have of Ancient Egypt?

A: Misconceptions would be that they were a primitive civilization; from burials of the first dynasty we see forms of writing, science & medicine.

HIEROGLYPHICS CAN BE SEEN ON DIFFERENT ARTIFACTS WITHIN THE EXHIBITION, SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE PHOTO (SEE RIGHT). EACH SYMBOL GIVES US A GLIMPSE INTO THE STORY OF KING TUT. 8

MARCH MONDAYS TOOK US INTO SPACE! AFTER-HOURS: Mars Rover Edition & Member Monday and those young at heart to learn more about the space program and Idaho’s piece of the puzzle for powering this inspiring mission. A full size model of the MMRTG (multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator) was on display for attendees.

The following week, we partnered with the Microgravity Research Team at Boise State University for our Member Monday! Member On Monday, March 2, an Idaho National Laboratory (INL) team was at the Discovery Center of Idaho for a special after hours look at how they are helping power the Mars Rover launch taking place in July 2020. The INL team had a replica of the power source and hands-on activities for visitors to learn and immerse themselves in science.

in

powering

some

of

the

members of the Discovery Center, offering behind the scenes and after hours deep dives into a variety of scientific concepts.

Educators led members in a variety of themed, hands-on activities that kept the evening both educational and lively, and Micro-g brought in a module leak repair

Many don’t know that Idaho plays such a key role

Mondays are just one of the benefits for

system, ABSURD, they created! (See below).

biggest

missions beyond this world! INL has long worked with NASA top fuel and test power sources for deep space missions. They are now preparing the next rover launch with the Mars 2020 Mission kicking off this summer.

Harmon Veselka and Jessica Winkler from INL provided demonstrations for children

THIS IS THE AWESOMEST PLACE IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD - 2ND GRADER

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#STEMATHOME WEB-BASED RESOURCES In continued support of our mission to inspire lifelong interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, we are eager to share this list of great online resources, virtual tours and live streaming events from science centers and STEM organizations across the continent.

Idaho Out of School Network

This is an incredible local resource for all out-of-school learners and instructors. Visit the link to view their page of STEM learning resources.

VISIT: https://idahooutofschool.org/stem-3/

Mysteryscience.com

This site is subscription based, but they’re offering free mini lessons for parents to do at home during school shutdowns. This is a fantastic resource that is used regularly by our teachers in the West Ada School District, so you know it’s a quality site VISIT: https://mysteryscience.com

National Geographic Kids

From the infamous gurus on all things on our planet, National Geographic offers a robust platform for just kids!

They have science experiments, challenging brain-teasers, fun games, and interactive lessons on topics ranging from all things animals to our solar system!

VISIT: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com

Discovery Education YouTube

Discovery Education is the global leader in standardsbased digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its kind.

VISIT: https://www.youtube.com/user/DiscoveryEducation

AND MORE!

FULL LIST OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT DCIDAHO.ORG 10