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  • 1.  Evolution/Natural Selection interactives

    Posted 05-13-2021 12:03 PM

    Hello all,

     

    Me and my team are currently designing a station with a mechanical interactive that conveys natural selection as a mechanism of evolution, for our brand new state-of-the-art paleontology/geology/natural sciences museum that we are currently designing and plan to open in 2023.

     

    I am wondering if anyone could help provide examples or ideas of how to effectively convey evolution by means of natural selection where the guest will take away that evolution and natural selection are not direction-oriented and that these small changes in a population over geologic time adds up to change that can be observed? The goal is to turn this into a mechanical interactive.

     

    All thoughts and ideas welcome!

     

    Thank you so much for your help!

     

    Sincerely,

    Alison Moyer

     

    -- 

    Alison E. Moyer, Ph.D.

    Education Coordinator

    Paleontologist

    Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park

    of Rowan University

     

    Mobile: 215-932-5983

    Website: https://www.rowan.edu/fossils/

     



  • 2.  RE: Evolution/Natural Selection interactives

    Posted 05-14-2021 08:39 AM
    Hi Alison,

    We have a fun digital interactive at NMNH that might be an interesting idea starter for you that traces changes in spininess of Spondylus over populations and brings in variables like environmental conditions and predation. It's digital, but I think you could transition it to a manual one pretty easily. Email me if you'd like the script for it or more info - starrss@si.edu

    Siobhan

    ------------------------------
    Siobhan Starrs
    Exhibition Developer
    National Museum of Natural History - Smithsonian Institution
    Burke DC
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Evolution/Natural Selection interactives

    Posted 05-15-2021 06:21 PM
    Hi Alison,

    In 2006 our small museum created an ecology/environment area where the director wanted to show how diversity affected populations.
    She and I designed and then I fabricated what we called the "crab box." Essentially we had a grid with drawings of crabs with small variations in size and claw size. A series of panels with holes "apparently" randomly distributed could then be overlaid to show the results of different environmental impacts (change in predator, introduction of a disease...) to show a change in the crab population due to the change. The panels are moved by sliding handles and can be added individually or stacked. The box is very popular with children (I had to repair and modify it a few times early in its life due to extensive usage). If it sounds of interest I would be happy to send a picture and discuss its design and construction.

    Rich Paselk

    ------------------------------
    Richard A. Paselk,
    Curator Emeritus, HSU Natural History Museum
    Curator and Webmaster,
    Robert A. Paselk Scientific Instrument Museum
    Humboldt State University
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Evolution/Natural Selection interactives

    Posted 05-18-2021 06:52 PM

    Rich,

     

    Thank you for your response to my inquiry on AAM thread board. The crab box sounds very interesting and I would be interested in seeing photos and learning about its design.

     

    Much appreciated.

     

    Best,

    Alison

     

    -- 

    Alison E. Moyer, Ph.D.

    Education Coordinator

    Paleontologist

    Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park

    of Rowan University

     

    Mobile: 215-932-5983

    Website: https://www.rowan.edu/fossils/

     

     




    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Evolution/Natural Selection interactives

    Posted 05-19-2021 06:25 PM
    Hello Alison,
    HHMI Biointeractive produced years ago a film about the evolution of Rock Pocket Mice that I find very effective in conveying the process of natural selection. The film shows very well how it is the selective factor-in this cases predators-that lead to the adaptive phenotypic change in the population by natural selection. I'm not sure how this example could be transferred to an exhibit but maybe it can be helpful as a generator of ideas.
    https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/making-fittest-natural-selection-and-adaptation

    Adriana

    Adriana Aquino-Gerard, PhD
    American Museum of Natural History
    Department of Education
    Central Park West at 79th Street
    New York NY 10024
     
    aaquino@amnh.org



    ------------------------------
    Adriana Aquino
    Scientific Content Specialist
    American Museum of Natural History
    New York NY
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Evolution/Natural Selection interactives

    Posted 05-20-2021 05:04 PM
    Hi Alison,
    We created a donation station interactive for the Natural History Museum in London that explains natural selection in Galapagos Island Finches during a drought season. Visitors deposit coins at the top, and a pachinko mechanism sends the coin down through the pyramid of pins to an array of slots at the bottom representing different Finch species. Only one species slot (Finches with large bodies and beaks) "survives" (coin is returned in a coin return) to pass on their traits. All other coins drop into the cabinet and are donated. And typically, "surviving" coins are reinserted to play again are are ultimately donated. There's also a bill slot at the bottom for straight up donations. Images attached. Sorry I don't have better photos. This is all we were sent.

    A simple, satisfying way to donate with a natural selection message.

    ------------------------------
    Kelly Fernandi
    President/Creative Director
    Minotaur Mazes
    Seattle WA
    ------------------------------

    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    3.Donation in construction.pdf   1.75 MB 1 version
    pdf
    Darwin_donation_box lo-res.pdf   593 KB 1 version
    Original Message


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