Swimming with Sharks

She really is very friendly.

So it has been over a month since my last blog entry. You may have heard that if a shark stops swimming it may die? Well I have felt kind of like that lately, not the dying part, but the not being able to slow down part. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining at all. It’s the hectic excitement/controlled chaos of the museum world that makes the job fun. So the last month and a half have been fairly busy around here. If you follow me on Twitter (ExhibitsMan) you may have heard about some of it. If you are not one of my massive following of 28 people then let me fill you in.

Clay helping to setup Crime Lab Detective for maintenance. Better be careful because our warehouse is full of dangerous things.

On December 27^th, 2010, Crime Lab Detective finished its run at the Hjemkomst Center in Minnesota and made its way home to Little Rock for a quick inspection and update before leaving again on January 29^th for ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum in Erie, PA from February 14^th until May 8^th.

Football also returned to Little Rock this month after a yearlong run at Rocky Mount Children’s Museum in North Carolina. Parts of it will be on display at MOD in the coming weeks while it undergoes maintenance before heading out in May to the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio. Also during the month of January, Science & Art moved from the Art and Science Center of Southeast Arkansas to Mid-America Science Museum. I also just returned from Texarkana where I was getting Mystery of the Mayan Medallion all set to head out to Grey Roots Museum in Owen’s Sound, Canada, but I think that maybe material for another blog entry in the  future.

And just a few days ago on February 8^th, Predators was moved back into the Museum of Discovery, where it will be on display through March. While on display it will also be updated and revamped as a smaller exhibit; but do not worry, the Great White Shark and Raptor will still be starring.

Remember it is not the one you see its the other two raptors you didn't even know were there.

Those are just a few of the big events going on within my traveling exhibit world. There is always day-to-day craziness to keep things interesting. Luckily, on occasion, I have the company of Dr. NoGood when I travel, such as the other day to Mid-America Science Museum to check in on our Science & Art and Arkansas Rocks! exhibits. (You can read Dr. NoGood’s recent blog entry about this adventure,  “No hot weather in Hot Springs, but plenty of cool exhibits!” and see some pictures as well.

All this has been going on against the backdrop of great change at the Museum of Discovery. The old Tech Park has begun to be demolished making way for the new grand entry. Even with all this going on I was somehow able to edit and star in my first film. If you missed it you can find it here on our YouTube channel! You will laugh, you will cry and you will mainly think we have too much time on our hands. But this is not true! I was up way into the night putting that together at home.

The beginning of a new year is always a little hectic but this year promises some amazing things. Stay tuned by following me on Twitter, or right here on my Arkansas Discovery Network blog page or check out where our exhibits are at discoverytravelingexhibits.org. I may even be developing a few more film projects.

Football & E=mc2

In the south it is more than just a game.  Some call it a religion; some call it a lifestyle; and some just enjoy it and call it fun.  Today, we will just call it football.

Click the image to see videos!

In the spirit of the College Football Bowl Season, it got me thinking about how much science there is in the game.  This past fall, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded a 10 part video series on the “Science of NFL Football.”

The Museum of Discovery's Football exhibit teaches the science of football.

Created by NBC Learn, this 10-part video series explores how science relates to football.  It was such a hit that Lessonpoly created lesson plans for teachers (specifically grades 5-9) to use in the classroom in conjunction with videos.

The series uses the game of football as a means of understanding complicated scientific concepts such as

• The Pythagorean Theorem
• Torque & Center of Mass
• Newton’s Law’s of Motion
• Geometric Shapes: Spheres, Ellipses & Spirals
• Prolate Spheroids (the three dimensional shape of a football)
• Kinematics – Position, Velocity & Acceleration
• Vectors
• Nutrition, Hydration and Health
• Projective Motion & Parabolas

Examining football in this way allows students, and teachers, will be able to see how science enables players to perform game fundamentals such as throwing a spiraled pass, blocking an opponent and even scoring at touchdown (yes, there is some science behind that too!).  While some say football is a game of inches and minutes, football is mostly applied physics.

At Football, you can test and compare your running speed.

The next time your child, student, or significant other is consumed by the spirit of football, take heart!  They are merely opening themselves to the wonder of science.  Encourage the football-lovers in your life to show you how the “angle of pursuit” can be calculated using the Pythagorean Theorem.  Enjoy the game as a family; analyze the game as a family by examining the concepts listed above.  It will give you a new look at the game and make it more fun and educational too!

Meredith Poland is the Director of Development for the Museum of Discovery, Little Rock, Arkansas.  She is also the Immediate Past President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Arkansas Chapter.

You can keep up with Meredith’s world outside of the Museum on Facebook and Twitter:

The Museum of Discovery’s Football exhibit is being refurbished and will open again in May at the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio.