Learning Science in Montana

On Friday my son Patrick and I visited ExplorationWorks in Helena, MT while Catherine was seeking new books for us to match with readers. ExplorationWorks is an interactive science museum, full of fun, hands-on displays for kids and adults alike. The science-buff I am, I enjoy these places immensely. Here are a few photos from our enjoyable afternoon:

You can see more photos here. We got in free because we have a family membership to another accredited science museum. The Association of Science and Technology Centers has a program that extends membership to hundreds of participating museums nationwide. Not a bad deal at all!

Montana is home to a few other science museums other than ExplorationWorks. In Bozeman, there is the Museum of the Rockies, known worldwide for its paleontology collections, while Missoula has spectrUM. Butte will soon have its own later in 2010, called ScienceMine.

Two recent books have been published that look at science education in informal learning environments (museums, zoos, aquaria, gardens, etc.). Having other places to learn and engage with science are a great way to supplement public education. Here are those two books, plus a few resources for teaching kids about evolution:

   












Michael @ Reading in Montana