Exploration is Never Extinct!
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Darwin 2009
darwin2009@duq.edu
John Pollock
pollock@duq.edu
David Lampe lampe@duq.edu
Darwin 2009 in the Press
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| Phipps Conservatory | Carnegie Science Center |
| Children's Museum | Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium |
| Natural History Museum | Duquesne University |
| Carnegie Library |
Veggie Variation
Visit this new exhibit at Phipp’s Conservatory to learn about the concepts of species, variation, domestication, and artificial selection. Students will observe live examples of the Brassicaceae oleracea species and learn how artificial uses variations within a species to produce new domesticated plants. Students can participate in the “Mystery Seed” activity where they can plant a mystery variety of basil plant to take home.
Family Trees
At Phipps Conservatory, The Gallery display “Family Trees,” combines the ideas of Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel, and Reginald Punnett. Planted Punnett squares, plant pyramids, and interactive activities allow patrons and students to learn about basic plant reproduction and genetic variability. Additionally, pre-visit lessons, post-visit lessons, and docent-led classroom lessons have been created to better convey all of these concepts to the students.
Synthetic Darwin Interview
Ever wanted to just ask Darwin what he did or how? Well now, with the aid synthetic interview technology, and a long list of questions compiled from the inquiring public of Pittsburgh, you’ll be able to! The Synthetic Darwin Interview display was created by Duquesne University in partnership with the Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center.
Our Cells, our Selves
D
iscover how the immune system and metabolism evolved side-by-side in this immersive bedtime science story. “Our Cells, Our Selves” is a planetarium show currently playing every day at 4pm at the Carnegie Science Center. Click to learn more >>
Darwin spent a lot of time observing animals on his voyage along the South American coastline. His findings have helped to revolutionize the way scientists classify plants and animals and led to the creation of the taxonomic model, the standard tool we now use to classify organisms. At the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, experience first-hand how Darwin would have classified animals through a hands-on activity and contribute to a large public art piece, “The Tree of Life.” This great learning tool will help everyone understand the concepts of classification, taxonomy, and common descent.
Go back in time and witness the evolution of the horse. In conjunction with “Horse,” a traveling exhibit at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History showcasing the evolution of the horse, you can engage in a docent-led “Discovery Table” activity. Observe the differences between horses and their earlier relatives, and learn about how climate changes led to the evolution of the modern horse through a hands-on activity. Visitors have the opportunity to create a craft that they can take home.
Don’t miss a series of important talks that will focus on providing evidence for evolution. Given by a diverse array of professionals from a variety of fields, these talks begin in January and run throughout the year. Please see Science Talks for more info.
Kids are never too young to start learning about science. The Pittsburgh Children’s Museum will host a variety of fun Darwin-related activities that will help kids learn about Darwin, evolution, and more. Events include a “hopscotch” game where kids can explore life’s continuous process of evolution! And make sure to catch a theatrical production and a sit-down story-time, where a storyteller will tell Darwin’s tale in “Bobby the Rat Catcher.”
Catch up on your reading with the Carnegie Library’s suggested titles on all things related to Darwin, evolution, and more! The featured books span all reading levels.
Don’t miss the production of George Bernard Shaw’s The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles, which will be performed by Duquesne’s own Red Masquers theater company, February 12-14 and 19-21.
Duquesne will host a series of evening lectures that will examine the broad impact of evolutionary thinking on many areas of human thought, including biology, sociology, psychology and theology. Please see the Evening Lectures.
