Archive Index ... Column Index
By: Selena Littrell
This weekend is the last chance for visitors to investigate the inner workings of the human body through hands-on explorations in Explorit's exhibition "Body Basics: Taking Better Care."
Breathe in, breathe out, and explore the process of respiration at Explorit's lung exhibit. Visitors are encouraged to inflate the lungs of a sheep with a hand pump to observe and feel how lungs take in air.
The air we take in affects the way our lungs function. We need clean air to maintain clean lungs. At Explorit, visitors can discover what happens to lungs when they are exposed to polluted air. Explorit has cross-sections of lungs from healthy individuals and lungs from smokers to compare. See the difference: the healthy lung is a clean off-white while the smoker's lung is black with tar and smoke deposits.
What's wrong with black lungs? The black in damaged lungs indicates a bigger problem--decreased air exchange. Our lungs are made of sacs--thousands of them--called alveoli, through which oxygen enters the blood. These alveoli create the sponge-like surface of our lungs and, more importantly, the surface area. Did you realize that our lungs have 20 times more surface area than our skin?
When pollutants are trapped in the alveoli, air can not pass through, and we can't breathe as efficiently. Clean lungs mean easy breathing.
Explorit will be closed April 22-26 for the installation of the exhibition "Your Home and the Science Inside It."
Explorit Science Center is located at 3141 5th Street, Davis and is open Saturdays 11:00-4:30, Sundays 1:00-4:30, and Tuesdays-Fridays 2:00-4:30. Admission is $3.00 per person ages 4 and up: members, teachers and children under 4 are free.
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On Monday, April 22 Conservation Fair enthusiasts have an opportunity to experiment with solar energy at Explorit's hands-on-conservation booth. Learn how different types of light affect solar panels. Manipulate filters, try fluorescent bulbs, increase the wattage and see what happens. Become an expert on energy alternatives.
The yearly Conservation Fair will be held in front of the Capitol building in Sacramento; Explorit's booth will be available from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
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Junior Girl Scouts will discover the Earth's "Movers and Shakers" on April 27 when they gather at Explorit to earn their Geology badge. Through a series of hands-on activities, enrolled Scouts will discover the forces behind earthquakes and volcanoes, the processes by which rocks are made, and how landforms are shaped and reshaped.
Explorit needs the assistance of volunteers for this program from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon. If you are interested and available, please call Explorit at 756-0191.
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Spring is here and our minds have begun to wander outside. Now is the perfect time for FLYING KITES!
Come fly with Explorit: on Sunday, April 28 Explorit will host a workshop for you to build a unique kite of your own. Bring your own kite in-progress or use materials provided by Explorit. From 1-4 p.m. Explorit staff will provide hints, help and explanations.
Designers may enter their completed masterpieces in the WindWorks Kitemaking Competition by submitting them to the Davis Art Center by May 10, 5:00 p.m. Kites will be judged in two categories: technical merit and artistic merit. Entry is free and participants may collaborate. All entries will be displayed on May 18, during the WindWorks Kite Festival at the Davis Art Center.
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The Summer Vacation Class schedule is out. Explorit classes are created for discovery and adventure with age appropriate activities for preschoolers to children entering 6th grade. Class size is limited, so sign up early. Reserve before May 20 and you will be entered in a drawing to win a free Explorit Birthday Party. A limited number of scholarships are available to families needing assistance.
The Summer Vacation class schedule has been distributed throughout the Davis Joint Unified School District and is posted on Explorit's Internet Web Site at http://www.explorit.org/ The schedule is printable and best viewed with Netscape Navigator 1.1N or higher or Internet Explorer 2.0, and can be read with Mosaic 1.0.3. For more information, to request a schedule or to reserve with VISA/Mastercard by phone, call 756-0191.