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By: Selena Littrell
Quench your thirst for science at Explorit Science Center's "Summer Science Sampler" exhibition, which opens Saturday. This new exhibition presents a variety of the public's favorite hands-on science adventures including the human body, problem solving and sand.
The topic stations were originally developed for permanent use in Explorit's traveling program Science In Your World. Science In Your World is an evening of hands-on discovery for families, presented to an entire school.
Since over 12,000 people participate in Science In Your World during the school year, the "Summer Science Sampler" exhibition is an opportunity for staff to refurbish some of the Science In Your World stations.
During this exhibition, investigate the fascinating world of sand. Discover the intricacies and beautiful compositions that make up everyday or unusual sands.
Where is sand found? Beyond the beach and everywhere there's erosion: deserts, canyons, ocean floors--even under your garden! Explorit's sand collection has an extensive selection of sand from all over the world. Use the wall map to identify origins.
Investigate samples with a microscope and discover what's special about sand.
One sand sample, from State Reserve, Utah, is vibrant pink. Can you guess what once-living organism became this sand? Coral!
Discover how the composition, including grain size, shape and type of rock, mineral or shell of sand collected from one area is different from that of another. Sand composition can even be different in two samples collected from the same area.
Without labels, two of Explorit's samples, collected at one beach in Sarasota, Florida, appear unrelated. One sample collected at the water's edge is almost completly composed of small, whole shells. The other sample was collected at the top of the beach and contains small, indiscernible granules of shell as well as many additional elements including silica, coral and other minerals.
You can take active part in building Explorit's sand collection. When you vacation this summer (or any time), bring back sand samples for Explorit. Let staff know where and when you collected it, being as specific as possible. Give the name of the area, county, state and country in which it is found. If you take pictures of the spot, Explorit would love copies of those as well.
Explorit recently received a grant from Sigma Xi to underwrite custodial costs of the sand collection. Explorit is using the money to identify, prepare, catalogue and label samples. Accessioning the new sand samples takes skill and a lot of time.
Explorit Science Center is located at 3141 5th Street in East
Davis. Public hours are Saturday 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.-4:30
p.m. and Tuesday-Friday 2-4:30 p.m. Regular admission is $3. Members,
teachers and children under 4 are always free.
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Many people have already heard about Explorit's "Buy August" campaign, a special appeal to help Explorit weather the summertime blues. When schools close for the summer, Explorit program reservations reduce in number, resulting in a significant decrease in cash flow.
This summer, businesses and individuals are being asked to make contributions to this special fund drive. Businesses are being asked to match each other's donations, and members of Explorit's Board of Trustees have agreed to match individual contributions made for this cause.
The support of corporations like Unocal Corporation, are especially helpful to Explorit. Thank you to the several individuals and businesses who have already been generous in their support.
Of course, Explorit welcomes addtional donations to meet the "Buy August" campaign goals. Your contribution may be 100% tax deductable. Please send checks to Explorit Science Center, "Buy August," P.O. Box 1288, Davis, CA 95617-1288.