Family Science

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April is always a lovely month in our rainforest. It’s warm, the birds are singing, the butterflies are beating their wings across the top of the canopy, and the ants are busy cutting up their leaves and tending to their garden. Mind you, our rainforest is like this every month. The weather doesn’t change much in our rainforest. We thought that this would be a great time to give you some fun science observation activities to do with your family in our rainforest. Don’t forget to dress in layers, since you’ll be very warm inside our rainforest sphere.

Learn more about Rainforests
Tropical rainforests usually lie along the equator. Except here at The Academy, our rainforest sphere includes elements from rainforests around the world. As you enter, you are on the Borneo level. After the first ramp, you are on the Madagascar level and as you get to the very top, you are in the Costa Rican level. Finally, when you depart the elevator, you are on the Amazonian level.

Our Scientists Study Rainforest Insects
One of our scientists, Brian Fisher, studies ants that live in rainforests. Ants are just one amazing insect that live in rainforests, including ours. We also have ties with the islands Sao Tome and Principe, which lie off the west coast of Africa. We’re finding out that the islands have many endemic (unique) insects.

Investigate Insects with Your Family
We have a scavenger hunt that you can do with your children.

四月的來臨是雨林最喜愛的期間。四月一到，天氣會變暖，鳥類會歌唱，蝴蝶也會在我們的活屋頂飛來飛去。螞蟻也會很忙地修剪樹葉。其實，加州科學館的熱帶雨林全年都會有這種事情發生。雨林的天氣平常面對很少變化。加州科學館認為四月期間是一個可以讓大家參加一些科學活動的最好時間。

了解更多關於熱帶雨林
熱帶雨林通常會在赤道附近生長。在加州科學館的熱帶雨林 內你會體驗到各種熱帶雨林的特色。當你進入雨林就會見到婆羅州雨林的特色。之後，在熱帶雨林的第二層就會體驗到馬達加斯加的雨林而頂層就會見識哥斯達黎加雨林的美麗。最後，當你乘坐升降機到雨林的底層就會目暏亞馬遜雨林的奇妙動物。

我們的科學家都研究雨林!
加州科學館的Brian Fisher, 正在研究住在雨林中的特別螞蟻。我們也在聖多美和普林西比和島上研究島上特有的昆蟲類。

和家人一起探討昆蟲類
加州科學館有一個可以讓一家人參加的昆蟲尋寶活動 。

Abril siempre es un mes precioso en nuestra selva. Hace calor, los pájaros cantan, las mariposas están batiendo sus alas en la parte superior de la copa de los arboles, y las hormigas están ocupadas cortando sus hojas y tendiendo a su jardín. Por cierto, nuestra selva es asi cada mes. El tiempo no cambia mucho en nuestra selva. Pensamos que este sería un buen momento para darle unas actividades divertidas de observaciónes cientificas para hacer con su familia en nuestra selva. No se olviden de vestirse en capas, ya que se sentirán caliente dentro de nuestra selva.

Aprenda más sobre las Selvas Tropicales

Las selvas tropicales por lo general se encuentran a lo largo del ecuador. Excepto aquí en la Academia, nuestra selva incluye elementos de selvas tropicales en todo el mundo. Al entrar, estás en el nivel de Borneo. Después de la primera rampa, estás en nivel de Madagascar y al llegar a la cima, estás en el nivel costarricense . Finalmente, cuando sale del ascensor, está en el nivel de la Amazonia.

Nuestros Científicos Estudian Insectos de la Selva Tropical
Uno de nuestros científicos, Brian Fisher , estudia hormigas que viven en selvas. Las hormigas son solamente un insecto increíble que vive en las selvas, incluyendo el nuestro. También tenemos vínculos con la Islas Santo Tomé y Príncipe, que se encuentran en la costa occidental de África. Estamos descubriendo que las islas tienen muchos insectos (únicas) endémicas.

Investiga insectos con su familia
Tenemos una búsqueda de tesoro que puede hacer con sus hijos.

Discover a miniscule world where materials exhibit unexpected, special properties! Gold, for example, exhibits unexpected colors such as red or green when seen at the nano scale! Just to put things into perspective, one meter equals one billion nanometers!

During March 30th-Arpil 7th, the Academy will be celebrating the itsy bitsy, super duper small world of nano. Join the Naturalist Center for an exciting hands-on program each day at 1:00pm and at various times during the week. Build a giant nano puzzle, explore how 3D-imaging helps scientists work on the nanoscale, and do a variety of other activities on your own throughout the Naturalist Center (located on Level 3). Stop by to make a special nano “Naturalist Center Craft” on Sunday, March 31st and April 7th, 12:00pm-4:00pm.

NanoDays is a nation-wide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science and engineering and its potential impact on the future. It engages people of all ages in learning about this emerging field of science, which holds the promise of developing revolutionary materials and technologies. Who knew there was so much to learn about this itsy bitsy world of nanoscience! I know I just did. Get your nanoscience on!

Free Sunday is here! On March 3rd, The Academy is free to everyone! Admission is on a first-come, first served basis, and early arrival is recommended. The museum will be open from 9am-6pm. This would be a perfect time to check out our new exhibit, Human Odyssey.

Have you thought about what your kids will be doing this summer? Why not join the summer fun at The Presidio! Check out the Open House on Saturday, March 2nd, from 9:30am-12:30pm at the Presidio Dance Theatre. Plan for a great summer by visiting Presidio organizations and register your children at the event! Organizations such as La Petite Baleen, Presidio YMCA, SF Recreation and Parks, and more will be waiting to meet you and your children!

San Francisco families with children of all ages are invited to the Summer Resource Fair on Saturday, March 9th from 10am-2pm. Get information about summer classes, teen programs, and camps. The Resource Summer Fair will take place at Everett Middle School located on 450 Church Street.

But wait, there’s more! As most of you may know, The Exploratorium is making its move to Pier 15, April 17th. They will be on the road, Sunday, March 10th from 11am-10pm at three different locations for On the Move: An Exploratorium Roadshow. Times vary in location. Visit them at Embarcadero across from Pier 15 in partnership with Sunday Streets, in the Bayview at Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre, and in the Mission at Buena Vista School. There will be dissections, food, filmmaking, performances by Los Chiles Verdes,and much more! Enjoy!

Ever wonder where our ancestors lived and what they looked like? Now you have the opportunity to interact with them as well! Come check out the new Human Odyssey exhibit, in African Hall, located on the first floor.

At the new Human Odyssey exhibit, you’ll be able to learn about when and where the first human predecessors walked the Earth in an upright fashion. In addition, see how fossil skulls can tell the story of how a specific individual lived his or her life. Then, witness how Academy researchers and engineers have recreated what a fleshed out version of the skull might have looked like.

Come visit Lucy, a modern chimp and a close relative of humans, and see how she has been able to help us understand how early locomotion worked for humanoid species.

Also check out an interactive touch screen map, which helps us understand where human migration began and how many years this migration took.

Lets learn more about us!

At the Academy Uncover the history of humans their ancestors:

• Learn more about how scientists use fossil exploration, DNA analysis and modern technology to uncover the history and mystery behind fossils on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 am at the project lab.
• From Monday through Friday at 11:00 am, you can learn more about how we are similar or different compared to our ancestors at the African Hall.

• Also, visit the Naturalist Center to learn more about our human family tree!
  In our Naturalist Nook, you’ll discover the history of the human body. From goosebumps to ear wiggling, check out the direct links to our animal relatives!

  At the program “Specimen Spotlight” (2 pm on Thursdays and Sundays), you’ll unearth the amazing stories behind some of the most famous fossils. Learn what brings researchers to Africa, what they find there, and what it tells us about our origins.

  Cairo to the Cape: Explore photographs from the 1925 expedition that was the first to travel the entire length of Africa as a single journey. Related specimens such as zebra and lion skulls are also featured.

  The Naturalist Center is located on Level 3 across from the Planetarium exit.

On the Web Here are some other great resources to learn more about how we became the modern human!

• Debunk some myths and misconceptions of humans and their ancestors right here.
• The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History helps us understand what it means to be human.

Plants are an important part of our everyday lives. Spend some time taking a closer look at the plants that help us survive by making a field journal of all the plants you encounter. Sketch, take notes, and observe like a plant scientist, known as botanists. Plants provide materials for the places we live in and medicines we might need, but they are also one of the greatest sources of food.

At the Academy:

• Step into the shoes of a botanist by visiting the Naturalist Center on the third floor to inspect plant specimens from the Academy’s collection.
• Visit the Living Roof and observe the densest concentration of native plants in San Francisco with 1.7 million native plants!
• Head to our exhibit, Rainforests of the World, and observe plants that grow in a rainforest environment? How are they similiar or different to those you observed? Is the temperature the same as it was outside on the Living Roof?

At Home:

• Take a field trip to a local farmers market to find seasonal fruits or vegetables and you can thank the plants and the people who help grow them. You might even have the chance to talk to a local farmer about how different produce grows and learn about the farm where it comes from. Visit California Certified Farmers’ Market to find one in your area.
• Not only can seasonal vegetables be used to cook a delicious meal, they can also make great works of art. Use turnips or brussels sprouts as stamps to decorate paper or make your own vegetable dye paints from red and yellow beets.

Knowing more about plants, and specifically how our food is grown, can help us make choices that are more sustainable for the environment and healthier for ourselves. There are great benefits from buying local. Buying local produce reduces the distance food is transported and often the amount of packaging needed by reducing the amount of fossil fuels burned and carbon emissions emitted into our air. Our food didn’t travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to get to you.

In return, not only are you are helping to protect our environment but you also receive the freshest produce, picked just hours before. Local food may also be more nutritious because it is picked at the peak of ripeness. Fruits and vegetables that travel long distances are picked before they are ripe and lose nutrients the longer they are separated from the plant. In addition, many local farmers grow their crops using organic fertilizers (like composted manure) rather than chemical fertilizers. Organic fertilizers release nutrients in the soil gradually over a period of time, allowing plants to absorb them for longer. Enjoy your trip to your Farmers’ Market in your neighborhood, today.

Learn the top ten reasons to shop at a farmers markets near you.