ENGAGING FAMILY GROUPS IN LEARNING ABOUT EVOLUTION USING 3D PRINTED FOSSILS

Next summer, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History will open its redesigned Fossil Hall, which will highlight over 3.8 billion years of life on Earth and the global changes that have influenced and continue to affect evolution. In preparation for that opening, the Office of Education and Outreach is developing hands-on facilitated learning activities for the new exhibit that will allow families to handle fossil evidence and participate in the scientific method to solve evolutionary puzzles. We will present how the activities are making use of 3D digitization technology to make Smithsonian’s rare fossil collections universally accessible, as well as collaborative learning methods aimed to deepen family engagement. The activities are part of a National Science Foundation funded project implemented with partners Twin Cities Public Television (TPT), Schell Games, the Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI), and Rockman et al (REA) that uses a television program, hands-on fossil-based activities, and a virtual reality experience to engage individuals and families in learning about deep time and evolution. Each of these platforms will use stories of the lineages of elephants, crocodiles, birds, and whales as the basis of the learning experiences.