ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

How about "figuring out how things work"?
Beryl

>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>I had considered eliminating "around us".
>
>Nothing in science is ever "proved"; it is our best approximation at 
>the moment.
>
>And yes the natural world is in distinction to the supernatural world.
>
>The natural world is of nature.
>
>I really think most 7 yo understand "learning" and "understanding". 
>If not then I'd like to hear form early childhood educators a bout 
>more appropriate wording.
>
>I guess a lot of us are still on vacation.
>
>Martin
>
>>
>>
>>Well, while we are wordsmithing--
>>
>>>>A way of understanding and learning about the natural world around us.
>>>>
>>>>Martin
>>
>>Why "natural" world?  What does that mean to a 7 year old? Or to 
>>anyone?  Is it in contrast to the "supernatural" world? Or to the 
>>features of the world that are built by humans?  Are those excluded 
>>from science?
>>
>>And why "around us?"  Does that exclude "within us?"  And if it 
>>doesn't exclude that, then what is the purpose of the phrase?
>>
>>And what is the difference between "understanding" and "learning" 
>>from a 7 year old POV?
>>
>>So, martin's suggestion might be rephrased: "A way of learning 
>>about the world."  Any useful definition has to include the 
>>characteristics that distinguish the object.  Richard Feynman 
>>defined science many times, but one of my favorites is "the belief 
>>in the ignorance of experts."
>>
>>Anyway, maybe this modification would work for 7 year olds:  "A way 
>>of looking at the world in which everything has to be proved"  I 
>>think 7 year olds are familiar with the taunt "Prove it!"  I 
>>realize that this can be misleading, but it gets at the difference 
>>between science and other ways of knowing.
>>
>>A grantwriter friend of mine has this above her desk:
>>
>>There are four basic human needs:
>>
>>Food
>>Shelter
>>Sex
>>and...
>>
>>Editing other people's writing.
>>
>>Eric Siegel
>>New York Hall of Science
>>[log in to unmask]
>>(718) 699-0005 x 317
>>
>>
>>
>>On Apr 17, 2006, at 12:19 PM, Explorit Exhibits wrote:
>>
>>>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>>>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
>>>institutions.
>>>*****************************************************************************
>>>
>>>Martin's definition is almost word-for-word what I was going say.
>>>
>>>Anna
>>>
>>>>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>>>>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
>>>>institutions.
>>>>*****************************************************************************
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>--
>>>-----------------------
>>>Anna Grace
>>>Exhibit Developer
>>>
>>>Explorit Science Center
>>>3141 5th Street
>>>P.O. Box 1288
>>>Davis, CA 95617
>>>530.756.0191
>>>fax 530.756.1227
>>>http://www.explorit.org
>>>
>>>Explorit's expanding!  Read more about the four gallery spaces, 
>>>how the building connects to Explorit's current site and when 
>>>construction will begin at 
>>>http://www.explorit.org/expansion/index.html.  Think it.  Try it. 
>>>Explorit.
>>>
>>>***********************************************************************
>>>More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>>>Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at 
>>>http://www.astc.org.
>>>To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>>>message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>>>[log in to unmask]
>>
>>***********************************************************************
>>More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>>Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at 
>>http://www.astc.org.
>>To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>>message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>--
>Martin Weiss, Ph.D
>Vice President, Science
>New York Hall of Science
>47-01 111 th Street
>Corona, New York 11368
>718 699 0005 x 356
>
>***********************************************************************
>More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
>To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>[log in to unmask]


-- 
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs
MIT Museum
265 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA  02139
Tel: 617-452-2111
Fax: 617-253-8994
[log in to unmask]
"A great place to explore ideas, invention, and innovation: 
http://web.mit.edu/museum"

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]