The November-December 2009 issue of our newsletter, The Display Case:

Director's Corner

Dramatic cuts to school budgets are having an impact on school field trips to the Exhibit Museum. Following the "no" vote on the recent Washtenaw County school funding ballot initiative, a number of schools called the Museum to cancel their field trip reservations, citing a lack of funds. Schools outside Washtenaw County are also struggling.
Visits to the Museum spark an interest in science for many children, and support and enhance school curriculum goals. The Exhibit Museum has made it a priority to raise and distribute School Scholarship funds to assist the increasing number of schools in need. We're receiving more requests than ever before. If you’d like to make a donation to help schools take advantage of the wonderful field trip opportunities offered by the Exhibit Museum, please contact Nora Webber at (734) 936-5834 or norawe@umich.edu. You can also make a gift on line through the Museum’s website.
On a cheerier note, we had a spooktacular time at this year’s Family Halloween Party on October 25. Thanks to support from the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor and from Conlin Travel, well over 2600 costumed visitors of all ages trick-or-treated their way through the Museum, enjoying educational hands-on activities and creepy crafts. The Party is also a favorite annual event for our student docent crew (pictured at right), who enjoy decorating the Museum and competing in a docent costume contest.
I hope to see you at the Museum soon!

You can always reach me at (734) 763-4191 or aharris@umich.edu

-- Amy Harris

C2S2: Climate Change Student Summit

Concerned about our warming planet? The Exhibit Museum is a partner in C2S2: Climate Change Student Summit, a program created by ANDRILL (ANtarctic geological DRILLing, a National Science Foundation science research team) and sponsored by funds from NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration).
C2S2 combines an in-depth teacher training program with an exciting opportunity for students in grades 5-8 to participate in a Climate Change Student Summit, where they will share their knowledge and research with students from local schools and from other states, including Arctic schools in Alaska, via videoconference.
Partner museums include the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and museums in Delaware and Anchorage, Alaska.
Teachers of grades 5-8 are invited to attend two professional development workshops based on NOAA’s new "Climate Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts," which correlates basic climate concepts to the National Science Standards and provides a framework for teachers to use in their classrooms. Participating teachers will receive extensive materials, ideas, and curriculum to use in their classrooms.
More information will be available soon, including specific dates and locations for C2S2 workshops in Ann Arbor. To request information, please contact Amy Harris at aharris@umich.edu.

Planetarium Upgrades!

In October, the Planetarium upgraded to Uniview version 1.3, the second major upgrade since the Museum acquired the Uniview digital system in November 2007. The new version features a more stable platform and enhanced visuals. "The stars have more twinkle," says Planetarium manager Matthew Linke. "Sunsets have a better glow." Linke is also excited about Geoscope, a new feature which allows climate and other data to be projected onto the image of the Earth (or Mars and the Moon), similar to the "Science On a Sphere" (SOS) technology developed by by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
The Planetarium’s Christie projector was also upgraded with a Canon WUX3, allowing for 20 percent higher resolution in a much smaller instrument. The new projector sits 22 inches lower, which means that Planetarium-goers sitting in the front row won't have their view blocked by the projector during shows.
The Museum Planetarium moved from analog to digital in 2007 following a $100,000+ fundraising campaign. The Planetarium opened in 1958 with a Spitz A-1 planetarium instrument, and upgraded to Spitz A2-C in 1973 and to Spitz A-4 in 1990.