Fieldwork

Visit to the New York Hall of Science

Exhibit reflections

The Happiness Experiment - Creative Questions

1. Brainstorm Questions:

Why is it important to bring awareness to happiness?

Why dont we teach about happiness more often?

What if children were introduced to activities such as those seen in the happiness experiment more often?

Does happiness increase learning curve?

Happiness can increase students learning in the classroom. Much. like in The Happiness Experiement, you can add elements to your classroom and lesson plans that bring joy and happiness to students. A study published by Harvard School of Education states that "Happiness is positively associated with intrinsic motivation (a personal drive to learn) for all students, and also with extrinsic motivation (outside sources like rewards, praise, or avoiding punishment) for students in grades K–3." and "Happiness is also positively associated with GPA for students in grades 4–12." I think that simple methods like seen at the museum such as adding more color or letting students connect with eachother in fun activities can increase the effectiveness of teaching and create more succesful students.

Would teaching about happiness make children more self reflective?

Can adults benefit from the happiness experiment?

Can colors be used in the classroom to increase happiness?

Connected Worlds- Take Note

What is the most important point of this exhibit?

Connected Worlds seems to emerge observers into a virtual view of multiple habitats in an ecosystem. Viewing ecosystems from this point of view is very rare and can make connections for observers about the environemnt they may have otherwise not realised. The exhibit is designed to encourage a "systems thinking" approach to sustainability where local actions in one habitat may have consequences on the entire ecosytem.

Design Lab- Layers Routine

Narrative: The space is to promote creativity, problem silving, tinkering, testing, as well as using available resources to create.

Aesthetic: These types of exhibits are new at museums to me and I think they are great spaces for kids to learn using their hands and create new things using their imagination. The freedom to do whichever activity you would like and create anything you would like is intriguing and captures the observers full attention.

Mechanical- reusuing, recycling and using everyday objects to create is a important skill for current day scientists, engineers, and artists.

Connections- This directly shows the importance of STEAM in the classroom and emphasing art in all aspects of life. It is important to have an open mind and be able to create tangible things through creative thinking and the use of imagination.

Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Self Guided Design Field Trip: Tropical Researchers

STRI- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Behavioral and sensory ecology- Why animals do the things they do and what senses they use to do them.

Biomimicry- Looking at the natural world for inspiration

Cooper Hewitt Madlib

1. Remote

2. Dog

3. B

Design a remote, inspired by a dog that you can use that helps you Navigate at night without being seen.

Dogs have very good hearing and smelling. Remote can be used to control something from a distance, with multiuple buttons.

Maybe the remote can detect noise like a dog and point in the direction to walk? Maybe the remote can detect smells like a dog and point arrow buttons in the direction to walk? The remote can control a small moving object that detects the smell of destination you need (ex. home, water, food) and travels a route to then send you directions.