Remember when fart jokes were funny? And you laughed at the double meaning in, “I do do that?” Or loved to watch contestants and celebrities “get slimed” on TV shows?
If these things still make you giggle, take heart.
Kids love gross things, and thinking like a kid can be the first step in creating a teachable moment.
Take slime, for example. It’s a very important ingredient for many animals and provides vital functions such as motion, digestion and defense.
The next time your little one marvels at a slug or snail on the sidewalk, find a way to introduce how slime is scientifically important. For example, some scientists are studying the slime produced by these critters for clues in treating cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, digestive tract and other areas of the body.
Come across some owl “pellets” during your stroller jog through the neighborhood? Avoid wrinkling your noise and take advantage of an opportunity to explain how digestion works differently in different animals.
But if the thought of these hands-on science lessons make you a little queasy, there’s always Animal Grossology.
This special limited engagement exhibition opened this weekend at Discovery Place, with a fresh take on Fluffy, Fido and the rest of the animal kingdom. Featuring sophisticated animatronics and imaginative animated characters adapted from the best-selling Grossology children’s book series by author and science teacher Sylvia Branzei, Animal Grossology introduces solid scientific concepts in ways that make kids giggle.
Through entertaining interactive games, children and adults alike will learn how blood, vomit, pellets and more can be fun, funky and fascinating. Safety tips are dispersed throughout the exhibition, such as what to do if a jellyfish stings you, how to protect your food at the next family picnic and ways to avoid the diseases transferred by ticks and mosquitoes.
We hope you’ll stop by and discover how en-GROSS-ing animals can be!
Animal Grossology is FREE with Museum admission.
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