Today I did a test run on Kitchen Archeology program. Folks really seemed to enjoy it. I had thirteen adults, but only one kid and most of the guests that stopped by were 20/30 something males, so I know this is not usual guest profile. Guests where hesitant at first, but when I told them there was not really a “right” answer to their interpretation of the culture based on these objects they really seemed to get into it. I got some great observations. 1) They knew how to make plastic.( Several items are plastic)
2) They understood simple machines. (juicer and can opener are versions of lever).
3) They cooked complicated food (the egg separator).
4) they knew how to complex metal work (Can opener)
5) Yellow was a culturally important color (Two items were yellow)
6) They had wide trade networks and access to many resources – plastics metal, citrus fruit)
7) They spent time creating useless items (Oreo dunker)
8) They made ceramics and understood whimsy. (the egg separator)
9) They kept livestock (the egg separator)
10) They worshiped Chickens (egg separator is shaped like a chicken) This was My personal favorite)
Only one person commented that they objects must haven been excavated from a kitchen. It was one of the women. I think that really may say something about our society.
I was wearing my wings while guarding something broken in the teeth. I convinced a young visitor that I was the tooth fairy. I told her not to tell anyone
I had dad ask if adults could go in the 2nd level tunnels in the wood. I told him I had been up there and it was doable, but not easy. He was there with a whole group of kids who were all running around except for the youngers who was afraid of the tunnel. We kept chatting while he was trying to talk his daughter through the open net tunnel. He kept telling her it was easy. I jokingly said it was harder than it looked and challenged him to give it a try . He was a tall guy built like an athlete, but he went up through the tunnels with his toddler. He also stayed up at the top of the slide and helped several other little kids “find” the top of the slide and be comfortable coming down. He eventually came down the slide and I told him he was a great sport. He said he had 5 daughters so he had to do stuff like that all the time. That whole family was fun to interact with, the sort of folks that make our day.
Attendance at the stage show was pretty good today. I did the Lycopodium Demo to good effect. Later, a kid called out to me as I was walking through the museum, “Hi there science man! I saw the fireball!”
I asked if he remembered what made it happen; he thought for a moment then said, “Heat and air and that dust?” I told him he was right., then turned to his mom and said, “Well, I’ve taught somebody something today. My work here is done.”
CMC Memories 
Today I did a test run on Kitchen Archeology program. Folks really seemed to enjoy it. I had thirteen adults, but only one kid and most of the guests that stopped by were 20/30 something males, so I know this is not usual guest profile. Guests where hesitant at first, but when I told them there was not really a “right” answer to their interpretation of the culture based on these objects they really seemed to get into it. I got some great observations. 1) They knew how to make plastic.( Several items are plastic)
2) They understood simple machines. (juicer and can opener are versions of lever).
3) They cooked complicated food (the egg separator).
4) they knew how to complex metal work (Can opener)
5) Yellow was a culturally important color (Two items were yellow)
6) They had wide trade networks and access to many resources – plastics metal, citrus fruit)
7) They spent time creating useless items (Oreo dunker)
8) They made ceramics and understood whimsy. (the egg separator)
9) They kept livestock (the egg separator)
10) They worshiped Chickens (egg separator is shaped like a chicken) This was My personal favorite)
Only one person commented that they objects must haven been excavated from a kitchen. It was one of the women. I think that really may say something about our society.
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I was wearing my wings while guarding something broken in the teeth. I convinced a young visitor that I was the tooth fairy. I told her not to tell anyone
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I ran Plant a Forest for the first time with a group of 4 kids and they loved it. They loved picking trees and reasoning where they lived.
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I had dad ask if adults could go in the 2nd level tunnels in the wood. I told him I had been up there and it was doable, but not easy. He was there with a whole group of kids who were all running around except for the youngers who was afraid of the tunnel. We kept chatting while he was trying to talk his daughter through the open net tunnel. He kept telling her it was easy. I jokingly said it was harder than it looked and challenged him to give it a try . He was a tall guy built like an athlete, but he went up through the tunnels with his toddler. He also stayed up at the top of the slide and helped several other little kids “find” the top of the slide and be comfortable coming down. He eventually came down the slide and I told him he was a great sport. He said he had 5 daughters so he had to do stuff like that all the time. That whole family was fun to interact with, the sort of folks that make our day.
LikeLike
Attendance at the stage show was pretty good today. I did the Lycopodium Demo to good effect. Later, a kid called out to me as I was walking through the museum, “Hi there science man! I saw the fireball!”
I asked if he remembered what made it happen; he thought for a moment then said, “Heat and air and that dust?” I told him he was right., then turned to his mom and said, “Well, I’ve taught somebody something today. My work here is done.”
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