As artificial intelligence becomes more advanced and popular as a tool, it is also becoming more popular in entertainment. From virtual reality headsets to the CogniToys Dino powered by IBM's Watson that can hold conversations, AI is the latest word in children's toys. AI Toy developers are working to create toys that are tailored to children's developmental needs. AI has the potential to help kids through interactive learning, language development, sensory stimulation, emotional interaction, and even as a sleep aid. Because physical exercise is important to children's development, some developers have even added physical components to their games and toys that encourage movement. While AI has created a lot of exciting possibilities for children's toys and entertainment, it is still a relatively new technology, and because of this, there are some potential risks. AI could pose privacy concerns. Data is collected about children's behavior and can be used to target advertising. AI toys should always be used with parental supervision. What do you think of AI in children's toys? What makes you excited or nervous thinking about it?
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Did you know that coral reefs support at least a quarter of marine species? Approximately 500 million people worldwide rely on coral reefs for food and their livelihoods, and the reefs protect coastlines from storms and erosion. The reefs are important, people! These important and delicate ecosystems have been under threat in the last decades from global climate change, unsustainable fishing, land-based pollution and diseases. Scientists are hard at work studying the reefs and learning what we can do to help protect the oceans. One of these scientists is Dr. Drew Harvell.
Dr. Harvell is a marine ecologist who has spent her career researching ocean biodiversity. She specializes in ocean health, studying diseases in marine ecosystems. She has published many scientific articles about infectious diseases in ocean species and what actions can be taken to help prevent outbreaks from ravaging ocean populations. Dr. Harvell has worked as a U.S. Science Envoy in 2023, travelling to connect and collaborate with scientists around the world as they coordinate efforts to save the oceans! Come to this awesome STEM fest and meet a retired astronaut! Duane "Digger" Carey will be here to tell us what it's like to be an astronaut and give advice to students who would like to follow a similar career path. We are so excited to be sponsoring this event!
Volunteers are still needed for this event. In fact, this is the last big opportunity to gain volunteer credit for a camp discount! If you want to participate, follow the Get Involved link at the top of the page! We have some new upcoming events that need volunteers. Come have fun and help us out! You can earn credits toward STAR Camp tuition! One hour of volunteer work equals one percent off of STAR Camp tuition. Hours may also be donated to the STAR Camp Financial Aid Fund. Sign up now!
One of the things we do at the Douglas Space and Science Foundation is simulated missions to the moon. This week, we were highlighted in a video released by Davis School District showing one of our in-classroom field trips! The video, shared on the Davis School District's Facebook page, features curriculum specialist Warren King and a sixth grade class at South Weber Elementary participating in a moon mission. Check it out here. If you're interested in getting more information about our in-classroom field trips, or if you would like to sign your class up for one of them, email us at info@douglassciencecenter.org! Campers participate in a simulated mission to the moon at Odyssey Camp 2022.
Welcome to the brand new, never before seen, Douglas Space and Science Foundation blog! We are so excited to be able to have this new space to interact with all of you! In this blog, you can look forward to seeing updates about what is going on with the Foundation, photos and stories about community events, and anything else that's cool and interesting to us!
We are happy to announce our new monthly member newsletter! Become a donor, and for just $10 a month, you will gain access to exclusive videos, science lessons, and discounts on camps, field trips, and corporate events! Here's a little taste of what you can expect. In the regular newsletter, you should be able to click on the links. Here is where this one leads. Donations make so much of what we do possible. Donors sponsor aspects of field trips and camps, and generally help us in our mission to get kids interested and involved in STEM. It's so easy to become a donor! Just follow the Get Involved link at the top of the page and sign up now!
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