What makes the leaves change? Each tree has its own special pigment but as plants reside in their dormant stage during the spring and summer the colors are muted by the green that is produced by chlorophyll. As Fall approaches, the leaves can show their true colors in a beautiful display of reds,
Meet DJ the Chuckwalla
Here is one of my favorite education ambassadors at the museum! This is DJ. He is a common chuckwalla, one of our education animal ambassadors here at the Cook Museum of Natural Science. His job is to help guests learn about lizards! He participates in classes, Live Animal
All About Air
Take a deep breath and let it out. Did you see anything go in and out of your nose and mouth? No? But you definitely felt it! So, what is in the air we breathe, and why can’t we see it? Our planet consists of almost 100 different elements. Everything that makes up
How You Can Help Coral Reefs
The Benefits of Hiking
It’s that time of year again - everyone is getting outside for the summer! Getting enough exercise can seem tedious, but what if I told you there was an activity you could do that would not only improve your physical health but also your mental and emotional well being as well? Intrigued? What if I
Common Snapping Turtle Fun Facts
Look what we saw while hiking last month! A few weeks ago, the Education Team at the Cook Museum went for a hike at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in Decatur, AL. During this walk, we noticed several species of wildlife, including a water snake, great white egrets, blue herons and wild roses.
Observations on Balance
Physics is one of the neatest topics in the physical sciences. It lets us discover truths about the world around us. By allowing children to play and explore they might just find out some of these truths on their own. Your child might just uncover the concept of center of gravity and balance while
Kitchen Chemistry
At school, students are often intimidated by chemistry topics and labs. Introduce your children to chemistry concepts in your own kitchen, and when they get to class, they will know exactly what is going on… they’ve cooked it up already! Here are three rich opportunities to explore chemistry in your
5 Ways to Get Kids Writing
Kids have immense imaginations, and writing allows them to develop and share their ideas. As they get older, expository writing skills contribute to academic success, and email communication is part of nearly every career. On the recreational side, writing can serve as a creative outlet in
5 Fast Facts About Turtles
Did you know there are 57 species of freshwater and terrestrial turtles found in the United States, which is approximately 18% of the world’s turtle species? Many are located right here in the southeast! Here are five fast facts to appreciate turtles: 1) Turtles live all around the world on
