Breaking Down Barriers
Supporting Community Engagement and Effective Science Communication
Summer looks different this year. A number of families will follow health guidelines and choose not to go on vacation or even to a public pool.
May 11, 2020
Activity Kit
Climate Change in Iowa, developed by NCSE Graduate Student Outreach Fellow Joe Jalinsky, encourages communities in Iowa to learn about the processes and consequences of climate change.
May 8, 2020
Activity Kit
Darwinism is a theory of biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin. It states that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual's ability to compete, survive, and reproduce.
May 5, 2020
Activity Kit
The strongest effect of climate change on plants is not going to be the change in the overall amount of precipitation they receive, but rather the increased variation in precipitation from year to year.
April 27, 2020
Activity Kit
Take a closer look at global warming, keystone species, and the nutrient cycle in this interactive activity by NCSE Graduate Student Fellow Laurie Luckritz.
April 8, 2020
Activity Kit
Our 2019 topic—dam renovation—divides players into characters representing six stakeholder groups. The groups review data, discuss priorities, and make the best possible decision about what to do with the town’s century-old dam.
April 7, 2020
Activity Kit
Pollinators on the Move is a two-part experience in which participants explore flower pollination through the eyes and actions of animal pollinators.
April 2, 2020
Activity Kit
What are some of the best ways to clean contaminated rivers and streams? From Dirty to Clean helps participants discover different passive remediation options, such as the use of limestone, plants, and bacteria.
April 2, 2020
Activity Kit
Every Little Thing is a card game about species interactions. It contains 36 sturdy, full color cards that are easy to take with you anywhere and can be used in multiple ways with any number of participants.
March 31, 2020
Article
Due to the spread of coronavirus, millions of parents and guardians are finding themselves having to take on the role of parent and teacher this spring.
March 26, 2020
Article
This activity demonstrates how agriculture affects water systems in the form of runoff. It also illustrates how weather (short-term atmospheric conditions) and climate (long-term atmospheric behavior) affect choices farmers make to manage their crop growth while preventing excess runoff.
March 26, 2020
Activity Kit
In this activity, participants will learn about the evolution of dog domestication, as well as crop domestication, in this hands-on, carnival-themed game. Watch wolves change into dogs before your very eyes! Taste ancient food that predates domestication! Explore our archaeological test pit!
March 26, 2020
Activity Kit
In this fun and illuminating activity, participants learn that the ocean presents a strong selective environment for bioluminescence — a trait that has evolved in the oceans over 40 t
March 19, 2020
Article
Due to the spread of coronavirus, millions of parents and guardians are finding themselves having to take on the role of parent and teacher this spring.
March 13, 2020
Activity Kit
Designed primarily for learners ages eight and older, To Lose A Tooth presents an evolutionary puzzle focused on human teeth. Participants will explore how natural selection, sexual selection, gene flow, and isolation result in genetic diversity.