Discovery Science Center plans to develop an exhibition entitled "Shake, Rattle and Roll" which is based on the topic of earthquakes, a highly relevant subject to the Southern California community. The exhibit will be designed to engage the visitor in scientific query and lends itself through inquiry based instruction to accommodate for varied learning styles and gender equity. Strong educational programs for families and school groups will be developed to support the exhibition. Discovery Science Center plans to develop a 1500 square foot exhibition with seven to ten exhibits based on the Unifying Concepts and Processes and Science and Technology Standards as defined by National Science Education Standards (NSES). The exhibition follows the engineering process and presents opportunities for families to engage in innovative problem identification. A comprehensive educational program will provide teachers with workshops on earthquakes so that they gain knowledge and confidence in teaching the subject, provide teachers with resource kits containing a teacher's guide, reproducible materials and manipulatives that they may keep in order to teach their students, provide an interactive demonstration that will be performed by Science Center staff at students' schools and at the Science Center itself, and provide a public service by teaching earthquake preparedness and how to respond during and after an earthquake. A Web page that can be used by the community, teachers, students and other science centers that will be based on earthquakes will be developed. The exhibitions and programs will be fully evaluated by Discovery Science Center. The Science Center will work in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a local advisory committee comprised of scientists, teachers, and experts in the field including the Southern California Earthquake Center and Caltech to develop the programs and exhibition. It is estimated that 325,000 guests will visit Discovery Science Center annually and experience the Earthquake exhibit. The program will also reach the community through outreach programs into schools and the Web site.
