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VIRTUAL SCIENCE CONNECTIONS
This column usually covers exhibitions and activities at natural history museums and science centers in select cities where many of our readers live. However, because so many of these institutions are closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are expanding our listings to include activities at institutions that readers can access digitally no matter where you live. The Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE), a resource center funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and based at the Washington D.C. headquarters of the Association of Science Technology Centers (ASTC), has curated a list of NSF-funded digital learning resources that are informed by research, evaluation, and best practices. This list is provided as a service to communities, and the inclusion of a resource does not necessarily imply endorsement by ASTC or Natural History.
Arizona Science Center Phoenix, AZ (https://www. azscience.org | Facebook | Twitter) and #SariOnScience provide "Science at Home"-fun science activities, from crafts to experiments, that spark curiosity and motivate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning. Materials are easy to find, most activities take an hour or less.
Asheville Museum of Science Asheville, NC (https:// ashevillescience.org | Facebook | Twitter) offers daily, simple STEM-activity sessions.
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Dayton, OH (https:// www.boonshoftmuseum.org/experience-more/digital-pro gramming | Facebook | Twitter) offers virtual programming throughout the day and releases a daily do-it-yourself science activity, with easy-to-get materials, step-by-step instructions, and a basic science explanation for families to download.
Boston Children's Museum Boston, MA (https://boston childrensmuseum.org | Facebook | Twitter) is sharing 100 Ways to Play. The museum's "Beyond the Chalkboard" website has hundreds of free activities.
Brookhaven National Laboratory's Science Learning Center Upton, NY (https://bnl.gov/education/science athome.php | Facebook | Twitter) has compiled activities at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels.
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco, CA (https://www.calacademy.org | Facebook | Twitter) has Academy @ Home, with live webcams that let you "frolic with the penguins, plunge into the Philippine Coral Reef, or marvel at the stormy Farallon Islands." Watch videos highlighting the latest discoveries and scientific breakthroughs; explore Flipside Science, an engaging video series hosted by youth volunteers; and try STEM-friendly activities.
Center of Science and Industry Columbus, OH (https:// cosi.org | Facebook | Twitter) has developed "COSI Connects."...