This program is one of two stories to model how scientific data can be used to build explanations of events. It is the true story of the spill of a container of Nike shoes into the Pacific Ocean. The program sets up the story of the shoe spill and encourages initial predictions. Next, the concept of wind-driven ocean currents is explored. Using the wind-driven ocean currents dataset on the SOS, visitors then refine their predictions. Finally, the actual locations where the shoes were found is revealed.
The second story is The Mystery of the Penguin Feather, a fictional, but not impossible, story of a penguin feather found by a beach clean up crew in San Francisco.
There are individual docent-led programs for each of the stories with demonstrations, as well as a school workshop version that includes both stories with hands-on activities. Each docent-led program is accompanied by a physical demonstration that, together with the SOS presentation, forms a 20 minute facilitator-led presentation. These presentations are docent-friendly and position the docent as storyteller and faciliator as visitors try to work out the mysteries, rather than as experts on ocean currents. Each docent presentation includes an introductory video setting up the mystery that is narrated. The school workshop version tell both stories and the demonstrations become hands-on activities conducted at several stations around SOS. A corresponding autorun movie that includes both stories is also available.
Science On a Sphere
