2024 Fall Sketching Dead Things Report

On October 12th, 2024, the Bean Life Science Museum hosted their first ever drawing night, titled “Sketching Dead Things.” The night began with a brief introduction before the patrons were let loose to wander the Museum and sketch whatever specimens they would like. The educators provided helpful feedback and advice to those who asked for it and everyone had a great time. 

Throughout the event, guests had the opportunity to visit the classroom which had specimens on display from the education collection and a slideshow with simple sketching tips and ideas. The event ended with a gallery walk, where guests had the opportunity to show off what they sketched and to see what others drew as well. Many guests were very excited about the event and said they hope the Bean hosts another soon. 

Audrey Gordon, student educator

2024 Wild Edibles Report

A yellow flower in a landscaping bed. Red and blue berries on a hedge. Acorns fallen from the trees lining the campus sidewalks. These might just look like normal plants, but to participants in last Saturday’s Wild Edibles experienceship, they also look quite tasty! 

Led by foraging expert Tom Smith, our experienceship participants picked, gathered, tasted, cooked, ground, and sampled all kinds of food that you couldn’t find at a regular grocery store. After a brief introduction to the expansive field of foraging, our participants were led on a tour of campus, seeing familiar places through entirely new eyes. They learned what plants could be eaten fresh, what could be cooked into delicious sauces or jellies, and also which plants to avoid at all costs. They even collected their own bags of food to take home.

After the excursion, the team returned to the kitchen to sample some incredible dishes that Tom Smith had prepared. Acorn flour cookies, bread with Oregon grape jam, elderberry muffins, and homemade chocolate were all a huge hit, as well as a beef stew seasoned with juniper. Sage extract bubbled in a steam diffuser, and a casserole made of purslane baked in the oven. New tastes and smells were experienced by all, and participants had an unforgettable morning learning what wonderful things there are to eat all around us.

Photo credit: Ellie Lewis, Daily Universe

Leah, museum educator

2024 Insect Nature Experienceship Report

     On Saturday, September 21, 2024 the Bean Life Science Museum along with insect specialist Dr. Shawn Clark, hosted a hands-on insect catching experience. After a brief introduction of the event, patrons were taken on a tour of the insect collection located in the Bean Museum. Patrons were given the opportunity to see various insects from around the world, and hear facts about each specimen.

    After the tour guests loaded up into vans and the group drove to Lower Hobble Creek to explore the diverse riparian ecosystem. After a quick description of different nets and catching techniques, each participant was given a net and a vial of alcohol to preserve any insects they collected. With the guidance of Dr. Clark patrons quickly learned how to catch and preserve the various species of insects that they caught. Dr. Clark offered those interested the chance to mount their catches or even donate them to the Bean Museum’s collection. This event was a great success, and patrons were left with a greater appreciation for insect diversity and the planet they call home.

Courtney Thomas, educator

Exclusive Bean Museum Stickers!

Our exclusive Fall 2024 Bean Museum sticker is available now at the museum! Ask an educator about the sticker to receive one along with a list of all our events happening this semester. Come back again in a month or two for our Halloween Night sticker, available only at the Bean Museum. Both sticker designs were printed by uprinting.com.

2024 Biology Bootcamp Report

Both sessions of Biology Bootcamp this summer flew by as our campers explored and learned about all the different kinds of organisms found on our planet! 

Monday - Fish/Reptiles/Amphibians

On the first day of camp we kicked things off by learning about the different kinds of fish (bony, cartilaginous, and jawless) in our rivers, lakes, and oceans. Campers designed and built their own fish, then took a mini field trip down to the museum’s wet collections to take a look at the real deal. Afterwards we talked about the different adaptations of especially interesting fish and how their unique traits help them to survive in each of their habitats. After lunch, it was herpetology time! Campers learned how to distinguish between reptiles and amphibians, and solidified their knowledge with a relay race. Then we met a bearded dragon, learned about translucence, made frog skin slime, and then made our very own salamanders out of beads and string.

Tuesday - Birds

Campers started day two of camp by racing around the museum to find all the different kinds of birds we have. They identified characteristics of each and then competed with different “beaks” (tweezers, straws, spoons, clothespins) and “food sources” (m&ms, beads, cotton balls, rice) to see which one was the best fit! The campers made eco-friendly bird feeders out of pinecones, sunflower butter, and birdseed, and then it was time for lunch. After lunch we rode two stops on the bus down to the campus duck pond to observe how the mallard babies, adolescents, and adults interacted with each other. Campers fed the ducks a healthy lunch of oats and peas, then went to the adjacent field to play water balloon Capture the Flag and talk about how birds protect their nests. Once everyone dried off in the sun, we bussed back up to the museum to paint birdhouses to go with our bird feeders!

Wednesday - Mammals

Who would win in a fight? A lion, leopard, gazelle, or zebra? Just ask our biology bootcamp kids, who know that out in the wild it’s survival of the fittest! For our day on mammals, the kids took on the roles of these animals and fought for points by avoiding poachers with water guns, predatory animals, finding food and water, and completing dares. Not only did we create the African Savanna on BYU campus, but we learned about the adaptations and skills of mammals. After lunch, campers searched around the museum for different mammals and then came back to our classroom to camouflage their own. After educators worked against the clock to find them all, we talked about what makes a mammal and our campers designed and combined different mammals to make the ultimate crossbreed!

Thursday - Plants/Insects

We started day four by packing up our hats and sunscreen into our field trip vans and driving up the canyon to Big Springs park! Along the hiking trail campers completed an insect and plant scavenger hunt, including pollinators, lobed leaves, and moss. After our group hike along the trail, we ate lunch and then split up into groups to explore. Campers climbed logs, waded in streams, and found cool wildlife including beetles, snakes, and birds! Then we packed up the vans and headed back to the museum to learn about what we found. In the afternoon we learned about what makes a bug an insect, how plants help support entire ecosystems, and how different insects have different jobs. We enjoyed some strawberries while learning about pollination, then designed our own specialized insects.

Friday - Zoo!

On our last day of camp we packed up the vans again and headed to Hogle Zoo! Campers put all of their biology knowledge together to explore the different exhibits and discuss each animal with their fellow campers. Snacks were eaten, organisms were explained, and most importantly, sunscreen was applied.

Amy Stevenson, Student Educator

2024 Junior Naturalist Report

This year, Junior Naturalist at the Bean Museum taught campers to think like scientists, create collections, and present their research.

Day 1 -

On our first day we covered how to make and record observations. This day also included a visit to the Museum of Paleontology and the Museum of Peoples and Cultures, where we learned how those museums obtain, handle, and present their collections.

Day 2 -

Collection day! Campers were instructed on correct collection practices, then went out into the field to gather specimens! We went to the Provo River Delta and Aspen Grove, and campers collected both plants and insects.

Day 3 -

This day focused on preparing the campers’ collected specimens. We also had tours of the Bean herbarium and insect collection to see how those collections are used.

Day 4 -

On our penultimate day campers continued working on preparing their specimens, and learned key features of plant and insect identification. They were able to identify their collected plants to the species level, and insects to the family level.

Day 5 -

For the final day campers researched specimens in their collection, and created presentations to share their findings. Campers set up their presentation in our Utah’s Diversity exhibit, where family, friends, and museum visitors had an opportunity to learn more about the work the campers had done all week.

 

Sylvia, museum educator

2024 Critter Camp Report

In week one of critter camp, our campers learned about land animals! During their days at the museum, they learned about the habitats animals live in, visited the “ice age” in the museum freezer, and tried eating like animals using tweezer beaks and sucking straws. We also explored how animals use their senses by playing games where we identified mystery scents, or tried to guess animal specimens while blindfolded! We even got to meet some real live land animals, including a tarantula, hissing cockroaches, and a bearded dragon. After our two days in the museum, we took what we learned on the road and went on a field trip! Armed with field notebooks, our campers adventured up Big Springs trail. We had a great time exploring and searching for land animals, and documenting all the cool things we found.

After our adventures learning about land animals, our critter campers dove right into water week! On our first day we focused on the oceans, and explored the museum searching for ocean creatures. We made ocean themed snacks, read books, and then had a chance to get our hands wet by painting with water outside on the concrete. The next day we talked about ponds and rivers, and our brave adventurers took the bus to the BYU duck pond. There we had hands-on experiences with feeding and watching the ducks and turtles, and seeing their cool water adaptations in action. Our last day of water exploration tied everything together with a field trip up the canyon. The campers got to explore and take notes in their field notebooks, explore some watery areas, build nests like ducks, and they even had a water fight!

After exploring the land and the water, there was nowhere left to go but up! During Week 3 of critter camp, our campers learned all about the animals that fly, float, or glide through the air. We learned about the important role that bees play in the environment, and then got to go outside the museum and “pollinate” the flowers with powdered sugar. Our campers designed their own birds, flew paper airplanes, and tried to flap their wings as fast as a buzzing fly. We also learned about how bats echolocate, and practiced some echolocation of our own! After two great days of learning about air animals at the museum, we took our new skills on the road to visit the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake! Our campers had face to face encounters with some pretty incredible birds, and we even had birds fly right over our heads during the bird show. Air week was a soaring success!

Leah, museum educator