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Communication is a challenge for all of the senses
This interactive exhibit examines the concept of communication in its broadest form, and it actually challenges visitors to communicate with each other. The main focus of the exhibit is animal communication in its many modes, which include humans. The exhibit also features activities revolving around the technology of communication.
Multi-sensory participatory activities help to stimulate your thinking about the ways that the sending, receiving, and interpreting of messages intersects with our lives. Learn how our sense of smell is incredibly important, yet we have a very poor vocabulary to describe it. See if you can identify different commercially available scents, and learn about the use of scents by many retailers to send a message about what they sell.
To learn about the ways filmmakers use music to convey the emotional message in their films, select a scene from a movie and use various soundtracks to see their effect.
Explore some of the complexities and similarities of human language by listening to how the English or French sound in different parts of the world. You can also listen to eight different languages and see if you can determine which one isn't related to the others.
Finally, learn about communication challenges when you and a friend try to build the same pattern out of colored blocks using only verbal instructions.
| Format | Exhibit |
| Grades | K – Adult |
| Location | Blue Wing, Lower Level — Museum of Science, Boston |
| Website | n/a |
Support Provided By:
Messages
+ View Detailed Standard Connections
Primary Connections:
MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)
- Technology/Engineering > Communication Technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
Secondary Connections:
ITEA Standards For Technological Literacy (2000)
(National)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: 9 – 12)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: K – 2)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Abilities for a Technological World > Use and maintain technological products and systems (Grade: 3 – 5)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: 9 – 12)
MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)
- Technology/Engineering > Communication Technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
- Technology/Engineering > Communication Technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
- Technology/Engineering > Communication Technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
- Technology/Engineering > Communication Technologies (Grade: 9 – 10)
NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (2000)
(National)
- Algebra > Understand patterns, relations, and functions (Grade: K – 2)
- Algebra > Represent and analyze mathematical situations and structures using algebraic symbols (Grade: K – 2)
References:
National Science Education Standards (1996)
(National)
- Life Science > Behavior of organisms (Grade: 9 – 12)
- Life Science > Regulation and behavior (Grade: 5 – 8)
- History and Nature of Science > Historical perspectives (Grade: 9 – 12)
- Science as Inquiry > Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry (Grade: K – 4)
MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)
- Technology/Engineering > Communication Technologies (Grade: 9 – 10)
ITEA Standards For Technological Literacy (2000)
(National)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: 9 – 12)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: 3 – 5)
- The Designed World > Information and communication technologies (Grade: K – 2)
– View Concise Standard Connections
Primary Connections:
MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)
- Technology/Engineering > 3.4 Communication Technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
Identify and explain how symbols and icons (e.g., international symbols and graphics) are used to communicate a message.
Secondary Connections:
ITEA Standards For Technological Literacy (2000)
(National)
- The Designed World > 17.P Information and communication technologies (Grade: 9 – 12)
There are many ways to communicate information, such as graphic and electronic means. - The Designed World > 17.J Information and communication technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
The design of a message is influenced by such factors as intended audience, medium, purpose, and the nature of the message. - The Designed World > 17.H Information and communication technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
Information and communication systems allow information to be transferred from human to human, human to machine, and machine to human. - The Designed World > 17.C Information and communication technologies (Grade: K – 2)
People use symbols when they communicate by technology. - The Designed World > 17.K Information and communication technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
The use of symbols, measurements, and drawings promotes a clear communication by providing a common language to express ideas. - The Designed World > 17.G Information and communication technologies (Grade: 3 – 5)
Letters, characters, icons, and signs are symbols that represent ideas, quantities, elements, and operations. - Abilities for a Technological World > 12.G Use and maintain technological products and systems (Grade: 3 – 5)
Use common symbols, such as numbers and words, to communicate key ideas. - The Designed World > 17.N Information and communication technologies (Grade: 9 – 12)
Information and communication systems can be used to inform, persuade, entertain, control, manage, and educate.
MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)
- Technology/Engineering > 3.0 Communication Technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
Broad Concept: Ideas can be communicated though engineering drawings, written reports, and pictures. - Technology/Engineering > 3.1 Communication Technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
Identify and explain the components of a communication system, i.e., source, encoder, transmitter, receiver, decoder, storage, retrieval, and destination. - Technology/Engineering > 3.3 Communication Technologies (Grade: 6 – 8)
Identify and compare communication technologies and systems, i.e., audio, visual, printed, and mass communication. - Technology/Engineering > 6.0 Communication Technologies (Grade: 9 – 10)
Broad Concept: The application of technical processes to exchange information includes symbols, measurements, icons, and graphic images.
NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (2000)
(National)
- Algebra > 1.2 Understand patterns, relations, and functions (Grade: K – 2)
recognize, describe, and extend patterns such as sequences of sounds and shapes or simple numeric patterns and translate from one representation to another - Algebra > 2.2 Represent and analyze mathematical situations and structures using algebraic symbols (Grade: K – 2)
use concrete, pictorial, and verbal representations to develop an understanding of invented and conventional symbolic notations
References:
National Science Education Standards (1996)
(National)
- Life Science > Behavior of organisms (Grade: 9 – 12)
Multicellular animals have nervous systems that generate behavior. Nervous systems are formed from specialized cells that conduct signals rapidly through the long cell extensions that make up nerves. The nerve cells communicate with each other by secreting specific excitatory and inhibitory molecules. In sense organs, specialized cells detect light, sound, and specific chemicals and enable animals to monitor what is going on in the world around them. - Life Science > Regulation and behavior (Grade: 5 – 8)
Behavior is one kind of response an organism can make to an internal or environmental stimulus. A behavioral response requires coordination and communication at many levels, including cells, organ systems, and whole organisms. Behavioral response is a set of actions determined in part by heredity and in part from experience. - History and Nature of Science > Historical perspectives (Grade: 9 – 12)
Occasionally, there are advances in science and technology that have important and long-lasting effects on science and society. Examples of such advances include the following: Copernican revolution, Newtonian mechanics, Relativity, Geologic time scale, Plate tectonics, Atomic theory, Nuclear physics, Biological evolution, Germ theory, Industrial revolution, Molecular biology, Information and communication, Quantum theory, Galactic universe, Medical and health technology. - Science as Inquiry > Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry (Grade: K – 4)
Communicate investigations and explanations.
MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)
- Technology/Engineering > 6.2 Communication Technologies (Grade: 9 – 10)
Explain how information travels through different media, e.g., electrical wire, optical fiber, air, space.
ITEA Standards For Technological Literacy (2000)
(National)
- The Designed World > 17.Q Information and communication technologies (Grade: 9 – 12)
Technological knowledge and processes are communicated using symbols, measurement, conventions, icons, graphic images, and languages that incorporate a variety of visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli. - The Designed World > 17.F Information and communication technologies (Grade: 3 – 5)
Communication technology is the transfer of messages among people and/or machines over distances through the use of technology. - The Designed World > 17.B Information and communication technologies (Grade: K – 2)
Technology enables people to communicate by sending and receiving information over a distance.
