PLANARIA POP-UP: MOBILE REGENERATIVE MEDICINE EDUCATION FOR KIDS & FAMILIES

Explore the exciting world of self-healing flat worms called planaria in a project teaching kids in grades K-12 principles of
Regenerative Medicine at four rural Minnesota County Fairs. This 2019 science outreach initiative is sponsored by the following partners:

Coming in May 2021 from Minnesota Children's Press:
Hang On To Your Lily Pad!
A regenerative medicine classic storybook, preferred by regenerative organisms everywhere. See sample pages below.

What'S A Planaria Pop-up?

A Planaria Pop-up is a mobile public laboratory that travels to rural Minnesota county fairs to provide free, fun science education on a new specialized field of biology known as regenerative medicine. It's a field that is foundational to a new 21st century medical economy to discover methods of natural healing, and Minnesota scientists are leading its development.

At the Pop-up Lab, people see and learn about animals that naturally heal themselves – regenerate – when cut apart. They are flat worms called planaria. See one below! Its head has been cut from the planarian body and is swimming by itself. In two weeks, the head will regrow its body. And the body will grow a new head! Watch!

seeING small

Planaria are tiny. Typically, each one is about the size of a child's eye lash. But at the Pop-up Lab, people can see them with the help of a museum-grade video microscope. It magnifies the animals 50 x and displays the image on a 32-inch screen.

This makes microscopic viewing a social experience – without fussy focusing – in which dozens of people can watch magnified planaria images together, to comment, question and wonder aloud at planaria's unusual biology.

Video above shows planaria feeding on egg yolk. A planarian feeds through a mouth on its underside, and a muscular tube that draws in food. Though it looks as if they have eyes, these spots are actually light-sensing orders, not proper eyes.

Thinking big

Planaria Pop-up Labs are designed to expose children, grades k-12 and their families to advanced science learning in an informal, hands-on social setting that encourages fun and discovery.

As you explore this web site you'll find a standards-aligned science curriculum and a planaria life-cycle coloring page.

Explore the Planaria curriculum

SEEING FLAT

How & Why we do it

Check out our "Scientific Method" page to learn more about our Process, Method, and Results. If you like charts and graphs, this page is for you.

EXPLORE the Scientific Method

About Minnesota Children's Press

Minnnesota Children's Press is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, tax-exempt charity based in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Our mission is to mentor entrepreneurial writing and illustration to help rural children ages 5-15 years, illustrate, publish and sell their books, newspapers, websites and other print and digital publishing to fund civic betterment projects.

Through local sense-of-place storycraft and youth publishing, we seek to enrich and expand the sense of shared purpose and inclusive Commons in every rural community.

We also prepare rural children for success in 21st century communication technologies and skills by helping them create career-relevant portfolios by the time they enter high school.

In the coronavirus age, all careers will require mastery of remote working skills. We agree with leading thinkers and economists – read Professor Robert Reich's BerkleyBlog – who believe the Pandemic will reshape the future of work into four job categories: the remotes, the essentials, the upaid and the forgotten.

Minnesota Children's Press kids will excel in the first two categories. Join us in our mission to help them!

Childhood: It's better with blue skies, bumper bubbles and books – books written and illustrated by kids with Minnesota Children's Press mentors!