When schools teach science, they often leave out many of the
elements that make it compelling. The Creanimate project is
designed to put the fun that accompanies real scientific inquiry
into an effective educational experience. One element of science
that makes it so exciting is discovering and exploring what was
previously unknown. Scientists think about difficult, unresolved
questions, develop possible explanations, try to make those
explanations fit the data, and revise their explanations. During
this time, they are working with other scientists, listening to
their ideas, trying to convince them of their own theories, or
allowing others to try to change their minds. Creanimate allows
elementary school children to perform these kind of activities
on a level that makes sense to them, and that connects with
their natural fascination with animals. In the course of a
session with the Creanimate program, a pair of students (we have
found that students work well in pairs, interacting with, and
encouraging each ot