PINT-SIZED EVOLUTION STORIES FOR KIDS
Introducing children to the beautiful thread that connects all life on Earth
WHAT WE DID
Strategy
Custom Mobile  & Web Apps
Video Direction & Production
Fundraising
The Challenge
Evolution can be a tricky subject to explain to a child. But when boiled down to its simplest meaning – living things change over time – evolution seems less perplexing and we can begin to open up a discussion with kids. After all, evolution is a cornerstone of the life sciences, and kids that have a general grasp of the subject are better prepared to learn about life on our planet. Unfortunately there aren’t many resources available for parents to help them expose their children to basic evolutionary concepts. We wanted to help change that.
The Solution
Together with Dr. David Reznick of the University of California, Riverside, we built an iPad app, website and videos that show the story of evolution as told by the guppy fish. Dr. Reznick was one of the first to discover that evolution can occur much faster than suggested by the fossil record, and guppies are one example of this “rapid evolution.” When shown how guppies can change over the course of several generations, evolution seems less confusing and children can begin to understand how living creatures change over time. The Guppy Guppy Evolution app, website and videos are some of the few digital resources available today that are designed to teach evolutionary concepts to young kids.
THE BEAUTIFUL CONNECTEDNESS OF LIFE ON EARTH, TOLD THROUGH THE STORY OF THE HUMBLE GUPPY
THE VIDEOS
Using colorful illustration and playful animations we created two videos that demystify evolution. The first video explains general principles about the evolution of life on Earth, leveraging the power of animation to explain difficult-to-comprehend topics like deep time.
THE VIDEOS
Using colorful illustration and playful animations we created two videos that demystify evolution. The first video explains general principles about the evolution of life on Earth, leveraging the power of animation to explain difficult-to-comprehend topics like deep time.
THE VIDEOS
The second video digs in the theme of ‘rapid evolution,’ showing how we can observe guppies evolve over time periods that are surprisingly short.
The second animated video digs in the theme of ‘rapid evolution,’ showing how we can observe guppies evolve over time periods that are surprisingly short.
THE TABLET APP
A storybook app transports children to the underwater world of a tropical stream. By tapping the screen kids bring the creatures to life and hear what they have to say about their story of evolution. Focus group testing with 5 and 6 year-olds revealed that children demonstrated high engagement with the app and learned new concepts.
THE TABLET APP
A storybook app transports children to the underwater world of a tropical stream. By tapping the screen kids bring the creatures to life and hear what they have to say about their story of evolution. Focus group testing with 5 and 6 year-olds revealed that children demonstrated high engagement with the app and learned new concepts.
THE WEBSITE
The Guppy Guppy Evolution website provides additional information on the science behind the app, giving parents and children a window into how scientists study guppies in their pursuit to expand what we know about evolution.
THE WEBSITE
The Guppy Guppy Evolution website provides additional information on the science behind the app, giving parents and children a window into how scientists study guppies in their pursuit to expand what we know about evolution.
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