Fraternity teaches science to elementry students
Rachel Williams
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: News
While most kids at Leverett Elementary School are nearly a decade away from enrolling in college and choosing a major, UA students are visiting their classes hoping to spark an early interest in the sciences.
Members of Alpha Chi Sigma, a professional chemistry fraternity, have performed science demonstrations for kindergartners, first-graders and third-graders at Leverett Elementary School, and have plans for more in the next few weeks.
"We try to tailor to the curriculum of each grade that we have done the demonstrations for," explained Nathan Green, senior biophysical chemistry major and AXE member, who is responsible for coordinating the activities.
"The first-graders were studying magnetism, so we showed them how the Earth, being a big magnet, makes compass work. We built electromagnets out of a straw, some wire and a battery and created a speaker out of just about everything we could find," Green said.
"Some of the more creative speakers were made from old vinyl records, pie pans and, in one instance, the teacher's highlighter."
Each demonstration concluded with the making of liquid nitrogen ice cream for the students, Green said.
The elementary students were very receptive, he said.
"There were too many questions asked to get to all of them in the hour that we had for the demonstrations. It is apparent that the kids of all grades really enjoy science and are all very interested in learning more," Green said.
"It was very entertaining to hear all of the responses to questions like 'What happens to a liquid when you get it really really cold?' to which all of the kids excitedly shout 'ice cream!'"
Green worked with Principal Cheryl Putnam to set up the demonstrations and said teachers have also been enthusiastic.
"The teachers have all been very helpful and appreciative of our presence," Green said. "With the younger kids, they have so many topics that they hardly have time to stop and spend an hour with more complex demonstrations."
Members of Alpha Chi Sigma, a professional chemistry fraternity, have performed science demonstrations for kindergartners, first-graders and third-graders at Leverett Elementary School, and have plans for more in the next few weeks.
"We try to tailor to the curriculum of each grade that we have done the demonstrations for," explained Nathan Green, senior biophysical chemistry major and AXE member, who is responsible for coordinating the activities.
"The first-graders were studying magnetism, so we showed them how the Earth, being a big magnet, makes compass work. We built electromagnets out of a straw, some wire and a battery and created a speaker out of just about everything we could find," Green said.
"Some of the more creative speakers were made from old vinyl records, pie pans and, in one instance, the teacher's highlighter."
Each demonstration concluded with the making of liquid nitrogen ice cream for the students, Green said.
The elementary students were very receptive, he said.
"There were too many questions asked to get to all of them in the hour that we had for the demonstrations. It is apparent that the kids of all grades really enjoy science and are all very interested in learning more," Green said.
"It was very entertaining to hear all of the responses to questions like 'What happens to a liquid when you get it really really cold?' to which all of the kids excitedly shout 'ice cream!'"
Green worked with Principal Cheryl Putnam to set up the demonstrations and said teachers have also been enthusiastic.
"The teachers have all been very helpful and appreciative of our presence," Green said. "With the younger kids, they have so many topics that they hardly have time to stop and spend an hour with more complex demonstrations."
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