Through the outreach program I got a small taste of what it takes to be a teacher, especially for little kids. Each day was different and each group of children had a different energy level. Gaining some form of teaching experience was one of the reasons why I took the course. The exercises designed were varied in their subject matter and the age groups they targeted. To learn about chemical reactions and temperature changes I designed the Hot Pack Exercise. With this exercise students learned about exothermic and endothermic reactions. It involves measuring mass, temperature, volume and recording data. They then make conclusions based off of their own data. This one is more appropriate for 4th and 5th graders. Having fun while learning is also important, which is why I chose to do a Painting Exercise. Students got to make Jackson Pollock color wheels. Students learned about solids and liquids. In particular they learnt about suspensions, which have properties of both liquids and solids. An example is the mixture of corn starch and water. They also got to learn about color wheels, and primary and secondary colors as they mixed different colors of food coloring. This one was created mainly for the younger children, but 5th and 6th graders enjoyed it too. To learn about the effect of chemicals on the environment, students learned about the effects of Acid Rain. Students got to learn how acid rain can affect art works and infrastructure and for fun they got to make volcanoes. They also learnt about how to make the volcanoes erupt faster or slower depending on the concentration of chemicals added to it. I learned that kids love to learn and they do it best when they are having fun. I hope they have fun doing these exercises.

This January I have thoroughly enjoyed having such a unique opportunity to dedicate my time and thoughts to developing science activities for K-8 students in Maine.  As a senior biology major this has been a wonderful way to spend my final January semester at Colby.  My focal concern in designing these activities was to use materials that are simple and readily available in any classroom or home.  I want teachers to be able to conduct these activities without the need for excessive preparation and clean up, while still having exciting results that will be fun and educational for the students.  Additionally, I want students to be able to go home and repeat the activities if they so desire.  The three activities I designed are intended to respond to certain wintertime inquiries young students might not realize can be answered by science.  In my activity “Insulation Race,” students use ice cubes and common household materials to learn how insulation prevents heat from transferring, as well as why we put salt on icy winter roads. My next activity, “Static Electricity,” uses wool socks and plastic rulers to explore static charges that commonly accumulate in the dry winter weather.  My final activity is  “Salty-Sweet Density Treat,” where students use salt, sugar, food coloring, and water to make predictions and create a density column, culminating in the understanding that ice is less dense than liquid water, which is why we can skate across a frozen lake and fish can survive during the winter. My experience presenting these activities to students in 4th-6th grade has been incredibly positive, and I hope these hands-on activities will provide a fun and exciting way for many students to learn about how science is present all around us!