Specialized Science Workshops in Huntington Classrooms
Two specialized science workshops are set to capture the attention of Huntington School District elementary grade level students in March.
Huntington third graders will participate in "Mad Science Machines," a workshop designed to introduce basic physical science. "Children investigate mechanics and the role that they play in our everyday lives," according to a workshop profile on the Mad Science website. "Children learn about forces and work, and discover that simple machines make work easier by allowing us to push and pull less strenuously, but over a longer distance." The youngsters will be sent home with a drag racer car model that includes wheels and axles to continued exploring these concepts during non-school hours.
Second graders are set to study the "Science of Toys" in another intriguing workshop.
The youngsters will be interested to the science behind toys through participation in toy-themed centers. The workshop will investigate "both familiar and novel gadgets" and help the students "discover how motors make toys move, and play with tops to learn about potential and kinetic energy," according to the Mad Science website.
The workshop also includes a segment on the "center of gravity," and will balance toys to become more familiar with this concept. "They find out that opposite poles attract each other when experimenting with magnetic toys," according to the Mad Science website. The second graders will be sent home with a Mad Science yo-yo in order to continue their investigation of energy.
Each of the 60 minute workshops will contain:
• Multiple demonstrations and hands-on activities
• Leave behind materials and/or take home projects
• One hour of interactive discovery
• Cross-curriculum resource guide for teachers including a preparation and review materials, extension activities, vocabulary and bibliography.
The workshops were arranged by Maryann Daly, SEARCH program chairperson-teacher. The veteran faculty member is coordinating the sessions throughout the district's four primary school buildings.