Publication Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2003
A lunchtime experiment
A lunchtime experiment
(December 17, 2003) Addison parent's group sets up interactive noon science program
by Nisha Ramachandran
It's lunchtime at Addison Elementary School and as students pour out of their classrooms, their pent-up energy is obvious.
In one corner of the playground, there are several heated tetherball games. On the field, there is a game of tag that is turning into a running contest. By a tree, a group of girls stand in a circle, arms folded, whispering to each other. It looks like a scene at any elementary school -- except for the lesson on angular momentum being held on the far west side of the playground.
Last fall, Addison's parent-teacher association launched "noon science," a lunchtime program for students. Its goal? To make science fun and interactive for students.
"We have the opportunity to do science in an eye-candy sort of way," said Lois Garland, head of the program. To this end, parent volunteers design and run hands-on experiments centered around a new topic each week. So far, the group has presented programs on optical illusions, human traits and genetics, and energy.
A program takes anywhere from a week to two weeks to design and includes a number of hands-on elements for experimentation.
"You try to introduce a simple concept and throw words out -- so at least the vocabulary is out there," said Tina Peak, a parent-volunteer.
During a recent noon science session, the group presented a lesson on angular momentum or as one parent explained, "how and why things spin." Volunteers encouraged students to come to their own conclusions on the topic by having students play with a number of objects.
At one of three tables, students balanced spinning gyroscopes on a string to see how spinning provides balance for objects. Amid exclamations of "wow" and "look how fast it's going," from the students crowded around the table, parent-volunteer Peak asked students how they could apply this principle to their everyday lives.
"That's exactly what happens with the moon," one student volunteered. Peak smiled and added that riding a bicycle is another example: When the wheels are spinning, the bicycle stands up.
A couple of tables down, students themselves became a part of the experiment. To illustrate how an object spins at different speeds, parent-volunteer Eric Verwillow designed Lazy Susan's for the students to sit on. As they spun around, they learned first-hand how their arms, when stretched out, spun faster than their torso.
"Look how fast I'm going," yelled one student. "It's really cool," exclaimed another. "You pull your arms in and can go faster."
For their part, students seem to respond to the approach. Not only does the program average around 40-70 students each week, but students are active and engaged, asking questions and in some cases, refusing to leave once the bell rings.
"It's a lot more fun. Normally all you do in class is very boring," said fourth-grader Katie Garland.
Since the program is independent from school curriculum, parents are free to share their own personal science interests with the students.
"We have an amazing group of people who are trying to take their passion for science and turning that into something interesting for the students," Garland said.
Many volunteers are attracted to the program for this reason.
"I wanted to help out as a parent," said Kerry Meyer, a volunteer with the group. "And I have a background in science and technology."
The PTA hopes to expand the program into the classroom in the future, working with teachers to design a curriculum.
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