edited bv LINDAWOODWARD The University of Southwestern Louisiana Lafayene. LA 70504
chemistry for kids Evening Polymer Programs To Pique the Interests of Youngsters and Adults
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Linda woodward' University of Southwestern Louisiana P.O. Box 44370 Lafayene,LA 70504 Mary Ann Bernard Lafayette Natural History Museum Lafayene, LA The evening polymer workshops described in this paper are a joint effort of the Department of Chemistry at the IJniversitv of Southwestern Louisiana. the Lafavette Natural ~ i s t o r yMuseum, and individual khools i n i h e ~ c a d i ana area.2 A major goal of this project is to give fourth-, ffth-, and sixth-grade students the opportunity to experience interesting hands-on science and to do so outside the classroom. At the same time, we want to encourage the interaction of children and adults. By stimulating a n interest in science and encouraeing. further exoloration bevond the one workshop, we hope co increase h e chancesof young students' develooine a oositive attitude toward science and a wntinuing interest in it. We also introduce both the students and their parents (or other adults) to the interesting world of synthetic polymers. Despite the economic importance of manmade oolvmers, consumers know little adout them. Just a few df t6e many uses are discussed. Polymer recycling codes are explained and participants are informed about local plastics recvcline. w e use the "trick" of skewering a balloon without bursting. it to (1)introduce the idea of lone oolvmer strands and to1(2) separate "magic" and scienlck. '?he synthesis of GLUEP, a non-Newtonian fluid, from a variety of recipes is used to show the relationship between amounts of ingredients and the properties of a product a s well a s how a scientist might go about finding the "best" product. Modeling of the cross-linking usine t h e "voung. students a s - process . monomers helps everyone to understand what is happening ( I ) . The active ingredient in superabsorbent diapers, sodium polyacrylate, is investigated and provides an example of the multiple uses of a single polymer or group of similar polymers. Several demonstrations complete the A
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Literature Cited 1. Sarquis,A. M J Chpm Educ 1986.63.6B41
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- w e feel that we have, within the limitations of a single contact, succeeded in our goals. The participants are very
'Author to whom correspondenceshould be addressed. 2Fundingfor printing and supplies has been provided by the American Chemical Society though an "Improvingthe Public Perception of Polymers'' grant from the Industrial Sponsors Group of the Polymer Chemistry Division and a Parents and Children for Terrific Science (PACTS) grant from the Prehigh School Science mice. All time is donated. 3For information on Wonderscience, write to the Prehigh School Science Office, American Chemical Society, 1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036.
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enthusiastic. The questions they ask during the workshops indicate a high degree of involvement and interest. This is a s true of the adults a s it is of the students. The evaluations completed a t the end of the workshops indicate a n interest in doinemore science exoeriments. w e encourage this by sending home complete instructions, materials from the workshop, supplies for a n additional activity (Grow-&-Shrink Creatures), and a n order form for WonderScience3 (the ACS and AIP publication of physical science activities for children and adults to do together). I t is difficult without further followuo to determine whether there is any lasting impact. The increase i n knowledee about ~. o l.v m e r sis shown clearly hy the evaluations. I.& than a third of the particioants com~letinrrthe evaluations during the 1991-1992 school saidihat they knew anything about polymers prior to the workshop and all stated that they had learned new thin@ ahout polymers. Please contact the authors ifyou are interested in learningmore a h u t these workshops. Wecan providea detailed write-up including organization, publicity, maLerials and supplies needed and where to get them, the handout, and the particulars of the evaluation.
Journal of Chemical Education
Science is Fun! A. M. ~ a q u i s and ' B. R. Kibbey Miami University Middletown Middletown, OH 45042 E. C. Smyth Lemon-Monroe High School Monroe, OH 45050 Established i n 1987 with the support of the Ohio Board of Regents, Miami University, the Cincinnati Section of the American Chemical Society, and several private sector gifts, Science i s Fun! (SiF) has directly involved over 25,000 students in its nontraditional science enrichment programs and more than 800 teachers in teacher enhancement activities. The goal of the program is to involve Ohio's pre-college students and teachers in exciting hands-on science Droerams and classroom activities. I n November 1992,'~ie'wasawarded State Model Program status from the Kisenhower Program for Mathcmatics and Science Education, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Kducation, Office of Education Research and Improvement. While the three major student target three different age groups, older students are encouraged to take on presenting and mentoring roles with younger SiF participants. This student-to-student mentoring provided positive learning experiences for both younger and older stud e n t s (including encouraging t h e older s t u d e n t s to consider teaching a s a possible eareec) A brief description of these student programs is provided below. 'Author to whom correspo~denceshould be addressed.
Super Saturday Science Sessions (SSSS)
High school students are challenged to expand their awareness and understanding of science and technology through attendance a t six or seven Saturday morning sessions presented each fall by industrial, academic, and governmental scientists and engineers. ARer a short introduction of the science principles, students learn by experimenting with hands-on activities, in many cases using equipment and materials not available in the typical high school curriculum. Sessions include chemistry, physics, engineering technology, zoology, microbiology, botany, and paper science. The chemistry sessions have covered a varietv of tonics includine uolvmer . and materials science. analytical techniques, heavy metal waste, waste management, aluminum and its chemistry, and food chemistry
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Science Carnivals
Carnivals present elementary students with hands-on science in a nontraditional atmos~here.encouraeine them to apply the scientific method to ictivities that zegonstrate scientific urincioles. Carnivals tvuicallv are run bv high school teacher$ and students who' have" in SSSS. Most camivals are held in a gym, cafeteria, or all-purDose room at the elementaw school. The carnivals feature between 10 and 15 stations,"each offering a different activity or demonstration related to one of the scientific topics explored in SSSS. Each class of elementary students visits the carnival for 20-30 minutes. As they move from station to station, both students and teachers are encouraged to form and test hvpotheses. Carnival sponsors meet with the elementary principals and teachers before and after the camival day in order to help them make the camival part of an ongoing science experience. To this end, the elementaw teachers are left with at least one additional hands-on science activity and materials to carry it out in their own classes after the carnival. Sponsors have found that this opens avenues for teacher-to-teacher sharing within their districts. Additionally, many high school teachers report having become, either officially or unofficially, science resource teachers for elementary teachers in their district. Summer Science Camps
Five different types of science camps are offered a t Miami Universitv each summer. with six to 10 additional camps being heldat satellite sit& throughout Ohio. These satellite camps are hosted by graduates of the SiF' teacher
programs. All the camps engage intermediate, middle, and high school students in excitine hands-on science activities. Camps are typically weegong, one-half day (either morning or afternoon) sessions, and accommodate 2 6 6 0 students. The -Gee! Wow! Awesome Science Stuff" camps and the seauel 'More Totally Awesome Science Stufl?" camm introduce campers to chkmistry, zoology, microbiology,~hysics, electronics, and paper science. The "Science, Technology, Environment and Me" (STEM) camps involve students in the science and technology of area industry including related environmental, social, and economic issues. For example, campers form window-cleaning companies and work through the product development, testing, regulatory compliance,labeling, and marketing phases. The "Science with TOYS and "Chemistn" camus are held in conjunction with Miami's 'Teaching~cienAwith TOYS" and Miami's Institute for Chemical Education Field Center workshops for teachers. Teachers participating in these programs present science activities developed as a part of these programs to the campers. Improved Attitudes and Impact
Surveys of over 1,400 students who have participated in Science is Fun! activities have shown a statistically simificant improvement in attitudes toward science. TI& more positive image was found for the combined population of students participating in the science carnivals as well as both the subset groups of boys and of girls. While the absolute score for boys was slightly higher than for girls, we were highly encouraged with the higher relative change that occurred with the eirls. Girls entered with a lower interest score than boys, but the change that resulted for them was greater than for their male counterparts. While it is always encouraging to see that students enjoy and learn from these programs, we were excited by the findings that the majority of the children (76%of the girls and 64% ofthe boys, shared the science activities with their families and friends. T h s exten4on into the home and community is important to the sustained success of uur local efforts. A Srience is Fun! Facililator Handbook has been developed to provide others with the administrative details and a set of typical activities used in the science carnivals and science camps. This book is available at the cost of printing and mailine (S101 . , . fmm the corresuondine author. Additional information on the teacher 'prograks is available upon request.
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Volume 70 Number 12 December 1993
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