About 20 Union
students visited Schenectady's Howe Magnet School on May 23 to demonstrate the
fun-side of science to a group of elementary students and their families.
“Family Science
Night” is designed to teach kids that science happens all the time, all around
us, and that it is actually interesting.
“Too often, when kids
think of science, they think 'boring',” said Carol Weisse, director of health
profession programs at Union and science night co-chair. “Using a range of
things you find around the house, we make learning effective because it's fun
and it's something kids – and their parents – can relate to.”
Among the
workstations were the Egg-Drop Contest, where students designed a protective
break-proof egg container; Let's Make Slime, a mixture of borax and glue
to make the popular gooey substance; and Blow Things Up, a task demonstrating
air pressure in which participants built a hover craft using toilet paper
rolls, paper plates, balloons and a hair dryer.
Other stations included: It's Electrifying, a look a
static electricity; Now You See it Now You Don't, how CO2 extinguishes flame;
Wave Machines, baby oil, food coloring and water illustrate wave motion; and
the Whirligig, a device from paper towel tubes, string and a ball to show
centrifugal force.
Family Science Night is part of Union's efforts to reach
out to the community, said Weisse. “Education is what we are about; it's a
natural that our students and faculty choose to give back in this way,” she
said.