Guest Blog post by: Dr. Jack Driscoll
Today (Feb. 27, 2012) I visited the Cold Springs Elementary
School in Plymouth, MA. I had met the Principal (Mrs. Laura Dolloff) at our 4thCape Cod Science Café in Dec. 2011. Two of the teachers were interested in
starting a science club and my visit would kick it off. I brought a few slides
to explain pH and three water samples (pH range 5-11) to provide a bit of color
for the pH paper test. We had nearly 100 students from grades 2-5. When I asked
for volunteers, everyone raised their hands. One of the teachers commented that
some of those kids never volunteer for anything, I picked two boys and a girl
who were very excited. About 10 children used the pH paper before their buses were there.
I explained that science can be more difficult than geography but we live in a very technological society and it will be even more so in your generation. I mentioned a Dick Tracy comic strip in the 1950’s where his “TV watch” was used to communicate with HQ. Now 60 years later, that technology is available in the I Phone. I asked how many of you have cell phones and 80% raised their hands. This surprised the teachers.
I showed them
the portable VOC analyzer that we manufacture in Sandwich and the class got
very excited.
Kim Williams, who teaches 4th and 5th
grade science did an experiment called "elephant tooth paste" and the kids
loved it!
I had at least a half dozen kids come up to me and tell me that they loved science. That
made it all worthwhile.
I talked to the two teachers for about an hour after the
talk discussing NESACS programs with Boston MOS and Boston Children’s Museum,
Cambridge Science Festival, SE MA STEM EXPO and various ACS programs and
experiments for schools. I suggested that they become chemistrv ambassadors and
look for videos of Bassam Shakhashiri experiments on you tube that would be
interesting for their students...by Jack Driscoll
.jpg)
