Math & Science Night Saw Huge Turnout

Elementary students pet a python at Math and Science night Friday in Klager’s cafeteria. Photo by Jennifer Fairfield

Math and Science Night organizers were worried there would be low turnout this year. Not only was this event happening at the same time as the Middle School Fun Night and the High School Art Show Opening at the Library, but because of a PTO meeting, conferences and the talent show, Klager Parents had already been to activities at the school 3 nights that week! They shouldn’t have worried, however, as there was a HUGE turnout.

Activities were located in different classrooms throughout the building. Students and family members had the opportunity to check out astrophotography, learn about the dangers of chemicals to bees while investigating live bees, and isolating DNA from strawberries. They also received an introduction to computer coding, were able to touch an opossum and python from The Creature Conservancy, and learned how to determine experimentally which food in their kitchen cupboard is seeds and which isn’t. Other attendees were learning how well they wash their hands with a black light, what their skin looks like under the microscope and how sunscreen works. Some stations had participants checking their stress levels and learning stress management, while others were meeting therapy dogs Ziva & Izzy, or Reggie Raccoon the recycling mascot!

In addition to all of the community members who presented, Science Olympiad coaches had stations at which kids could try out different Science Olympiad events. These stations found students building paper airplanes or circuits, reading maps, building structures out of unusual material (such as bridges out of pasta!), or learning about matter and the solar system. Elementary and middle school students presented individual projects they had researched. Topics of the posters and videos created for the event ranged from tigers to ancient Egyptian dwellings, and from computer languages, the Blue Angels, and rainbows to making a football.

Bio-dots can be worn all the time and show stress levels with different colors much like a mood ring. Photo by Jennifer Fairfield.

photo by Jennifer Fairfield

Photo by Jennifer Fairfield.

Students had to decide if what was in each bowl was a seed or not. Items in the bowl included brown rice, black beans, jelly beans, flax seed, rock salt, quinoa and more. Photo by Jennifer Fairfield

Photo by Jennifer Fairfield.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.