Science

By Van
The Science Museum of Virginia visited Bucknell on Wednesday, April 13, 2005. This traveling science program presents informal educational experiences that are fun for all ages.

Science by Van presenters, Jackie Vick and Kate Kelly, led students through a full day of science adventures and activities. It included:

* an electrifying, 30 minute all school assembly
* 4 classroom workshops - Charged Up, Solar Engery, Magnets and Mirrors
* make and take science activities
* hands-on exhibits, displayed all day in the gym

General Assembly

To start off the day, an electrifying 30-minute all school assembly was conducted using a Van de Graaff generator to explore static electricity. Static electricity does not move. It is discharged when one charged article touches another. Students’ hair stood on end during this dramatic demonstration and discussion of lightning and electrical safety. Styrofoam balls popped out and tin pans flew around the stage.

Making our hair stand on end!!

Static electricity was contrasted with current electricity which moves and is dangerous. Common conductors are metal and water. In both cases, electrons (charged particles) are the key components.

The Scientific Principle:

All matter consists of atoms that have electrons, protons and neutrons. Electrons and protons carry equal but opposite charges. The electron has a negative charge, while the proton carries a positive charge. Protons are heavier and are bound more tightly to the center of the atom. This means that only electrons can move with relative freedom. Atoms usually have an equal number of electrons and protons making them neutral. If a neutral atom gains some electrons, it becomes negatively charged. Losing electrons, on the other hand, causes a neutral atom to become positively charged. Atoms with the same charge repel, while atoms with opposite charges are attracted to each other.

Classroom Workshops

For First and Second Grades:
Magnets

Students explored uses and characteristics of magnets. Magnets come in all sizes and shapes. Examples of really big magnets are a refrigerator (a magnet all around the door keeps that door closed) and the earth. Our chalkboards are magnets also.

A magnet is a piece of metal or stone in which the tiny magnetic moments line up to form a larger magnetic field. Each magnet has both a north pole and a south pole. When ia magnet is near another magnet, a force exists between them. When the north pole is near another magnet's south pole, the force attracts each magnet to the other. If like poles are near each other, the force between the poles repels or pushes each other away.

Predicting and testing an assortment of metal and non-metal objects to see if they will be attracted by the magnet.
With iron filings and a magnet, you can have all sorts of fun while examining magnetic fields.
Can you position the magnets so they refuse to touch each other? Our first and second graders figured it out.
As the finale, students made their oun toy with a pipe cleaner and two magnets.

An exciting and fun time was had by all.

for Grade Four:
Charged Up

This workshop introduced students to three types of circuits: simple, series, and parallel. Students also learned the parts of a circuit and design and built their own circuits in cooperative groups. They discussed characteristics and uses of electricity.

Using batteries, wires, bulbs, and accessories, they created simple circuits individually, then combined their materials (in groups) to create series and parallel circuits. A discussion about the uses of each type of circuit accompanied the activity.

to view more activities.

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