SKA brings science to kids

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A group of students from Stella K. Abraham HS for Girls began running Pre-START, a hands-on science initiative for preschoolers, in December. In this program, the high school students bring all of the necessary materials to the pre-school, and teach science concepts to the preschoolears, by leading hands-on science experiments.

For the first module, the girls made a lava lamp with the pre-schoolers, starting with an interactive mini lesson teaching about the immiscibility of oil and water (slightly simplified, of course) and then each child individually performed the experiment.

As some of the children lined up to fill their water bottles partway with water, others filled their bottles partway with oil. Then everyone swapped until each child had a water bottle filled three quarters with oil and a quarter with water.

Each child added food coloring and Alka Seltzer tablets which created the bubbling of the “lava.” The children watched stunned as the colored water was pulled up in bubbles into the yellow oil.

It was great to watch the smiles on the children’s faces as many of them did their first ever science experiment. It was also fulfilling to be able to answer the children’s eager questions of “how” and “why.” The modules are scheduled for twice a month, and the SKA girls are excited to continue to educate children through fun and educational science experiments.

To find out more, or to bring Pre-START to your school, visit STARTScience.org or email the author at y14sap@yahoo.com.