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Students use plastic straws to blow bubbles in a tray Wednesday during Science Discovery Day at Ben Hulse Elementary School in Imperial. "It is a way of showing geometrical figures and surface tension," volunteer teacher Adriana Ramirez said of the bubble project. (JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO / November 14, 2012) |
IMPERIAL — It was a day of fizzy reactions and slimy concoctions for the students at Ben Hulse Elementary School.
Third- through fifth-grade students had the opportunity to visit different classrooms and engage in hands-on science-related activities as part of the school’s Science Discovery Day on Wednesday.
Shelly Deal chose to teach students how to build an airplane out of Styrofoam plates.
“It’s been proven that students learn by doing,” said Deal, a third-grade teacher. “This activity allows them to build something while explaining to them how and why it works.”
Trevor Cox said he enjoyed the activity because it gave him an opportunity to play with airplanes inside of the classroom.
“I liked when we got to make them fly inside, that was fun,” said Trevor, a 10-year-old fifth-grader. “We usually get in trouble if we do that.”
While some students learned the components that make airplanes fly, others predicted what would happen when baking soda and vinegar met.
Fashioned with a water bottle that was topped with a baking soda-filled balloon, students shouted with excitement as the reaction caused the balloon to inflate before their eyes.
“This was my favorite activity,” said Courtney Kastoll, a 10-year-old fifth-grader. “I liked seeing the balloon expand and learning about reactions.”
For Maritza Aguilar, her favorite activity consisted of playing with “Oobleck.”
“Well you mix cornstarch and water and it makes this cool liquid-solid thing,” Maritza, a 10-year-old fifth-grader explained. “It’s kind of like Play-Doh in your hand, but liquid in a bowl.”
School Vice Principal Traci Gibbs said she’s happy she decided to bring back the event after a few years of not having it.
“It’s a different way for students to become engaged and be excited about what they are learning,” she said.
Staff Writer Karina Lopez can be reached at 760-337-3439 or klopez@ivpressonline.com
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