Area schools to celebrate Science Day

High school students will make clouds in water bottles. Eighth-graders will construct devices in an effort to protect dropped eggs from cracking.

Those are just two of the activities planned at schools across the region to celebrate Science Day on Tuesday.

The event, promoted by KFVS12, has sparked interest from science teachers to politicians.

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will make a speech on the House floor touting Science Day. Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich have issued proclamations as have a number of mayors in the region.

Jason Lindsey, meteorologist and science reporter for KFVS12, came up with the idea of holding a Science Day as a way to encourage students to take a greater interest in science.

"America is falling behind in science," he said, explaining his motivation to start what he hopes will be an annual celebration of science. He believes it was important to get the backing of area political leaders. "Once political leaders are involved, I think school leaders take it more seriously," he said.

Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School science teacher Helen Gibbar loves the concept of Science Day. "It simply focuses the attention on science," she said.

A number of schools will feature special experiments that day including Central Junior High School.

St. Louis Science Center staff will conduct chemistry experiments for seventh-grade students and the seventh- and eighth-graders in the junior high school's Girls Science Club. The club's goal is to keep girls from losing interest in science. "We are simply trying to sustain that interest," she said.

The Science Center presentations are sponsored in part by Montgomery Bank, Gibbar said.

The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center will hold an insect investigation on Science Day from 3 to 5 p.m. near the nature center lab. Students will be able to view soil-dwelling insects and get an up-close view of aquatic insects under microscopes.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

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Science Day activities

Woodland School

Seventh-graders will design, construct and launch a rocket using a film canister, water and an effervescent tablet.

* Eighth-graders will construct devices designed to keep dropped eggs from cracking.

* High-school chemistry students will conduct forensic tests to identify powers commonly found in a kitchen.

Scott City School

* High-school chemistry students will do experiments in fifth-grade classes including making clouds in water bottles.

Notre Dame Regional High School

* School will hold a "Star Party." Beginning at 8 p.m., the school will open its observatory for star-gazing. Star charts will be available. Hot dogs, chips and drinks will be served.

Boys and Girls Club of Cape Girardeau

* Club will conduct experiments with eggs and try to create the Mentos candy geyser experiments from the television show "Mythbusters."

Central Junior High School

* Staff from the St. Louis Science Center will conduct chemistry experiments. The school also will hold a "Family Science Night" from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 10.

Jefferson Elementary School

* Science teacher Russell Grammer will perform experiments. Students will be sent home with a science project to try with their parents.

Alma Schrader Elementary School

* Among other activities, third-graders will learn about cryogenics and liquid nitrogen.

Cape Girardeau elementary schools

* Each of the schools will have a special "Science Day" menu which will include science facts.

Central Middle School

* School will hold a "Family Science Night" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12.

Kelly School

* Students in the Benton, Mo., school district will start publishing a weekly science and technology newsletter. The gifted-student class will write and distribute the newsletter to elementary classrooms.

Perryville High School

* Classes will focus on recycling and one class will make recycled paper.

Trinity Lutheran School

* School will hold a Family Science Night.

Deer Creek Christian Academy

* The academy will holt a mini-science fair with various demonstrations.