STUDENTS SAVE SCIENCE SAMPLER

Students at Clippard Elementary enjoyed an afternoon of exploration and wonder during the fourth annual Science Day Friday.

Students in grades three through six participated. Parents, business representatives and college staff gave science presentations related to their jobs or interests.

"We do this to help the children see how important science is in general life," said Margaret Little, a fifth-grade teacher and a coordinator of the event. "The presenters are people who either have science-related jobs or who just have an interest in science."

Little said she and other teachers invited parents and business employees to give presentations involving some aspect of science. Students also recommended people to invite to the event, which allowed for a varied group of presenters.

"We just wanted to let the kids see how their daily lives are affected by science," she said. "There are just a variety of things going on here."

Students were divided into groups and rotated visits during the event. The 15 presenters provided demonstrative and hands-on experiments ranging from volcano formation to holding a snake to touching animal brains.

Teachers provided assistance to the presenters by encouraging students to join in the presentations and hurriedly closing doors to keep the odd pet from escaping.

Students said they enjoyed all of the presentations, but admitted they were more impressed with the hands-on activities. This included donning plastic gloves to touch a "real live brain" or searching a fake crime scene for fingerprints.

Fifth-grader Kopper Thatch said the activities involving chemicals were her favorite. "I really like the chemistry thing," said Thatch, 11. "He set my dollar on fire, but it was wet and didn't burn."

Mary Beth Wright, 9, a fourth-grader, was more impressed with the presenters who brought live animals. "I got to hold a python," she said excitedly. "At first I was kinda' scared, but I liked it."

Dr. Jim Gong, a chemistry professor at Southeast Missouri State University, gave a hands-on presentation on figuring the fat content of milk. He said he wanted to help students get excited about chemistry and learning in general.

"I came because my daughter's teacher invited me," said Gong, whose daughter Lucy is a fourth-grader at Clippard. "This will let the students know which kind of milk has more fat, and maybe we'll have some fun, too."

Little said students always get excited by the annual event, and many presenters are asked to do repeat performances. Fun is an important aspect of learning, she said, and it helps students retain information, which is the ultimate goal of Science Day.

"If it seems they're having a good time and enjoying it, then it's worth it," she said. "With all of that we know some of what they see and do will stick in their minds."