Bassett Elementary students discover science is cool
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published Feb. 1, 2005

Bassett Elementary students sit inside an inflated earth balloon and examine geographical features and regions from the planet’s interior. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

For several years, studies have indicated American students fall behind international students in science and math testing. Some experts have expressed concern that not enough Americans are pursuing advanced degrees in engineering and science.

But Bassett Elementary School is trying to get students hooked on science at an early grade level. The school has devoted one whole day for the past several years to the study of science. The program this year, called “Science At School – It’s Cool!” was held Friday and featured educators from the Carnegie Science Center in Pennsylvania offering demonstrations to school assemblies.

The morning assembly, following a theme of fire and ice, explored the differences between solids, liquids and gases. Educators gave demonstrations using liquid nitrogen.

“Good Vibrations,” as the afternoon assembly was titled, examined how sound travels through waves.

The educators from the Carnegie Science Center strove to make the assemblies as interactive and visually stimulating as possible. This made it more fun and interesting for the students, said Tiffanny Hosey, a parent volunteer at Bassett involved in planning the science day.

“Kids learn so much by seeing,” said Hosey, whose daughter Morgan is a second-grader at Bassett.

In between assemblies, students from kindergarten through grade four participated in interactive experiments led by parent aids. Fourth grade students even tackled a concept as advanced as the periodic table of elements. They used marsh mellows and toothpicks to simulate molecules forming chemical bonds.