COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) - Jeremy Hulshizer wants science to “really shine” as an extracurricular activity.
This Monday night, however, his students hadn’t quite gotten there.
Nine students were trying to illuminate his St. Albert classroom with LED lights run through their circuit boards - but none had any success yet.
The first-year teacher brought Science Night to the school as an after-school event focused on various elements of the science behind our world - ranging from volcanoes to roller coasters to electronics.
“I always wanted to put a focus on an education extracurricular after school for athletes and non-athletes,” Hulshizer told the Daily Nonpareil (https://bit.ly/1kyUZIq ). “I wanted a place for science to really shine.”
As the students tried lining up circuits to connect their battery, resistor and light bulb, Hulshizer explained the science behind electricity.
Much of his classroom’s white board was covered in formulas to measure current, resistance and voltage.
Other diagrams illustrated the order in which the pieces needed to be to complete the circuit.
Every few minutes, Hulshizer stepped from the front of the room to work with students who had questions.
Despite a lack of early success lighting their bulbs, students enjoyed structuring their circuits.
“This is probably one of my favorites because we get to work with a whole bunch of light bulbs,” said ninth-grader Sydney Fields, a self-described regular at the monthly Science Nights.
The attendance varies in size each month. So do the activities.
For instance, one of the most hands-on sessions involved taking apart and rebuilding old computers to see how they work - a favorite of the students.
“Science is a such a part of life,” Hulshizer said. “Sometimes, we’re so bogged down by standards that we miss out on the fun things.”
That becomes clear with the smiles that beamed when the first student managed to turn her light bulb on. Others soon followed suit.
Regardless of whether a student’s circuit was a success, Fields said the program allows students to make friends in a fun, educational setting.
“Even if you don’t like science, you still get to meet new people and become more social,” she said. “You can’t not have fun.”
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Information from: The Daily Nonpareil, https://www.nonpareilonline.com
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