Museum group brings Science to Lynn students

LYNN – The city’s fourth- and fifth-graders have had their interest in science ignited thanks to free, hands-on educational programs provided by the Museum of Science (MoS).On a recent day at the Brickett Elementary School, MoS representative George Peschmann presented “Cryogenics: States of Matter,” which involved the use of liquid nitrogen to show fifth-grade students how to define the states of matter and how solids, liquids and gases phase when extreme temperatures are applied.Students witnessed a tea kettle whistling due to extreme cold, laughed as the tops of canisters continuously popped off while Peschmann “tried to store” liquid nitrogen for the students and sat in amazement while a small magnetic cube levitated, seemingly defying the laws of gravity.For fifth-grader Nikolas Braga, the balloon that burst after it was over-inflated with liquid nitrogen was one of the best examples.”I thought it was one of the coolest things I ever saw,” Braga said. “My favorite part would be the balloon exploding and the levitating thing. The levitation was awesome because it is science and the balloon exploding? it was just fun to see everyone grab their ears in pain. It was funny.”Fifth-grade teacher Rae Mary Ferguson said she can see how beneficial the presentations are for her students and admits they are beneficial to her as well.”I love it because it is fascinating,” she said. “I learn a lot from it as a teacher. The older I get, the more it brings back too – things that I do teach. I like having (the presentation) before we teach it because then I can relate to it and they remember very well what they’ve seen and what they heard. It really enhances it and makes it a lot easier for me later on.”Before the presentation, Peschmann tested the students to see what they remembered from his electromagnetism presentation the year before, with great results.”It’s nice to come back and be able to tie that in just to make sure they really understand it,” Peschmann said. “(I like) inspiring kids to think critically. I work that into my programs a lot. I don’t like them to just believe me when I say something, I want them to get some evidence to kind of get that so they won’t just believe something that they hear later down the road. They’ll ask for evidence and think for themselves.”Christina Moscat visited the Sewell-Anderson elementary school with one of MoS’s portable Van de Graaff generators to give the fourth-graders a lesson in electromagnetism. During the presentation, students learned about voltage, current, resistance and the relationship between magnetism and electricity.Moscat joked about her high-tech tool to teach them about protons and electrons: a balloon that she rubbed on a students hair, causing it to stand on end.”I think the explanations are great, between the slide show that she gave – the visuals of the protons and electrons are so hard to teach kids,” said fourth-grade teacher Kathy Tartarini. “They had a visual up there, they had the hands-on, so it was really effective.”Several students stood at the front of the room to create a human extension cord, through which Moscat sent an electric current by bumping fists with the first student in line, showing them how the jolt weakens as it travels. They watched a metal ring shoot to the ceiling of the library with the use of electricity and magnetism, and learned about the different between conductors and insulators, also using the Van de Graaff generator.Fourth-grader Jacqueline Crooker was hesitant as she held a glass rod to Moscat’s electrically charged fist.”I thought I was going to get shocked, but it was really fun,” said Crooker.To demonstrate that electricity gives off heat, Moscat held a piece of flash paper between the coils of the Jacob’s Ladder Machine as a spark traveled up, setting the paper on fire. Once burned, the paper produced a very small amount of smoke and absolutely no ash during the demonstration, making it a favorite of many students.”It was nice,”