| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | will be in a perfect cylinder shape. This works by |
| He has something called a voom. | | | | mechanical energy and air pressure. The air pressure |
| Voom is so hard to get, | | | | is increased since you are covering one end of the |
| You never saw anything | | | | straw with you finger. This in turn reinforces the |
| Like it, I bet." | | | | strength of the straw allowing it to go through the |
| Dr. Seuss | | | | potato. |
| When Dr. Seuss wrote these quotes in his fantastic | | | | 3. Ping ping ball on a hair dryer: Take a hair drier, turn it |
| children’s books he probably did not know how | | | | on to high and hold it so the air flows upward. Take a |
| germane and relevant his quotes would be to the daily | | | | ping-pong ball and you will see it float on a cushion of |
| life of children and adults. The more that you learn the | | | | air. This experiment demonstrates how air flow can |
| more places you’ll go is a noteworthy quote | | | | float the ball in the air. |
| when it comes to teaching science to kids. | | | | 4. Penny polish: Take some of your most corroded |
| We have read Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat | | | | pennies and soak them in a solution of vinegar and salt. |
| Comes Back where we learned about the secret | | | | You will find the corrosion on the pennies will vanish |
| ingredient called Voom. What is Voom? Dr. Seuss had | | | | and the pennies will look like new. This is due to a |
| it right. Voom is what makes learning fascinating, | | | | chemical reaction that is occurring with the mixing of |
| effective, enjoyable and relevant to kids. As a first | | | | vinegar and salt. Also the grittiness of the salt that can |
| grade teacher, I use the secret ingredient of voom to | | | | help wear down some of the corrosion. This is similar |
| teach science. How do you teach science using | | | | to the pumice that is put into some soap to clean |
| voom? | | | | grease off your hands. |
| Here’s my science voom recipe: | | | | Please go to my website at and you can see pictures |
| 1. 1 beaker full of excitement | | | | of these experiments. This will also help you set one |
| 2. 1 pound of drama | | | | up since you can see it visually. |
| 3. 1 gallon of supplies | | | | These are just a few experiments that you can do at |
| 4. 21 ounces of concepts | | | | home to teach science with your kids. You |
| 5. 1 human experimenter know as Professor Tweety | | | | don’t have to be Professor Tweety Bird from |
| Bird | | | | Oxford University either! You can invent your own |
| Who is Professor Tweety Bird? | | | | character or just me yourself. But don’t forget |
| Professor Tweety Bird is a character that I play in my | | | | the voom. Voom is what makes it work! Whenever |
| classroom to perform science experiments and teach | | | | we do these experiments, the professor talks about |
| scientific concepts. Professor Tweety Bird is a world | | | | what processes the experiment is demonstrating and |
| famous Professor Emeritus in science, sociology, | | | | how these apply to other machines or processes that |
| medicine, philosophy, mathematics, English, etc., etc., etc., | | | | occur around us in our daily lives. He does it with a lot |
| from Oxford University in England. He is an eccentric, | | | | of voom! |
| fun loving professor that speaks with a thick, classical | | | | The Professor teaches the kids this acronym to learn |
| English accent. He loves to introduce science to kids | | | | the seven forms of energy that often show up in any |
| using exciting hands on experiments that make the | | | | experiment. Remember the word McHALES. |
| kids say, wow in excitement. The best way to | | | | M-Mechanical |
| teach science is with hands on experiments where the | | | | C-Chemical |
| children can actually see the process occur in front of | | | | H-Heat |
| them. | | | | A-Atomic |
| "Think left and think right and think low and think high. | | | | L-Light |
| Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" | | | | E-Electric |
| Dr. Seuss | | | | S-Solar |
| Let me share with you a few experiments that I have | | | | One of these seven forms of energy often shows up |
| done in my own classroom that you can do at home | | | | in the experiments above. Science is all around us in |
| to teach some basic science concepts. Don’t | | | | everything we do. Take this time to share with your |
| forget to use voom! | | | | child the wonderful science experiments that you can |
| 1. The vibrating fork: Take a string and tie it around a | | | | do at home with things you have around your house. |
| fork. Now let it hang from both of your ears and tap it | | | | This is what Dr. Seuss talks about with his secret |
| with another fork. You will hear a sound in your ears | | | | ingredient voom. Put voom in your learning with your |
| that will surprise you. The sound is actually traveling | | | | children with science and everything else you do with |
| thorough the string and into your ears. It sounds like a | | | | your children. It can become a learning event that you |
| bell! This is a form of mechanical energy being | | | | and your child will never forget. |
| manifested as sound, which is vibration. | | | | "You tell me, and I forget. You teach me, and I |
| 2. The straw through the potato: Take a raw potato in | | | | remember. You involve me, and I learn." -Benjamin |
| one hand and a drinking straw through the other hand. | | | | Franklin |
| Place your index finger on the end of the straw and | | | | "The more that you read, the more things you will |
| pierce the straw through the potato with a quick | | | | know. The more that you learn the more places you'll |
| action. The straw will pierce the entire potato and you | | | | go." -Dr. |
| can even pull the sliver of potato out of the straw. It | | | | |