Home-School Projects: Outreach

What do I mean by outreach?  My students frequently plan science presentations for young children.  My Chemistry students planned experiments for neighboring schools.  My Physical Science students set up demonstrations for younger children at Winchester Academy.  What types of demonstrations?  Often, the class performed labs they had just learned themselves, based on themes, such as force and motion: Centripetal Motion with a penny in a balloon (or ping pong ball), Transfer of Energy or Rocket balls, Pail of water spinning, Egg Toss with sheet, and coin drop.  The class would demonstrate each activity and then allow the students to try each one.  To prepare, the class would select the demos, assemble all of the materials, schedule a time with the elementary teachers, set up, and perform the demos.  I use this outreach as a form of assessment.  The class had to explain the underlying science.  Your child can do this, too by filming her demos and posting them to You-tube.  There is nothing like a public audience to prompt kids to give their best.  See if your Co-op is interested in demos.