SUBMITTED BY MAGGIE LOHMANN

 

Why is chemistry studied? According to Johnson Elementary third grader, Jackson Cram, it’s “so we can make the world a better place.”

 

One of his peers, Lily Hathaway, added her opinion that “when we learn and experiment with chemistry, we can discover new things and it helps our brains to grow.”

 

Recently, some third grade students from JES visited Bridgeport High School and Mrs. Cheryl McCarthy’s Chemistry I students to learn more about the subject through many interactive experiments presented by her class.

 

These experiments ranged from making putty, bouncy balls, and lava lamps, to testing ice cream created by an exothermic reaction, and presenting explanations on pressure and density.

 

McCarthy said the benefit of this day is helping to build enthusiasm about a unique science.

 

For many, another benefit of the program was its interactive aspect.

 

This was the case for Kayleigh Ratliff, who said making ice cream was her favorite experiment because “[they] all got to help with something and it was really fun.”

 

Many third graders commented that the best part of the day was meeting the high schoolers and helping them with one of the biggest components of Chem Day—working with others to get the job done. John David Dumas brought this point up when he said “getting to work together and learn” was the best part of his experience.

 

Of her favorite part of the day, McCarthy said it is “Watching my students who may be quieter in class turn into expert presenters and seeing them interact with the third graders.”

 

The high schoolers also enjoyed this responsibility. “It was fantastic being able to see the kids’ faces light up when they saw how the experiments worked,” said Katie Mossburg. “We were able to take on Mrs. McCarthy’s role and teach younger children about things that we ourselves have been learning.”

 

McCarthy said the hardest part of pulling the day off is getting her classes started on the project. “The initial planning, and helping each group to find and come up with their own well—balanced presentation is the most challenging.”

 

Despite this, the day concluded as a success with sixteen groups each sharing their own experiment. Jacob Love said, “It was hectic, but fun seeing everything come together and the kids being fascinated by a lot of the experiments.”

 

And fascinated they were. The third graders were eager to share the knowledge they gained.

 

Hathaway mentioned that she learned the “secret behind glowsticks.”

 

“I learned that pepper is not strong,” said Bryson McAtee. “If you pour dish cleaner in water and put your finger in it, the mixture spreads everywhere.”

 

Another observation was made by Cole Weese, and he said, “I learned that you could put dry ice in water and it would make smoke.”

 

When asked what she gained from the day, Sophia Schroeder said, “I learned what matter is.”

 

Hannah Fetty and her group presented an experiment on bouncy balls and how the density of polymers affects the objects they make up. “Once we asked the kids if they wanted to make their own bouncy balls, excitement filled their expressions; it was priceless,” she said. “Even though our station got them quite messy, the kids still enjoyed themselves and Chem Day as a whole.”

 

And for some of the elementary students, such as Noelle Tenney, the chance to have some fun while getting a bit messy was the highlight of their day. “My favorite experiment was where we made bouncy balls,” she said. “I also looked like a slapped a Smurf!”

 

The fascination Fetty mentioned was prevalent in many responses. Eli Jones said, “I liked when the two [aluminum] balls were whacked together. I liked the part when they made a spark.”

 

Although it can sometimes be tedious to pull off such a successful project, the benefits can be seen by all involved on many different levels. Mossburg expressed her view as a student when she said the day “helped [her] to see that there’s more to chemistry than just schoolwork.”

 

McCarthy said she loves seeing the excitement as the third graders leave. “This year, I heard a boy say how much he loved Chem Day and how excited he was about science.”

 

And even if the students don’t remember all of the specific reactions, rules, and laws of chemistry, they can remember the joy they felt while they participated in the day.

 

Zaid Haque summed up the experience by saying, “I didn’t know chemistry was really fun!”

 

Editor's Note: Photos by Noah Hall. This was not an assignment provided by Connect-Bridgeport. This was submitted by a BHS student in Alice Rowe's Journalism class.