This hands-on spectacle was an excellent display of chemistry in action for the hundreds of families in the audience. Families were involved through audience participation whenever Josh, The Amazing Chemist himself, wasn’t making foam in a jack-o-lantern.
First-grade teacher Krystal Bernal helped bring The Amazing Chemist to Pathway, and she said families were happy to have a new event at school.
The evening shows capped off a day full of chemistry exploration with students participating in a series of experiments in class. Scholars rotated through three different activities: making slime, building rockets, and completing “Science in a Bag” tasks.
Bernal said materials for each of the segments came boxed together, easing the load for teachers to facilitate the experiments. Scholars from each grade rotated through different classrooms to experience each of the projects.
Creating their own slime and conducting “Science in a Bag” experiments consisted of mixing different elements to see how they interact with each other. Building rockets, though, was a more intricate process, especially for grades four through eight.
“They were making full rockets using PVC pipe,” Bernal said. “Then they’re cutting, modifying, and using tape to make adjustments. They were able to go outside and use an air compressor to shoot off rockets and see which one went the farthest.”
Several community groups sent volunteers to help the school execute the day’s worth of chemistry action. Communities in Schools of Cincinnati, Parents of Pathway, and even local members of the military were excited to lend a hand. This sense of community is one of the many reasons Pathway has outperformed the local district for the last 16 years.
With scholars off to a fast start to the school year, Bernal said she thinks bringing The Amazing Chemist to Pathway was an exciting day for scholars to look forward to.
“I think giving them a day to just do some extra hands-on activities was important,” Bernal said. “It was something outside of their normal routines. Kids need that every once in a while.
“It was the best way to set the tone for the beginning of the school year. This was one of the bigger events we’ve hosted, and seeing everyone’s excitement was the best. Now it has set the tone for the year to come.”
What a great event, Krystal! Thanks for bringing this to Pathway’s scholars and families!
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About Pathway School of Discovery
Pathway School of Discovery is a tuition-free, public charter school in Dayton, Ohio, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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