Field Elementary's Family Science Night Reveals Mysteries

Camila Uribe, grade 3, and her brother, Christian, grade 1, learn how to make putty.

It was an evening for discovering the mysteries of dry ice, magnets and invisible ink as the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center came to Field Elementary for a Family Science Night.

The theme was "Behind The Magic" for the evening, held on Jan. 12. The Fleet provided materials and trained school staff how to conduct simple experiments to teach students and parents about the science behind mysterious items such as dry ice, magnets and invisible ink. Sempra Energy donated the funds to bring the Science Center to the school.

Many parents realized they could make their own putty, using ordinary household materials. Other students learned how different lengths of string pulled through a plastic cup make an interesting range of sound effects, from high-pitched squeaks to low hums. Many children learned about the Bernoulli principle as they tried to balance a ball on a stream of air. Others learned how acidity and alkalinity cause changes in color on paper.

The eerie mist given off by dry ice was fascinating and a lot of students came back to see it more than once. The families who attended this fun and informative activity all enjoyed themselves and it was nice to see many former students attend with their younger siblings. We plan to offer similar activities in the future.

For more information, contact Yesenia Robinson, Principal, at (858) 273-3323.