Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, December 11, 2009

Gallery (click any photo to view the gallery)

Librarian Susan Aiken asked the children to hold still as she lit an emptied tea bag for a science experiment.

As the librarian struck a match, the students’ eyes widened and they held their breath. Moments later they let out ooohs and ahhhs as a flaming scrap of paper rose quickly on the updraft.

The demonstration capped a not-so-typical science class at Southern Elementary, where an array of simple experiments enthralled a group of fourth-graders.

The hands-on tests were part of a videoconference between the kids at Southern, author Vicki Cobb in New York and students at Hearn Elementary in Frankfort. Library media specialists set up the event, which featured Cobb offering remote instruction and the children joining in a few examples themselves.

Since the 1972 publication of her first book, “Science Experiments You Can Eat,” Cobb’s lighthearted approach to hands-on science has become her trademark for getting children involved in experiences that create real learning.

Cobb, who credits her own sixth-grade teacher as one inspiration, had no trouble holding their attention at Southern with her “Science Surprises” program.

“My whole life is an experiment. I try things to see what happens,” she told the students. “No matter what you do, there are always surprises.”

While the fourth-graders weren’t quite sure what to expect, Cobb’s entertaining activities and Web-site videos of her grandchildren conducting experiments won them over.

“It turned out to be very awesome!” said 10-year-old Tim Hawkins.

In one experiment, the Southern students learned about depth perception as they tried to match up two pencil tips with one eye closed. In another, they crossed their index and middle fingers and rubbed their noses as Cobb explained how the unusual sensation gives the illusion of having two noses! And in yet another experiment, some youngsters pulled off their shoes to confirm that a person’s foot is indeed the same length as the distance between the wrist and the elbow crook.

Mikayla Day said the body-part experiments were her favorite. “We didn’t have to use anything but ourselves,” the 10-year-old said. “Those experiments are something we can do anytime, anywhere.”

The flaming tea bag was the morning’s highlight for classmate Larenz Moore. But seeing Cobb suspending ping-pong balls in the air with a hair dryer was a close second.

Science teacher Melissa Hagans also got in on the act – showing how air inside an “empty” plastic soda bottle can keep out a wad of paper perched in the bottle’s neck.

Hagans was glad that librarian Susan Aiken helped in the demonstrations because the children need to see others besides their science teachers doing science.

“That sends a bigger message,” Hagans said. “It might be a bigger hook for them.”

Each young participant at Southern received a copy of the book “We Dare You!” containing hundreds of science bets, challenges and experiments.

“We’re hoping they’ll have a greater interest in science, especially with having the book in their hands and having the opportunity to do some of these fun things at home,” Aiken said.