Lab with Dad

1. Lab with Dad “Enriching Your Science Program with Parental Involvement” NSTA National Conference April 12, 2013

2. Karen Delmotte 4th grade teacher Trinity Lutheran School, Utica, MI 586-731-4490 kadelmotte@yahoo.com Brenda Havers 7& 8th grade science teacher Trinity Lutheran School 586-731-4490 bhavers@wowway.com Introductions

3. Initial Goals/Philosophy • Parental involvement • Enrich/supplement classroom lab activities • Alternative to Family Science Night • Keeping it simple

4. The Nitty Gritty of Preparation • Invitation to target group • Permission slips/confirmation notes/reminders • Reserve facilities • Get older students involved with prep • Limit size if necessary • Solicit donations of desserts

5. The “Big Day” • Time (6:30-8:00) • Participants meet in an adjoining room for directions for the evening. • Event/Competition • Refreshments and fellowship

6. Puzzling Powders • Adapted from Science Olympiad • Parent and child learn properties of known powders by conducting various tests • Receive a mystery powder and infer its identity

7. Fun with Water • Target group – 2nd Grade • Activities include: • Sink or Float (density) • Rainbow Test Tubes (measuring) • Barge Building (buoyancy) • Sponge Squeeze (estimating volume) • Color Wheel (light and color) • Chromatography (density & mixtures) • Drops on a Penny (surface tension)

8. Mystery Architecture • Adapted from Science Olympiad • Parent and child team receive a bag of misc. building materials • Challenged to build the tallest tower they can that supports a tennis ball

9. Bridge Building • Adapted from Science Olympiad • Parent and child team given 50 straws and 20 straight pins • Challenged to build a lengthy, sturdy, and stable bridge that supports a chalkboard eraser

12. Metric Olympics • Adapted from AIMS • Parent and child teams compete in a variety of events testing their ability to estimate metric measurements • Involves predicting their abilities to do a physical challenge, which requires some sort of measuring

13. The “Cookie Caper” • Adapted from Mystery Science, Case of the Missing Lunch” from www.dandylionbooks.com • Parent and student team solve a mystery by examining clues left at the scene of the crime • Clues include a mystery powder, footprints, and a ransom note left at the scene • Police officer on site to read crime scenario

14. CSI: Trinity • Invited students in grades 6-8 • Parents used as volunteers at evidence analyzing stations • Faculty and staff chosen as suspects • Actual crime scene investigator present to analyze with students evidence left at the crime scene

16. Crime Scene

18. CSI: Evidence Stations • Fingerprinting

19. Handwriting Analysis • Blood typing

20. Chromatography & Footprints

21. Hair Sample Analysis

22. Funding • Solicit free-will donation from parents participating at event • Local businesses for supplies (i.e. straws) • Science budget

23. Outcomes • Great Public Relations • Local newspaper coverage • Administration loves it • Great parent feedback • Great Bonding experience • Between parent and child (specifically dad and child) • Between dads and dads • Greater excitement for science • Builds greater support for science program

24. Questions ???

25. GO TIGERS!!!!!!