Dr. Kerry Holzworth, University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg

This workshop starts with two colorful, attention–getting demonstrations. Some definitions and theories pertaining to acids, bases, and indicators are presented, and then students are given an opportunity to use two common indicators to test household solutions. In the workshop wrap-up, students discover explanations for the demonstrations they saw at the beginning of the workshop. All participants are guaranteed to have a lot of fun with these activities, and that’s “no lye!”

Dr. Thomas Conti, (Retired) Bayer Material Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA

Step inside the Science Week Planetarium!! Our inflatable dome allows students to step into outer space for a fun learning adventure about the night-time sky. This workshop will focus on locating simple constellations, the mythology behind them, and basic celestial knowledge. Come, see, and learn! Did you know that finding Orion’s Belt can let you find four other constellations? Or that Native Americans used the Big Dipper to create a myth about why leaves change color? Learn all this and more! The mythological stories pull the students into the world of astronomy and have them leaving the planetarium totally excited to learn more about the stars and outer space. At least two chaperones or teachers are required to be in the dome during the program.

Dr. John Williams, Waynesburg University, Waynesburg PA

This workshop gives students an opportunity to observe and then create examples of electrochemistry–the study of electron transfer in chemical reactions. There are demonstrations illustrating the conductivity of solutions; reactions involving metals, galvanic cells, or batteries; and the electrolysis of water. Students are then given an opportunity to observe electrochemistry on their own and see how electrons can really “make their world go ’round!”

Gina Malczewski, Midland ACS
Michelle Rivard, Midland ACS
Christine Weber, Midland ACS
Cassie Hale, Midland ACS
Kevin Wier, Midland ACS

Your students are sure to be attracted to this one! Everything can be classified as either a pure substance or a mixture. There are two kinds of pure substances: elements and compounds. If you had a cup of diamonds, it is made up of one single element–carbon. On the other hand, a cup of water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen (H2O). If you mix the water and diamond together, you have a mixture. Although the diamonds and water are in the same container, they are not chemically connected and therefore form a mixture and not a compound. Most things are mixtures. Because of this, we frequently want to separate mixtures into pure substances or their component parts. We will be exploring chromatography which is one way to separate materials according to their charge or polarity.

None of the gases used in this workshop can be seen, but their behavior can be quite interesting. Through inquiry and demonstrations of the Bernoulli Principle and gas pressure, students will gain a better appreciation of the behavior of gases in a variety of settings. This workshop is more than just a lot of hot air!

Gina Malczewski, Midland ACS.
Michelle Rivard, Midland ACS
Christine Weber, Midland ACS
Cassie Hale, Midland ACS
Kevin Wier, Midland ACS

In this workshop, students will work with natural polymers, organic synthetic polymers, and silicones. They will discover what they are, their properties, and how they differ.