Should magic tricks be used as a way to teach science in today’s classrooms? This question and about a dozen more were asked of me during an interview for an international magazine for the Society of American Magicians. The author of the article, Lindsay Smith, wanted to know my thoughts on a current trend in science assemblies and before-and-after school science classes being offered in many elementary schools throughout the U.S. The issue for magicians is one of exposure - teachers or science demonstrators who are exposing secrets of magic in an attempt to teach science.

What are your thoughts on this? You can read an excerpt from the interview that appeared in the September issue of M-U-M by clicking on the “more” link below. Should science demonstrators / teachers use tricks from a magic shop to teach science?

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The Wall Street Journal ranked “science shows” as the top birthday party choice for children in a recent poll, and parents are getting into the action. Armed with some simple supplies from around the house, a few science recipes and a bucket of creativity. Janet Spears, a first grade teacher from Vidor, Texas, shared pictures from her son’s birthday party.

My son was in my classroom this year and we did SO many of your experiments. So many that he decided to have a “science” birthday party. We did lava lamps, slime, Ivory soap in the microwave and, of course, Mentos and Diet Coke. WOW! They had a blast! I wanted to send you a picture of the coke and mentos experiment we did at Garrison’s party. This was the highest ever! It even went out of the picture. The kids sticking their tongues out trying to catch the coke while the scientist is running is particularly funny.

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Nick Anderson is the Houston Chronicle’s editorial cartoonist - his work is great. Nick gave me permission to post his cartoon from August 11, 2006 on the blog… althought I don’t resemble his Mentos guy. The cartoon is entitled “Chemical Reaction“.

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Toys have changed a lot over the years. From jacks and puzzles to handheld computers and robots. But this year, a new category of educational toy has kids screaming with ooohs & ahhhs! Gross is in… and I’m is having the time of my life.

Watch the Video

Here are a few of the items shown on the video.

Gross Soap - Gross out your mom and dad! Turn tub time into bug time when you make 8 soaps with spiders, roaches, and lizards inside. Comes with everything you need: glycerin bars in 4 colors, plastic critters, mold, even gift wrap for gag gifts.

YUCK - From the specimen jar to the secret formulas for making realistic looking snot, bar and slime, this science kit has kids screaming.

OWL PUKE - Owl Puke will fascinate kids with the 64-page book that includes (here’s the yuck part) a real owl pellet (heat steralized), a tray to hold the bones, kids will discover inside it, and a chart to help identify the other contents.

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Borger, Texas is a stone’s throw from Amarillo… where the people are friendly and the teachers are mad about science (crazy, that is). Jackie Marshall and Tana Stephens invited me to share some strategies and best practices for integrating more hands-on science into the elementary curriculum. What does that mean? In a nutshell, it means doing lots of science that gets students to think. It means playing with concoctions that ooze, bubble, fizz and erupt. It means making predictions, observations and discoveries. It also means learning how to fail, how to be honest with your observations and how to learn from your discoveries.

Best of luck to all of the early childhood and elementary teachers in the Borger ISD. Shake those cans of soda, drop those Mentos in the Diet Coke and inspire children to wonder, discover and explore.

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