It’s official… I’m flying out to be a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show next week. Back in April of 2006 when a producer on the show originally contacted our office, I asked for your suggestions on experiments to do with Ellen. Lots of people suggested my Smoke Rings demo and Ellen might have taken your suggestion (hint, hint). Let’s just say that our office was filled with lots of smoke today as someone practiced shooting cups off of everyone’s head. We’re told that the air date will be next Friday, September 21, 2007. More to come.

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The crew from Modern Marvels on the History Channel visited our science lab back in July to play with some really cold science experiments. In other words, the liquid nitrogen was flowing and the onions were exploding! Mark your calendars… Modern Marvels: Deep Freeze will officially be airing on the History Channel on Tuesday, September 25th at 8pm EST.

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Tune into Food Network’s Unwrapped to get a peek inside the Spangler Science labs as Steve shares the science behind the Mentos Geyser all of that exploding soda. Back in December, I mentioned that a crew from Unwrapped on the Food Network wanted to get the real scoop on the popular Mentos and soda reaction. The crew spent an entire day grabbing the reaction from every angle and trying to understand how all of those tiny bubbles produce such a huge fountain of soda. The episode is scheduled to air on September 24, 2007. Consult your local listing for time and channel.

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Thousands of science teachers found their way to St. Louis for the 2007 National Science Teachers Association convention, and we wanted to make sure they had something to take back to their students. So, we loaded our trucks with experiments and products from the website along with 5,000 rolls of MENTOS stuffed into plastic test tubes and headed for the Gateway City. We were fortunate to have 14 teacher ambassadors from the Hands-on Science Institute join us in the booth to each share their favorite science activities. Aside from 500 bottles of Diet Coke and a mountain of MENTOS, all eyes were on the 18 foot tall soda eruption chamber. We were demonstrating the new Geyser Tube by triggering a MENTOS geyser as fast as we could set-up a launch (about every 2-3 minutes for 3 full days). At the end of the convention, the soda was gone, the rolls of MENTOS were in the hands of 5,000 teachers, the truck was cleaned out… and we all had a blast. It’s back to the classroom for the 14 ambassadors to start working on cool stuff for next year’s NSTA in Boston.

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It’s great to get emails with this subject line… My science fair project placed 1st from an idea from your website! Grant Smith is a 4th grader at S&S Elementary in Sherman, Texas. The “S&S” two small towns, Southmayd and Sadler, are approximately one hour north of Dallas. Grant used our website as a resource to expand on the idea of the Growing Ivory Soap experiment. Here’s Grant’s email about his award…

Mr. Steve Spangler,
My 4th Grade Teacher has taught us many cool Science experiments from your website. I got on your website to give me an idea for my Science Fair Project. I proved that Ivory Soap has air inside of it by showing it floats and expanding it in the microwave. Last week I placed 1st in the 4th Grade that earned me the “Chief Scientist” Certificate. I am very proud of it. I wanted to tell you thank you for your cool website. My teacher loves going to your workshops and showing us your videos too. We learn a whole lot from your website, kits, and books. Thank you very much! Oh! I was also so excited when I ordered a Sonic WackyPack Meal and got your Science Book!!! I did all of the experiments in class for my teacher and classmates. I am so glad that I can purchase some of your science kit items at Hobby Lobby too. I love buying them and showing my friends! Thanks for all you do for kids and teachers. My teacher told me that I should tell you about winning the Science Fair Project with your idea on Ivory Soap. She said that you would be proud of me. I copied your Steve Spangler website logo and displayed it on my Science Fair Project Board to show where I got my information.

Great job Grant! We share these pictures with permission from Grant and his parents.

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It was easy to see that this Steve Spangler session at the NAEYC 2006 Conference was going to be a little different. The stage was filled with the usual Spangler stuff… a vacuum cleaner, eggs, a saw, bowling balls, toilet paper rolls, giant bags, an aquarium of water, a violin bow, plenty of Alka-Seltzer, potatoes, Diet Coke and, of course, Mentos. Even before Bobbi finished the introduction, there were Mentos Geysers erupting and people running!

My thanks to everyone who attended my session at the NAEYC 2006 conference in Atlanta, Georgia. You’ll find links to the experiments and activities that I shared during the session as well as a few favorites that didn’t make it into the list of 20 Cool Science Activities Under $20. Click on the link below to download a PDF of the session handout:

Steve Spangler’s NAEYC 2006 Handout

Read the rest of this entry »

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Our hands-on science team of teachers hit the road and headed to Atlanta for another stop on the 2006 Science Boot Camp Tour. The focus for this Boot Camp was to find creative ways to integrate more science into the teacher’s current curriculum. Among their top concerns was a need for better open-ended inquiry activities that help students learn how to use the scientific method.

Download the Boot Camp Extras HandoutÂ

The large turn out of teachers represented a wide spread in grade levels - pre-K through high school. Dave Edinger attended the Boot Camp from Starr’s Mill High School in Fayetteville, Georgia and commented about his experience talking with a number of teachers who don’t like science because it’s “boring”. He is just one of many teacher trainers out there including Carol Cohen, Andrea Benkel and Tammy Brown who are helping others in the teaching profession rekindle that spark for teaching science. It was also great to see Mary Reik and Chris Freidenstein who have a connection with my televsion co-host in Denver at KUSA-TV, Mark Koebrich. Mary and Chris are Mark’s sisters who are not afraid to attempt any of the demos that Mark tries on television. You can see the video of Chris smacking the eggs into the glasses for the closing demonstration thanks to a cell phone video camera.

What were the marching orders? Devote a minimum of ten minutes a day to teaching science. Give students the opportunity to ask questions, to wonder, to explore and to think like a scientist. The final words were the most important… “Make it big, do it right, give it class!”

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When I asked elementary teachers what would be the best way to teach science, the teachers responded with a no-nonsense approach. “Give us easy science activities that help our students build critical thinking skills… to use the scientific method… and are so engaging that kids want to learn more on their own.”The days of trying to squeeze science in at the last minute are over. We need to stop squeezing and start integrating science with other areas of the curriculum.

Watch the Video

Here are a few articles that illustrate the need for better teaching of real science in today’s classrooms…
Bad News for Elementary Teachers

Stop Squeezing My Science

You Might Be Teaching the Wrong Thing

A Wake-up Call to Parents

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You’re in for a treat today, because I’m posting my very first podcast interview.

Listen in on my discussion with Julie Gintzler, kindergarten teacher extraordinaire and instructor at the Hands-on Science Boot Camp as she shares one of her secrets to teaching science.

Julie doesn’t do diagrams on the board or long dissertations. Her secret is her lab coat. After 18 years of teaching, Julie has finally found something that sparks the kids’ imagination right off. The first time she introduces a science experiment, she wears her tie dyed lab coat. From it she pulls out a gem of the day. It might be a test tube. It might be a magnifying glass. It’s a great way to introduce the tools in a fun and exciting way. The kids know the minute her lab coat goes on, science is just around the corner.

Most lab coats are white. One of my teachers in high school had one with burns all over it. Julie tried a plain white one and the kids were frightened. They thought “doctor”? or “nurse”?. So Julie’s is tie dyed from head to toe in primary colors.

Not only is it a cue that it is time to talk about science, but the children get excited about science. Get them excited when they are young and while their minds are open.

Listen to my podcast interview of science teacher superstar Julie Gintzler

(File size is 1.2 MB) (Show length 5 minutes)

What’s your secret? Is there something you use like Julie’s lab coat to let your students know that they’re in for something special? Click on the comment button to share your ideas.

 

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People often ask how I got excited about science. Who was the great chemist who influenced my life?

I grew up in an unusual family. My first recollection was when I was three years old, peeking through the curtain at the Paramount Theater, watching my dad cut my mother into three pieces. Dad would close the show by eating fire. That my Dad could eat fire had amazing applications to my days in kindergarten - I took my Dad to “show and tell”?.

Growing up in a family of professional magicians, I learned how to think like a magician. Magicians always start with the impossible and move to the possible.

All things are possible. The difference between magic and science is the secret. Unlike magicians, science teachers get to create intrigue and wonder, but also reveal the secret. It is a beautiful approach to use when we are teaching science.

Listen to my podcast on magicians and teachers

(File size is 1.1 MB) (Show length 4 minutes 20 seconds)

 

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