Making science fun after school
Starr Hernandez, 13, of Moses Lake, right, closes her eyes as a bottle with air and water releases built up pressure during a science lesson at the Boys & Girls Club Thursday. Instructor Matt Wood, left, does the same.
MOSES LAKE - Giggles and squeals of surprise mark Thursdays at the Boys & Girls Club on Arnold Drive.
Student teachers from Heritage University spend an hour each Thursday teaching children at the club about science.
Heritage adjunct John Bartkowski supervises the student teachers and gets a kick out of the lessons that present the wonders of science in a fun lesson.
"This is a unit on water," Bartkowski said. Surface tension, buoyancy and other water-related lessons are all part of a semester of Thursdays spent at the club.
Bartkowski said Heritage has done science lessons with students in Moses Lake for the last three years but this is the first year it's being done at the Boys & Girls Club.
"The benefit of having it here is that this is a much more conducive setting to separate the groups," Bartkowski said.
For middle school students like Starr Hernandez, 13, of Moses Lake, the science lessons are a way to couple fun and learning.
"My favorite thing is to do the tests," Hernandez said. "I've been coming for three weeks."
Hernandez said she heard about the program from a student advisor at school.
"It sounded pretty cool and I wanted to join in," Hernandez said.
For instructor Matt Wood, the class gives him a chance to work with students in the real world.
"My wife teaches and I love working with kids," Wood said.
While earning his teaching certificate, Wood is also a substitute teacher.
He called the move toward becoming a teacher a "natural fit."
"Last week, they did the Mentos in water," Bartkowski said. "That is always fun."
For more information about the science classes or the Boys & Girls Club, call 509-762-5832.