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Physics & Astronomy

Saturday Science

 

 

Ever wonder what makes a top spin? Or how the stars change in the evening sky? Or what a musical note looks like? Every year, about ninety fifth and sixth-grade children from the Lincoln Public Schools get the chance to answer these and many other questions during the Saturday Science program.

During Saturday Science, the children spend two hours in the UNL Department of Physics and Astronomy for four consecutive Saturdays during the month of February. One hour is spent listening to a presentation by a university faculty member on a specific topic (spinning tops, electricity and magnetism, color and light, to name a few) and then the students spend the second hour working in small groups where they conduct hands-on experiments related to the same concept(s). Each week the lab activities include at least one project that the students make and take home with them.

Undergraduate and graduate physics and education students from UNL and Nebraska Wesleyan work with the children during the hands-on activities. The program at UNL is coordinated by Dr. Cliff Bettis. The running of the program and selection of students is overseen by the Lincoln Public Schools and the coordinators include Lois Mayo and Sue Kirby.

If you would be interested in volunteering to assist with the labs for the next Saturday Science program, please contact Cliff Bettis(cbettis@unlserve.unl.edu, 472-2789).


Saturday Science Programs

1999 Topics Included:

 Tops and Things that Spin

Presenter: Cliff Bettis
Sample activity: Build and experiment with tops

 Electricity and Magnetism

Presenter: Tim Gay
Sample activity: Experiment with static electricity

Structure of Matter

Presenter: Diandra Leslie-Pelecky
Sample activity: Build molecule models

 Color and Light

Presenter: Steve Ducharme
Sample activity: Build a spectroscope


Other Saturday Science Topics:
 Astronomy  Temperature and Pressure
 Sound and Music