Kim Higgins of the Science Museum of Minnesota demonstrated the effects of hot water on dry ice while students at St. John’s Lutheran School tried to feel the vapor. The presentation took place on Tuesday, April 1. For more photos of the event, see Page 12B. Photo by Paul Downer (see mnsun.com for more photos)

By Paul Downer

Community Editor

Students at St. John's Lutheran School in Norwood Young America enjoyed a unique opportunity to experience the wonders of science on Tuesday, April 1.

A contingent of staff from the Science Museum of Minnesota made the trip from St. Paul to help teach about 100 local students from grades k-6 about chemistry and the changing of matter through a series of hands-on demonstrations performed in the school's location.

The presentation was titled “Solids, Liquids and Gases,” and students were allowed to participate in several demonstrations.

Individuals were allowed to mix baking soda and vinegar to cause a reaction and create a gas. Others performed the “atom dance” to demonstrate how atoms in solids are tightly packed together, but spread out in liquids and gases.

Kim Higgins, a member of the museum staff who managed the presentation, also demonstrated the effects of dry ice and liquid nitrogen on things like balloons and parsley, and used flash paper to show how fire, or energy, changes matter from one form to another.

Students explored the chemical makeup of solids, liquids and gases and observed how different forms of energy, like fire or other temperature changes, serve to change matter.

The visit was part of the museum's collaborative Chemistry Matters program offered in conjunction with Flint Hills Resources, the sponsoring company. One goal of the program, which reaches schools throughout the state, is to enhance students' interest in the study of matter and energy.

“Chemistry Matters connects learning to life by giving students a fun, first-hand look at how science plays a role in their daily lives,” said Dr. Eric Jolly, president at the Science Museum of Minnesota. “The program's interactive science activities are a great way to support STEM education in our schools.”

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math — subjects that don't always seem the most attractive to young students. The Chemistry Matters program helps to achieve the Department of Education's goal to enrich those subjects by making classes more experimental and connecting them to real-world situations.

“We're excited to bring chemistry presentations to more schools this year and help thousands of Minnesota students explore science in a unique way,” said Diane Schmidt of Flint Hills.

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