Outreach & ChemClub
Carnival of Chemistry, 2009
You may view or download the flyer here.
It’s not every day that kids get a chance to enter the slime pit, watch frozen flames, and have their faces painted all in the name of learning.
Those are just some of the fun-filled activities scheduled for the Carnival of Chemistry this weekend at the University of Kansas. KU faculty and students created the carnival, now in its fourteenth year, to celebrate the American Chemical Society’s National Chemistry Week. The theme of this year’s chemistry week is “Chemistry -It's Elemental!.”
Graduate students Tina Edwards and Anne Regel demonstrate
the chemistry of lung capacity and describe the science behind
athletic shoes.
Faculty and student volunteers will aim to highlight the fun, interactive side of chemical science this Sunday, Nov. 22nd, at KU's Annual Carnival of Chemistry. When scientists are deeply engaged in the intellectual, abstract thought that accompanies progress in their profession, they are prone to forget that visual and audible displays of science are most likely to spark a youngster's interest in chemistry. The scientists and student scientists who volunteer on Sunday will put away their textbooks and journal articles and re-connect with the observation-driven side of their profession.
Students who visit this years Carnival will have opportunities to make observations using nearly all of their senses: they will make slime, play with non-Newtonian fluids, learn about phase changes, operate solar panels, study the interplay between the frequency and wavelengths of light, and much more. The carnival will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. this Sunday, November 22, at Malott Hall. The events are free and open to the public.
More than 500 elementary and middle school students and their parents are
expected to attend, said Dave Benson, associate professor of chemistry at KU
and one of the carnival organizers.
“We hope to show the kids how important chemistry is in every day life,
and that chemistry can be fun,” Benson said. Along with the ever-popular
slime pit, where kids learn how to make their own slime, other hands-on activities
and demonstrations include:
- A demonstration of Frozen Flames
- A Cookie Walk of the Elements
- The Chemistry Magic Show
- The Popcorn Room, which reveals the secret of why popcorn loses weight when popped!
- Games, Prizes, and Activities for the whole family
Attendees of previous Carnivals will be pleased to know that there will be brand-new hands-on exhibits once again this year. Chemistry grad student Tina Edwards is directing the creation of several brand-new exhibits featuring chemical elements, which are organized and unified in the Periodic Table of the Elements, one of the most widely recognized icons in all of science. The Periodic Table was conceived 140 years ago by chemistry textbook author Dmitri Mendeleev.
Parking is free and available in parking lot 90 – Naismith Drive and 18th Street – and lot 62 – Sunnyside Avenue and Illinois Street. Parking also is available in the lots near Memorial Stadium or the Parking Garage next to the Kansas Union.
The carnival is sponsored by the Wakarusa Valley Local Section of the American Chemical Society, The KU ACS Student Affiliates (KU CHEM CLUB), and the KU Department of Chemistry.
KU Chemistry Club
The KU Chemistry Club is dedicated to spreading chemistry love and awareness throughout the University and community. Follow the link above to learn more about Chemistry Club.
top