The Merlin Science Enrichment Program

Merlin Newsletter

The Merlin Science Enrichment Program is an exciting opportunity for lower school students at Tuscaloosa Academy. Students will have the opportunity to participate in demonstrations and hands-on experiments that complement his or her studies in science. Students will have the chance to interact with peers in both a laboratory and an outdoor setting. Some examples include: learning which foods are acids and bases by making our own litmus paper out of red cabbage; using acids to peel a raw egg; using chemicals to test for fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in common foods; discovering how to blow up a balloon with a banana; studying DNA by learning to extract it from fruit; observing the process of carbonation by adding fizz to our own drinks; learning about the powers of magnetism by making our own electromagnet; discovering how to extract chlorophyll from leaves; observing the power of the sun by building a solar oven; and studying volcanoes and geysers by creating our own.

It is my hope that by letting students “get their hands dirty” and see first hand the “magic” of science that our students will develop a love and excitement for science. An interest in science at a young age often translates into a passion for science as the child grows. If a child has been immersed in science throughout his or her school experience, there is a greater likelihood that they will choose a career in a science related field, such as a career in medicine, biology, chemistry, genetics, engineering, technology, and environmental issues. These careers will be in high demand in the future, and we want to make sure that our students will have the knowledge and training needed to succeed in these fields.

For our program to be a success, we will need a few donations from willing parents. A hot plate to use for our experiments and demonstrations would be appreciated. An aquarium would help our students to observe life inside of our lab. Any stuffed animals that would go along with a wild animal theme would give our lab a “wild” atmosphere. Also, we will always need consumable products for our experiments. Most of the products are commonly found in your home and trash. If you have any of the objects at home, please set them aside for us to use in our learning