Kids moved from station to station at WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology and crossed off a checklist as they extracted DNA from strawberries, watched the fizzy reaction of vinegar dissolving in a colorful mixture of baking soda, blue paint and glitter and held sheep brains in their hands.
At one station kids turned on a small LED light using copper wires and nails attached to lemons.
“This is crazy,” one kid said as he switched on the red light bulb.
WonderLab’s “Scientist for a Day” event Monday was a collaboration with Alpha Chi Sigma, IU’s professional chemistry fraternity, to help children learn about scientific achievements and science they can do.
As they played around with hands-on activities, the children learned about scientists like Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Marie Curie, Jane Goodall, Marie Tharp and Nikola Tesla.
Alpha Chi Sigma member Athena Tran, who is a junior studying biology and neuroscience, said the purpose of the event is to expose kids to a wide range of scientific fields, including chemistry, biology, physics and geology.
“A lot of our members cover a spectrum of fields, and this event covers a wide variety of topics,” Tran said.
The event also emphasized the achievements of women and minorities in science instead of just white male scientists, she said.
“We want to show kids that science is a field that anyone can be part of,” Tran said.
For example, the event included information on Rosalind Franklin’s discovery of the helix structure of DNA, which is often overlooked as people focus on James Watson and Francis Crick, who initially learned about DNA structure from Franklin.
The hands-on activities show children simplified versions of actual things, such as DNA extraction, scientists do in labs, Tran said.
At one station, kids mashed strawberries in a plastic bag filled with a combination of dish soap, salt and water. As they put the strawberry mixture through a strainer and added rubbing alcohol, members of Alpha Chi Sigma showed them how to extract the thin layer of DNA with a toothpick.
Junior Josh Noll, who is studying psychology and neuroscience, said this is a simple activity that kids can recreate at home.
Leslie Wright, who came to the event with her 12-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son, said she thinks this event will be memorable for her children. She said she liked how they can continue learning and experimenting at home.
“It’s a great experience with the hands-on activities to see science in action,” Wright said.
Steve Tait, an IU professor of chemistry and faculty advisor to Alpha Chi Sigma, said it is important to give children the chance to interact with young people who are going into scientific fields.
“They can know that science is a career path they can pursue if they are excited by it,” he said.
Heather Bozzo, who came with her 4-year-old daughter, said it was their first time at WonderLab.
“She’s super excited to be here,” she said as her daughter sent a marshmallow flying through the air with a catapult made of Popsicle sticks.
Noll said his favorite part about the event is watching the kids’ reactions.
“I like seeing how fascinated they are,” Noll said. “That’s how I was as a kid, and I can see it in their eyes.”
