Hands- on science for students and parents
North Shoreview Montessori School has partnered with Iridescent, a nonprofit team of engineers, scientists, anthropologists and educators, to host a four- week Family Science engineering program.
The first week, 150 children and parents built paper birds and learned about aerodynamics and flight. Last Tuesday, the session explored the concept of power amplification and conservation of energy. They made models out of Popsicle sticks and rubber bands that stored energy and then released it through horizontal, vertical or rotary motion.
“Personally, I feel science is a great medium whereby child and parent can co- construct together with equal roles versus the typical role of parent as deliverer of information,” said Tara Valentine, teacher at North Shoreview Montessori. “People learn best through construction of their own understanding of an experience.”
This week’s session is on truss structures and learning from spiders.
“An outsider who walked into North Shoreview Montessori’s gymnasium on a Tuesday in November would immediately be struck by the fact that even at 6 p. m., after busy school and work days, 80 K2 students and their families are completely immersed in their task of building something that is inspired by an animal in nature,” said Anne Brocchini, a North Shoreview Montessori parent. “There is an excited buzz as some kids test out their designs while others continue to improve on theirs. Iridescent Science has locked into a teaching model where less really is more, and the families leave energized and ready for more.”
Family Science is Iridescent’s free after- school program that enables elementary- aged children to do hands- on science and engineering projects with their families in classes taught by trained engineers. Started at University of Southern California in 2006, it has reached 16,000 children, parents and engineers nationwide. Family Science has been taught for six years in Los Angeles and New York City. This is the first time it has come to the Bay Area. Once the program is over, families can continue building together on the free hands- on engineering website, Curiosity Machine ( www.curiositymachine.org).
For more information on Iridescent, its programs and future projects, go to www.iridescentlearning.org.
Information night
At 6 p. m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, the San Mateo- Foster City School District will hold its annual Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Magnet School Information Night in the Bayside Performing Arts Center, 2025 Kehoe Ave., San Mateo. Parents can choose to attend their school of assignment, apply to transfer to another school within the district, or can choose a magnet school.
Parents who are new to the district are encouraged to attend this event and receive information on required registration documentation such as immunizations and proof of address. Spanish translations will be provided.
If you have a prekindergarten or kindergarten-aged child, now is the time to ask for your district’s registration information.