"Science Across the Generations" Training Session a Success

"Participating in the Kitchen Science module, the St. Louis Coordinator eagerly awaits the results of making her own batch of homemade ice cream."

April 24, 2003
On April 1-2, SPRY Foundation staff conducted the second annual training session for Science Across the Generations, the foundation's hands-on, intergenerational program in science, mathematics, and technology. Thirty OASIS Center coordinators and directors from the program's 10 pilot cities participated in the training, which was held at The Center at Clayton, Missouri. The OASIS Institute, headquartered in St. Louis, has been a partner with SPRY on this educational project since its inception in 2001.

The two-day training session focused on the science modules, and included three separate activities from Art and Science, Growing a Garden, and Kitchen Science. In the Art and Science activity, participants explored how acids (vinegar) and bases (baking soda) can change the pigment of certain foods and plants that had been rubbed onto heavy paper, and viewed the very colorful results. Participants sifted through soil samples in the Growing a Garden activity, examining the contents both through their senses and with magnifying glasses. The third activity, part of the Kitchen Science module, saw participants concocting their own batches of homemade ice cream.

"Participants from Portland, Oregon test the effects of acids and bases on food and plant samples, from the Art and Science module."

During the training, coordinators shared their "success stories" in leading various workshops in their cities. For example, the Phoenix coordinator arranged to have Science Across the Generations flyers inserted into shopping bags at the May Department store. The Gaithersburg coordinator worked with Washington DC's National Zoo to allow participants to play the role of "vets" and observe zoo activities behind the scenes.

Later, SPRY staff set up five interactive stations to demonstrate activities contained in the following current and upcoming modules: Design of Everyday Things, Making Music, Getting and Staying Healthy, Science and Art, and Weather.

"Participants check their blood pressure while taking part in the activity on making and testing a model of an artery."

Project Manager Lona Choi displayed new Recruitment Kits to be used by OASIS Center coordinators and directors to enlist future participants, and demonstrated the Science Across the Generations website, a platform whereby coordinators can communicate directly with each other to share ideas.