A SUPER slimy lesson

Slime was on the minds of pupils at E.J. Blott Elementary.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HE WIDE-EYED KIDS screamed words of encouragement to "chemistry detective" Lindsay Brown.
Their goal was to discover the whereabouts of the missing ingredients of super slime.
As an outreach demonstrator for the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Brown demonstrated to 342 pupils at E.J. Blott Elementary School in Liberty on Wednesday the wonders of chemistry.
"That was cool," 7-year-old Robert England, a second-grader, said after the demonstration.
During the program for second-, third- and fourth-grade pupils, kids assisted Brown, who has a background in environmental science, in finding the fixings for green-colored slime.
During "It's Simply Chemistry," Brown showed the excited children how to identify various clear liquids and white substances using scientific methods, such as pH testing and equipment.
Success!
Through the program, complete with the help of simulated television breaking news stories, the slime ingredients were found.
After the 45-minute presentation, the pupils broke into groups, going to various stations where volunteer parents were instructors.
At one station, students made their own slime, which had the appearance of Jell-O.
Combining sodium tetraborate and polyvinyl alcohol and a quick stir makes slime. Food coloring provided various colors.
At other stations, the children learned how to measure, how to use a microscope to identify various substances, how to write an invisible message and make it appear, and how to heat and cool liquids through the use of endothermic and exothermic reactions.
Samantha Beckinger, 7, and Tyler Snow, 8, said they especially liked using chemistry to heat and cool liquids.
Sharing information
Eight-year-old Christian Reese said he was impressed with what he had seen, noting he would take home what he had learned to share with his parents. Christian said his parents would be interested in the learning experience.
When Dontre Adams, an 8-year-old second-grader, was asked what he learned, he responded, "How to make goo."
Dontre said he could understand how chemistry could be useful to him.
COSI provides an atmosphere to discover more about science, industry, health and history through exhibits and demonstrations.
yovich@vindy.com