By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Throughout the month of March, the Walpole Public Library (WPL) has welcomed Mad Science of Southern Ma & RI every Thursday to present on an array of different science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) topics. Mad Scientist Solar Shelly has taught about Dinosaurs, Worms, and Toys so far, with an upcoming topic of movie effects to finish out the month.
Each Thursday, children in grades Kindergarten through Third file into the library to partake in some fun science-based activities all while receiving a mini lesson at the beginning of each session. Solar Shelly brought a variety of toys, some new and old, and explained how they each worked.
Before starting this class, Solar Shelly made sure to go over the three rules of Mad Science with all of the children. These rules included using their listening ears/raising their hands and waiting to be called on, not touching anything around the room unless being told to do so, and most importantly, have fun!
Within this workshop, little ones were able to test, play, and think about how toys work all while hanging out with some of their friends. Throughout the hour, Solar Shelly discussed toys that use gravity, fiction, and energy, bringing along different examples like a ladder toy and a color changing ball.
After her mini lesson, it was time for the little ones to start playing with some fun toys. Solar Shelly had set up five different stations around the room in which the young scientists would spend about five minutes at each station. Station one included gear toys and balancing blocks, station two had balancing robots and cacti, station three had an assortment of spinning tops, station four included a magnet board with marbles, and station five had race cars that attendees would try to hit into a wooden block.
As everyone played with the toys at each station, Solar Shelly walked around the room, helping anyone out who needed it and explaining how each toy used a part of STEAM to work. All in attendance had an absolute blast within this session and look forward to the last class ahead!
For more information about Mad Science, please visit their website at www.madscience.org.
