Fourth graders at the Springs School went on a field trip to the Liberty Science Center and Planetarium in Jersey City last Thursday.
This trip was supposed to happen on Feb. 6, but inclement weather forced them to reschedule, and because of the delay, students were even more eager to explore interesting things about the planet on which they live. For instance, because they were at the planetarium in the morning, a worker there showed them what the sky would look like later that evening.
“It was awesome! I liked how all the exhibits were different from each other,” said Luke Cinelli, a student. “And we got to touch everything. I was never so excited to go to school in my life.” Students weren’t only there for fun. They learned a lot about space and science. They learned about a star that may explode. This star is called Betelgeuse (pronounced Beetle Juice), and it’s huge, bigger than the sun.
When asked about the trip from a teacher’s point of view, Jenna Rocker said, “It was amazing and so engaging. I love how there were some hidden exhibits. It made exploring so much more fun. One of these exhibits I loved was all about the mathematics of a Rubik’s Cube.” She also said that the kids were learning about science and math and didn’t even realize it because it was so fun. “I think the students definitely enjoyed being able to touch the things in the museum, instead of just being able to look. They were constantly playing and wanted to go explore.”
Additionally, students had the opportunity to look at Rube Goldberg machines, which create a domino effect. Picture a ball being dropped on a lever causing thousands of dominoes to topple. A final highlight of this trip was when students walked through a tube of Styrofoam that was used to create sound waves that they could see.
By Addison Cinelli and
Julia Stillman, Grade 6