It was CHILDREN’S Day with a difference!

We brought SCIENCE out of the school books and invited the kids to a Lab of Scientific Fun!

We celebrated Children’s Day a week earlier, to void unforeseeable circumstances on the 11th due to the volatile political situation in Bangkok.

With ice-cream, snacks, and large bag filled with baking soda, dishsoap, aluminium foil, cornstarch, marbles, Coca-cola, vinegar, balloons, sticks, cups, we were in for an unconventional ‘class’ with the children from the Emergency Shelter!

Kelly Orosz, a science teacher from Los Angeles, arranged this activity with CTM , to bring a new perspective to the subject of science to the schoolaged kids at the Shelter.

After a sweet introduction with the cups of Cremo ice-cream all passed out to the children, teens and the women there, we proceeded with “class time for just 20 of the older kids, with the little ones around to enjoy the effects of the experiments.

First off, Kelly introduced the power of observation with a paper print-out where the kids had to find the objects . After that initial practice, Kelly then offered them a beautiful teddy stuffed with a number of marshmallows which they had to use their observation powers to assess the quantity in the bear.

With everyone cautiously guessing between 20-40, the prize of the whole Teddy & marshies went to Nong Oratai, who guessed 100 which was the closest to the answer of 71.

The kids then went on to understand more scientific concepts with Kelly’s experiments like the changing properties of matter from solid to liquid with cups of cornstarch; the physics of putting a stick through a balloon without popping it…etc..

We had some creative fun when the kids were all given some aluminium foil and challenged to make a boat capable of holding a number of marbles. The boat modeled with the best buoyancy would win a prize. One by one, the boats made were tested – some sank with just one marble ! The boat by Nong Otop won the prize as we loaded up 25 marbles on her flatbed boat!

To top off this fun-filled morning of Science, Kelly took everyone outside for the ‘Volcanic Eruption’ when they saw what happens in the chemical reaction when Coke is added to a mixture of dishsoap, vinegar & baking soda! Let’s hope the kids don’t try this one in the Shelter’s kitchen!

During and after the experiments, the kids also enjoyed a variety of nuts and crackers from Tong Garden as well as Glico Pocky sticks!

Soon our class came to an end but imagine if all science classes were like that! The kids were wanting more! Thanks to Kelly, the children can now appreciate Science, or at least its fun applications!