U of U field trip

Last Wednesday, I was able to go with Michelle's classes on a field trip to the University of Utah. I don't usually get to go on field trips but this one was held during my spring break, so I was able to attend. Michelle's partner was her best friend Liliana. They giggled and talked and did hand clapping rhymes on the bus. Then we arrived at the U and headed to the chemistry department.

(Sadly, I do not have pictures of the field trip... my sweet Ella decided to delete about 100 pictures taken over the past week, including all of our Easter pics and the field trip.:( Oh well!)

Three chemistry students and their professor showed the kids some experiments. They showed "elephant's toothpaste" that bubbled and expanded. They showed how the air in a balloon would expand and contract based on the amount of heat in the air. They also had dry ice and showed that you can freeze flowers and apples and since they both contain water, they will break once frozen. The kids oohed and aahed. (Picture Michelle with an expression of amazement, on her tiptoes in order to see over the other children's heads.)

Then each child got some playdough and put on safety goggles (picture Michelle with bright red and yellow safety goggles) and built a mini-volcano. They have been studying earthquakes and volcanoes, and Michelle has been telling me all about vulcanologists for the past two weeks. Then the chemistry students came around and added baking soda, a couple of drops of dish soap and then about a Tablespoon of vinegar. And the kids watched their volcanoes erupt, learning about chemical reactions. (Picture Michelle's eyes widening as her volcano bubbles and erupts.) The chemistry students explained that many different things make chemical reactions and that it is really interesting to see the effects, but that you shouldn't mix chemicals at home because some reactions are dangerous.

Then we walked across campus to a geography/geology classroom. They talked about what geography means and why geography is important and useful. Then the geography grad students talked about what UT is like and had a map on the board. Then each child used dough to make a relief map of Utah. They used green dough to make the mountains (shaped like little triangles) and they told the students about both the Wasatch mountains, which are part of the Rocky Mountains, and the Oquirrh mountains, the only east-west mountain range in the US. (I didn't know that. Cool!) Then the students used blue dough to make the Great Salt Lake. Red dough to make the red desert of southern Utah and to make an arch. And more blue dough to make a river. The maps were great. (Picture Michelle rolling and shaping dough to make each part, concentrating so it will look just right.) Then each grad student told a little about what they were studying... one studies snow to predict and learn more about avalanches. One is studying traffic and bike patterns in Salt Lake. One is studying climate change. I can't remember what the fourth was studying exactly, but they were all studying different things and it was very interesting. The kids were impressed, and were all so excited to go to college. Then lunch was provided (as part of the grant for Adelante which pays for these field trips and pays for college students to spend considerable amounts of time each week tutoring at Michelle's school and provides other activities.) The professor that heads up Adelante came and spoke to them, welcoming them to the University and saying that the University president welcomed them and wanted to be there but was unable to make it. He talked about the importance of going to college and how they each could do it. He had them each raise their hand to pledge that they would go on to the university. It was a great field trip, and it is so cool to hear little six and seven year olds talking about "when I go to University, I will...."

Anyway, it was a great day. I'm so glad I was able to go with Michelle.