Celebrate National Chemistry Week October 16-22: The Joy of Toys
The Erie Chapter of the American Chemical Society will celebrate “The Joy of Toys” during National Chemistry Week, October 16 through the 22nd.
“We are planning three events for this year’s celebration, the first at the Blasco Library, one at the Millcreek Mall and one at the expERIEnce Children’s Museum,” said Tracy Halmi, lecturer in chemistry at Penn State Behrend and a member of the ACS’ National Chemistry Week advisory committee. “These presentations are always hugely successful in introducing children to chemistry in a way that doesn’t intimidate them. We reinforce the fact that chemistry is part of our everyday world, and not just something you ‘do’ in a laboratory.”
At 7:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 17, Penn State Behrend chemistry students will be at the Blasco Library to lead hands-on demonstrations recreating chemistry found in popular children’s books.
On Saturday, Oct. 22, chemistry students from Penn State Behrend, Allegheny College, Mercyhurst College, Gannon University, Edinboro University, and Pitt-Titusville will be at the Millcreek Mall from 10:00 a.m. until 4 p.m. They will help children participate in experiments celebrating this year’s toy theme.
The ACS student affiliate chapters will wrap up National Chemistry Week on Saturday, Nov. 12, by sponsoring a free admission day at the expERIEnce Children’s Museum, 420 French St. Hours will be from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.. The first 100 children will receive a free glow-in-the-dark flying disk and every child will be given a copy of the ACS publication “Celebrating Chemistry.”
For more information on National Chemistry Week 2005, go to www.chemistry.org/ncw. To learn more about the Erie Chapter’s events, contact Tracy Halmi at tao104@psu.edu or go to http://chemistry.bd.psu.edu/halmi/ncw.