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Students Get Charged With MOSI

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By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

IN THE LOOP

Published: January 28, 2009

Electricity is no longer as much of a mystery to students at Double Branch Elementary School.

A group of kindergartners and first-graders at the Wesley Chapel school learned a thing or two about electricity and lightning from Kurt Kuechenberg, coordinator for science outreach at the Museum of Science & Industry during a Jan. 16 presentation at the school.

"I want to show them how electricity can be fun and interesting," Kuechenberg said. "When they see the sparks that are a foot long, there is a real wow factor but they get to learn about it in a safe way. I am also going to teach them some lightning safety basics."

Janelle Brett, a first-grade teacher, said she thought the lesson from MOSI would help reinforce what students are learning in class.

"They are not just reading from a book," Brett said. "When they can see a real live demonstration, they remember it better. This week was science week so students were doing lab experiments, lab projects and we even had a family science night."

Some students enjoyed the science week more than others, like first-grader Jenna Kensicki.

"I learned this week that science is cool," Kensicki said. "At science night, I learned that sometimes science can be like magic."

Mackenzie Sholl, another pupil in Brett's class, said she not only enjoyed the demonstration but she also learned something.

"It was really awesome," Sholl said. "I liked when the lightning came from the wand she (another student) was holding. Today, I learned that you can't play with electricity because it can hurt you very badly."

Reporter Suzanne M. Schmidt can be reached at (813) 948-4288 or sschmidt@mediageneral.com.

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