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The Raves
Doug Scheer brings Wacky Science to Meadows
March 20, 2003 page 15A
By Ramez Khuri
Staff WriterDoug Scheer of "Scheer Genius Productions" returned to Novi Meadows elementary on Thursday to entertain and educate sixth graders with a show called "Wacky Science," which is only on of 10 different shows that he puts on in the state of Michigan.
"This is a science show. It’s not a magic show," Scheer said. "We teach the kids science experiments. Most kids look at science and say, ‘Oh wow, it’s a magic trick, cool. How fun is that?’ What I’m doing is relating magic to science in the fact that they’re both mysteries."
Scheer’s Web site describes "Wacky Science" as a high-energy show which invites more than 15 students on stage to discover that they can use simple household items to perform amazing science experiments.
"Science, of course, has simple explanations, and what we are doing is detailing those explanations through the show using science principles that the kids are familiar with from their elementary science curriculum," Scheer said. "It works our really well."
Some of the lessons that kids learn during the show include chemical reactions, levers, optical illusion, science careers, physical, mathematical and life sciences, air pressure, famous scientists, astronomy, botany, zoology, The Scientific Method, pressurized gas, Bernoulli’s Principle, everyday science and stinky dinosaurs.
"This assembly was funny and it was cool," he said sixth grader Chris Reynolds. "I liked the magic parts, that was cool. I learned that you can make magic out of ammonia. You can make water turn pink."
Scheer explained that he started this particular show back in 1987 when Dow Chemical approached him to do a fun science show."They commissioned me to go to all the Flint, Saginaw, and Bay City Schools and develop this science program for them. When that grant ran out I started doing it on my own around the state," he said. And the show focuses attention on Michigan’s elementary science curriculum."We talked about four sciences" the physical, the life, the mathematical and social sciences. But the main focus is on physical sciences, we do chemistry, we talk about levers, we do air pressure experiments, but I make it all fun--even for the teachers."
Scheer used a lever to lift three kids into the air, he made a ping pong ball float in the air by using air pressure and he shoved a balloon into a jar using air pressure as well. "We talked about acid base indicators, which is part of their curriculum right now," he said. "It ties in with what they do in class but I add a lot of comedy to it. The idea is to get the kids to laugh because when they laugh they experience an emotion and that emotion can help the information lock into their brains, so it works out well."
For more information on Scheer Genius Productions, visit www.assemblyshows.com.
Need more information? Give us a call. There’s a school in your district that’s already seen these programs.
We’ll just let them brag for us.
