Program Reflection: Phineas L. MacGuire Erupts Volcano Party

At the BCL on Friday I helped to host a Science Party based on the Phineas L. MacGuire books by Frances O'Roark Dowell. We had 27 boys in grades 3, 4, and 5, and many of their caretakers (Moms, Dads, Grandmas, and a couple older brothers) participate.

Ann B, one of the Children's librarians at BCL was the main coordinator, I, as assisting reference Assistant came up with 2 of the 6 stations and the grand finale, and we had 2 invaluable summer inters helping coordinate the volunteers and get the program ready.
The program ran for 2 hours in the spacious meeting rooms of the library.

There was a puzzle race, a trivia table, a book auction, a paper construction table, and my 2 tables: individual volcano (backing soda and vinegar), and flubber (glue, borax, and water).

After getting our high school volunteer set up with the baking soda and vinegar table, I coordinated 6 groups of 4-7 boys making flubber. We observed what the glue and water mixtures looked like, and mixed food coloring in, then we added our borax and water solution and mixed until the reaction occurred. There was about one kid in each group that was hesitant to stick his finger in glue, but once they saw how much fun the other kids were having they dove right in.
Flexibility is required in putting on programs like this-- for example getting the kids to a sink to wash their gooey hands was an unplanned for necessity, but we all did really well with it.

For the grand finale of the program the Summer Intern, Dawn and I went out side the meeting rooms and the kids gathered around the window. Once outside Dawn and I showed the kids the infamous diet cola and Mentos reaction making a soda geyser shooting 25 feet in the air. Not only were the kids and their parents impressed, but also many people walking along the street.

I've done several special book programs, and this one has been my favorite so far. Mush in thanks to the planning of the librarian, and interns, and the maturity of the kids.
This is defiantly a program we can repeat parts of in the future.