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Magical Night For Students, Parents

Tribune photo by LOIS KINDLE.

Paleontologist Frank Garcia offers a fossil to first-grader Eduardo Garza, 7, nad his younger brother, Daniel, who came to Science Magic Night with their mother, Maria.

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By LOIS KINDLE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 24, 2008

RUSKIN - Cypress Creek Elementary School teachers and students worked a bit of magic May 15 for the school's last family night event.

Science Magic Night "was a huge success," said Gail Greenmun, lead resource teacher and event coordinator. "I'd guess there were about 500 people in attendance."

"Science Magic Night introduced parents to our science curriculum through fun and exciting experiments and activities," she said. "We also showed parents how we integrate science into reading, math, music, physical education and art.

"Making family-school connections has the biggest positive impact on student success. Having fun with it is an extra."

Culminating the school's series of family nights, the evening of interactive games and demonstrations began with second-graders singing a selection of environmentally friendly tunes, including a dance by Mariyah Rodriguez, 8, and poetry reading on butterflies by Kendal Walker, 8. Ending the performance was the release of live butterflies the children had observed and nurtured through stages of development.

Staff members from the Museum of Science & Industry presented Physics Fun, a variety of experiments demonstrating physical forces, and Shocking Truth, a program on various forms of electricity. Both included student participation.

In the library, families got a look at 700 pieces of student artwork and the most exciting books of the year in the school's Scholastic Book Fair.

Demonstrations included black lights, bubbles galore, homemade rockets and erupting volcanoes. Dolly Cummings of Camp Bayou brought along microscopes and aquatic critters from the Little Manatee River so the children could try to identify their finds. Ruskin historian Fred Jacobsen taught youngsters how to make pinch pots, pre-Colombian coasters and medicine bags. Paleontologist Frank Garcia displayed and gave away fossils from Camp Bayou's Paleo Preserve.

"It was a wonderful event," said music teacher Ellen Kleinschmidt. "The whole idea behind family night is to get parents into the school by having their children perform or be involved in activities because when they do, good things happen.

"It's another example of what's good about Hillsborough County schools."

Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 865-1553 or lkindle@tampatrib.com.

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