A flame retardant towel, floating beach balls, fog rings and a bullet covered with goose mousse of three decades – these are only some of the experiences that dazzled the students of the Quinn primary school on Monday, June 2 during a visit to Hagerman The Wizard.
Sponsored by the school’s PTO, the spectacle mixed the illusion with science in a high energy performance which made the students applaud, hale and applaud the students.
“Technically, I am a modern wizard, but instead of using spells, I use science to create an wonder,” said Hagerman, emphasizing his mission to do STEM, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, exciting for young learners.
The interpreter nominated at the Emmy, whose curriculum vitae includes appearances on “America’s Got Talent” and work with NASA, has spent more than 25 years to visit schools across the country. On Monday, his judgment in Dartmouth presented a series of interactive demonstrations that combined chemistry, physics and a little humor.
A dryer sent two beach balls hovering in the air, teaching pressure and air force. A student stood motionless while a static electricity generator raised his hair to the ceiling. A polystyrene cup seemed to disappear before the students after being plunged into a mysterious chemical product.
And then there was the ball – a large sticky sphere which, according to Hagerman, contains the remains of each cup that he melted throughout his career for several decades.
“It is essentially as a piece of each program he made,” said the fifth year Ava Southworth, 10, who particularly appreciated the electric fog and vortex rings.
“I learned that science, if used in the right way, maybe really fun if you know how to do it,” she said.
For many students, the point to remember was not only the show, it was a new vision of science.
“I think the show was really great,” said Stella Callahan, 11. “My favorite part was the place where the vortex would come to our faces.”
She added: “I learned that science, even if in class, it can be really boring, with science, you could also make it really fun and pleasant.”
Rowen Medeiros, also 11, said that he liked to watch the Polystyrene cup melt and learn the safety of the laboratory. “Science is not always dangerous,” he said, “but you have to be careful about it.”
Sadie Thomas, 7, said that her favorite moment was the demonstration of electricity.
Throughout the performance, Hagerman has focused on safety and curiosity, encouraging students to ask questions, take precautions and, above all, ask you.
“As it is finished, they learned a lot without even realizing it,” he said.