Costa Rica
Sample Experiments from Costa Rica -- October 2002

Overview

Holbrook recently sponsored its second Field-Based Learning Seminar in Selva Verde, Costa Rica. PASCO was proud to be asked once again to participate in this four-day event and assist educators in conducting hands-on, inquiry-based science.

For an overview of the event’s activities, please visit our write-up from the first seminar in February.

Teachers' Seminar

Teachers from across the U.S. participated in the Field-Based Learning Seminar. Our experienced naturalist guides, Paulo, Edwin and Rudolpho, shared information about their native country as we explored the incredible biodiversity of its flora and fauna. Using PASCO's equipment, we were not only able to see the beauty of Costa Rica, but also measure many environmental factors that make this part of the world unique. With the cooperation of the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center and local nature guides, we plan to conduct year-round measurements and post the results on the Internet for people around the world to see.

The Learning Center

Above, a student measures light intensity using the Xplorer datalogger and a Light Sensor.

The PASCO equipment that was donated to the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center last February has been used throughout the year by visiting teachers and students, as well as by local school children. The PASCO probeware activities below are available at the center for rainforest experiments:

• Cut Humidity with a Knife
• Electrifying Fruit
• Keeping it Natural
• Temperature . . . It's Everywhere
• Under Pressure
• Volcano Vertigo
• Go with the Flow
• Let There Be Light
• Salinity in the Soil

		An experiment titled "Electrifying Fruit" demonstrates that energy stored in certain kinds of food can also be converted into electricity. A piece of fruit such as a banana or pineapple can produce a voltage when electrodes made of different metals (copper & zinc) are placed into the fruit.
"Electrifying Fruit"	Enlarge Graph