PASCO Returns to Marine World for Science Education Days

PASCO was invited back to Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, California, this spring to help the park conduct a series of science education programs. The park hosted Physics Day April 4, Students on Seafari Day May 2, and Math & Science days on May 9 and 16.

Each day, visiting students participated in various hands-on activities at the PASCO station within the park. Throughout the day, students were challenged to think about how science plays a role in both the park's rides and the environmental factors impacting the habitat and health of its animal life.

Using PASCO's pH and Conductivity Sensors, students compared and contrasted the acidity and salinity of water samples taken from both Dolphin Harbor (salt) and Flamingo Lake (fresh). Using laptops loaded with DataStudio software, students were able to immediately view the results generated from the probes. PASCO representatives then explained the importance of pH levels to aquatic life and the factors that can influence a difference between pH and conductivity measurements.

"The instruments were so easy to use," said Liz Lemings, a life sciences teacher from Hillview Jr. High School in Pittsburgh, Calif., who attended the Math & Science Day May 9. "The students just put the probe in the sample and got instant feedback right in front of them on the computer. The probeware kept students interested; they weren't getting bored trying to comprehend concepts. The DataStudio software made it very easy to understand what they were looking at immediately."

Students also got a chance to measure the turbidity of water samples from various points around the park using PASCO's Turbidity Sensors. The goal was to educate students about the importance of water clarity and how it directly affects animals that depend on water. Students discussed possible factors influencing the levels of turbidity observed; noting that water that is too turbid means less sunlight will penetrate, translating to fewer aquatic plants, less oxygen and higher water temperatures. Students also pondered how different organisms can thrive under very different conditions. During all four science education days at Marine World, students got a unique chance to study the physics behind some of the park's exciting rides by wearing a Probeware Vest containing PASCO's new 3-Axis Acceleration with Altimeter Sensor. After riding their favorite roller coaster, students returned the vest to the PASCO station, where the data they gathered was downloaded. Students then immediately viewed a graph of the acceleration and altitude changes they experienced while on their ride.

"That is the kind of thing that shows them why principles work. They can see the correlation and they actually experienced it and they can remember what they experienced," said Lemings. "Anytime you have them do something where they can touch and feel it, and get an understanding that way, it's very valuable."

Another activity introduced students to the concept of pH by having them measure the pH level of common solutions. They learned the difference between an acid and base, then predicted and categorized samples of tap water, vinegar, baking soda in water, cola, sugar water and detergent water. Most students were amazed that cola was almost as acidic as vinegar!

Students also examined weather during their day at the park using Temperature, Relative Humidity and Barometric Pressure probes. Over the course of the day, students observed changes associated with the clouds, rain, wind and sun.

During Students on Seafari day, students also monitored and compared the relative humidity and temperature of two different terrarium environments, one a desert environment and the other a tropical environment. The students noted lower humidity in the desert terrarium and higher, more variable humidity in the "tropical" terrarium. The students then compared a graph of Temperature vs. Time with a graph of Relative Humidity vs. Time and were encouraged to think about the relationship between temperature and relative humidity.

Sarah Jones, a teacher from Sage Ridge School in Reno, took her students to physics day in April and was then able to convince her school to let her bring her MathCounts club to the park for Math Day in May. "My students just had a fantastic experience!" Jones said.