For well over twenty years, Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) has hosted an annual Science Carnival at Pohl Gymnasium for local second and third grade students across Lowndes, Oktibbeha, and Clay counties to encourage an early interest in science education. This year also included Pickens County.
This year, over 800 elementary school students participated in the interactive, science-oriented carnival. Current juniors and seniors at MSMS performed a host of different scientific demonstrations to the delight of the elementary school students watching. While the specific exhibits change slightly from year to year, the focus remains on key scientific principles such as inertia, electricity, the metrics system, properties of water, and color and light manipulation.
In addition to exciting exhibits and hands-on workshops for students, teachers received a guidebook that details inexpensive ways to incorporate science-based learning into their classroom instruction. The guidebook contains experiment ideas, sample lesson plans, and science instruction best practices.
Every current MSMS student plays an important role in the carnival. Some students serve as presenters for specific exhibits, while others serve as guides and greeters. Still others volunteer to assist with event setup and teardown. Not only is the Science Carnival a great way for MSMS students to share their love of science with local students, it is also an invaluable lesson for them on the importance of community activism.