Last November I wrote two blog articles about performing science shows at Hutchings Psychiatric Hospital. In the first article I explained what the experience was like for me, and the preparations I made before the shows. In the second article I outlined some of the reasons I thought the shows were a success. Here we are almost one year later, and last week I had the pleasure, thanks to financial support from OnCare, to work with the Hospital's patients again. This experience was as successful as last year's, and I'd like to share some thoughts.
Well, the first thing I really thought about going into this was what demonstrations to bring. The MOST has a number of demonstrations that are designed to be fun and interactive. I could choose from bubble tricks, how to crush a can using air pressure, the science behind sound and music, the amazing properties of liquid nitrogen, or several other engaging demonstrations. Last year, the patients loved meeting the museum's pet turtle and learning about the science of sound and music. This time I decided to try the show I had been performing at the libraries this summer. Beyond Dreams: The Real Science of the Night focuses on nocturnal animals and astronomy. Acting out firefly light codes and using echolocation to chase down volunteer mosquitoes was a sure thing with the younger patients, but I wasn't so sure about the teen group. I would have to think of something to spice it up a little.
The young children's show went great. There were less than ten kids, all who looked to be in the 7-12 range. They were interested in the subject, excited to volunteer, and curious about everything. As part of the show I brought a live Madagascar hissing cockroach. This was a big hit. When I first revealed the cockroach, some of the kids said they were scared and didn't want me to get near them with it, and certainly didn't want to touch it. By the end of the show I think every one of them not only got up close to the insect, but asked to touch it as well. Kids have such a natural interest in animals, and even though a part of them was afraid, the opportunity to touch the insect was too good to pass up. Hopefully, overcoming their fear added a confidence boost for the day. Having a small group of kids was key to the success of the show. It allowed for an informal atmosphere and enough time for the patients to change their minds a couple of times regarding the cockroach. If I am at a school with say 30 or 40 students in line to touch the cockroach, there may not be enough time for them to change their mind.
 |
| The MOST's Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Photographed by Dustin Angell |
The show for the adolescent group was another success. I have personally performed around 150 traveling science shows in 2012 so far, but only a very small number included teenagers in the audience. This was a chance to work outside of my normal comfort zone with an age group that is often skeptical of planned learning activities. I think that challenge was part of the reason why a successful show for this age group meant so much to me. I believed that nocturnal animals, star gazing, and astronomy are science topics for all ages, but I also knew how carefully I would have to "pitch" or "package" these topics to sell the teens on them. When working with young kids my approach is simple: I demonstrate my own amazement and wonder with science and the natural world and give them a chance to participate. That is really all it takes. With the teens I tried something different.
Before becoming a science educator I was trained in college as a photographer. Since I was a child I have felt that art was a calling for me. In fact I still do, and the Beyond Dreams show utilizes a lot of my own photography work. Fortunately, the first slide in the show is a photograph of mine, so I was able to introduce this side of myself. I asked if any of them were interested in photography and about half put their hands up. I explained that I used a lot of my own photography in the show and would be happy to answer any questions about it, which I did end up doing.
When it came to the parts of the show where audience members volunteered to help me act out certain things, I was careful to discard some of the more childish parts. The cockroach was a hit again, and I think just about everyone ended up touching it.
 |
| Screenshot from Stellarium |
What really got the attention of the adolescents was the astronomy section. I don't think I showed them anything specifically that really astonished or excited them. I think it the topic of astronomy did that all on its own. I do many planetarium shows at the MOST, but don't usually use astronomy as a topic as part of the traveling science program. However, it seems that whenever I do show astronomy images or use the free computer program Stellarium to teach about constellations, the audience can't get enough. They just boil over with questions. The show for the adolescent group ended up having an extra 10-15 minutes of question time. The patients seemed to forget themselves and their problems, and for those few minutes they were concerned with something much bigger than themselves or even the Earth. I was enjoying myself so much that I could have continued answering questions all day, but the patients needed to move on with their schedule.
I can't say that the patients will go home and start listening for owls, watching for bugs, or looking for constellations. I don't really know what long term effect these 45 minute shows have. But I do know that during both shows I saw kids enjoying a learning experience that aimed at empowering them with knowledge and confidence. A room full of any kids doing this feels like a success to me, but when the kids are hospitalized psychiatric patients it seems like a step in the right direction, and even a move towards healing.
