Past Outreach Committee Activities
Biology/Life Sciences
Title: “I Spy DNA!” Learning about and seeing DNA without a microscope.
Partnered with Springfield Urban League.
The goal is to demonstrate the process of scientific enquiry by highlighting key components of
the scientific method. This also serves as a fun introduction to DNA and asks students where
DNA comes from, and if DNA from different sources is the same or different, and whether we
can see DNA when it is isolated. The workshop uses household items to extract DNA from
natural sources including wheat germ, strawberries and sand. We break open the cells from
each source and observe the DNA as it is extracted. The lab runs about 45-1hr.
Chemistry, Physics and Electrical Engineering
Title: “Show me the Lights!”
Partnered with Girls, Inc. Eureka! Program; for 8th grade Girls from Holyoke Public Schools, students came to UMass for Eureka’s
Summer Program to Promote STEM Learning. This partnership is ongoing.
With the focus of “renewable energy,” we developed a workshop that guides students through a little bit
of chemistry to create their own solar cell. Using some basic materials found in our kitchen and some
copper wire, students are able to visually see an oxidation reaction that then allows their solar cell to use
energy from the sun to generate an electrical current that passes through the copper wire. We then
transitioned into how electrical energy is transferred in a basic circuit. Students created their own
“circuit-board.” Students were able to take what they created home with them.
Environmental Engineering
Title: “What’s In Your Water?”
Partnered with Girls, Inc. Eureka! Program
This water quality workshop aims to demonstrate the need for the treatment of water to make it
potable. Students perform simple tests on water samples provided (mainly leaf leachate) as well as
samples of water they bring for the workshop (tap water from home or school, beverages they
consume, etc.). The lab exercise involves groups of students using different water treatment
methods such as adsorption by granular activated carbon, alum coagulation, and household Brita®
water filters. UV spectroscopy is used to compare the effectiveness of the different methods.
Animal Behavior
Title: “Playing with Pillbugs: Experimental Design and Animal Behavior”
Partnered with Girls, Inc. Eureka! Program
In this exercise, students learn about pillbugs (aka roly polys)—a land-dwelling crustacean.
Students begin by observing pillbug behavior and then create hypotheses about habitat and food
preference. Using two connected petri dishes, students create different conditions in the two
dishes and observe pillbugs for 10 minutes to determine which conditions the pillbugs prefer to
inhabit. Pillbugs do not fly, bite, sting, or move quickly, thus making them an approachable
animal to use in this exercise. Given that many experiments can be designed, this lab is very
flexible for amount of time needed.