Murdock students show off their class lessons

The Murdock Elementary School auditorium was lighted up Monday night with the sights and sounds of science in motion.

So too were the eyes of students who assembled a human brain or peered into a microscope while exploring the exciting world of science, fitness and the human body.

The Explorit Family Science Night program drew dozens of students, along with parents and siblings, to learn the effect of tobacco on human lungs, to see just how much sugar goes into a 2-liter bottle of soda or discover how dominant and recessive genetic traits subscribe to how they look.

"It's pretty cool," said Brandon Coats, 9, a Murdock fourth grader, as he held up a model of a fat-clogged human artery. "It's a lot of fun for families."

The Family Science Night is a program of Explorit Science Center of Davis.

Monday's traveling science museum was funded by a donation from the Murdock Parent Teachers Organization.

"This program has come a lot of times to Williams, where I teach," said PTO member Monica Harrigan, who organized the event. "I thought it would be nice to have the science program here so our kids could enjoy this experience."

Students were given a passport to enter the many stations, on which they documented their experiments, drew pictures and wrote a brief description of what they learned.

"I liked the physical fitness the best because I'm pretty active in sports," said Sheyenne Munguia, 11, whose father is a member of the Willows Unified school board.

Students also learned about the nervous system, healthy lifestyles and nutrition, healthy teeth and bones, muscles of the body, the human brain, heart, stomach and digestive system.

At each station, students had their passbook stamped by a Willows High School student volunteer, who also helped students and their parents understand the experiment.

"The whole thing is fantastic and it's interactive," said Willows senior Amanda Alves, who helped students understand air particles and pollution. "I want to be a teacher, so I enjoy interacting with the kids. Volunteering was a great opportunity I couldn't pass up."

Students who returned their completed passports at the end of the evening were given a coupon for one free admission to the Explorit Science Center in Davis, said PTO member Gina Taylor.

Explorit is a family-friendly science museum and nature site that engages children and adults in hands-on science discovery.

Willows Unified School District Superintendent Mort Geivett praised the Parent Teacher Organization for bringing the Family Science Night to the school on Monday and the organization's dedication to making Murdock a great educational experience for youth.

"This is a great program," Geivett said. "It is something that we can offer kids and their parents that is fantastic."

CONTACT Susan Meeker at 934-6800 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.