Mad Science Camp

Suzie Harrison

Put on your lab coat, goggles and gloves, and dive straight into

the world of science -- Mad Science.

Mad Science is a program designed to ignite the imagination of

children ages 3 to 12 by providing them with educational and

entertaining scientific activities to help them get a clear

understanding about science and the cause and effect of it.

Jay Broderick, a mad scientist instructor, along with teacher

“Crazy” Chris Slam, explained to the class about the owl and its

digestive system. An owl, he explained, has multiple stomachs that

separate bones and fur from the digestible elements. The stomach that

takes in the indigestible parts forms a pellet that the owl

regurgitates.

Broderick instructed the class as to how they might dissect the

pellet, which was a ball of mud-like-looking substance with “hidden

treasures” inside.

“Eeews” and “gross” could be heard throughout the class as the

amateur scientists looked in distain at the clump they were about to

dissect.

Before the science project began, Broderick passed out gloves and

masks, which also brought protests that were soon forgotten as the

excitement began.

Broderick reminded the scientists to think of their earlier lesson

about what the owl eats.

“Take [the pellet] apart. Inside there might be a skull that is

separated from what they are eating. It’s the stuff the owl doesn’t

like,” Broderick said.

After the pellets were passed out, he also passed around a sheet

with a diagram of the possible bones and findings a young scientist

could discover. They could hold the bone up with their tweezers and

match it to the appropriate body part.

“Be gentle or the bones will turn into bone dust. They’re very

fragile,” warned Slam. “And separate the bones from the fur.”

He demonstrated and ever so gently found a skull within the

roughage.

The class went crazy with excitement about their own findings to

come.

“Remember one hand on the tweezers and one on the pellet and

separate very carefully,” Broderick said.

Soon the scientists made their own discoveries.

“I got a tooth,” yelled Evan Apodaca, 5, showing it proudly to the

class.

Other students could be heard exclaiming their finds.

“I found a hind leg,” one student said. “No, it’s a vertebrae.”

The children were deeply immersed in their task, which was only

broken by waves of excitement after one would declare a find to the

class.

“That looks like a jaw. I’ve seen them all, so try and identify

them yourself,” Broderick said.

Breaking the silence, Evan shouted his latest find.

“I got a skull! Oh, look at this. It’s a whole skull of a mouse.

Look at that. Look at that. I think I see a skull,” Evan shouted.

Slam held it up to the class and pointed out its eye sockets.

“Whoa, I think I have something big here.... This was a hungry

owl,” Evan shouted.

There were 25 children intent on the mission. “Oh my gosh, this is

a tiny bone,” said Claire Gallagher. “It’s a tiny bone. It’s so tiny

I can’t find it anymore. I want to get all the fur off.”

The mad scientists encourage all the younger scientists as the

room was filled with a positive energy of its own.

After carefully examining the pellets, the children put each bone

into a small container so they were able to take them home.

For more information, call (949) 651-903. .