Author: Ronen Mir – Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
This performance is the life story and discoveries of Albert Einstein through spectacular science demonstrations that have been developed to meet the need for connecting daily life phenomena with its scientific substance.
Using daily objects, one learns about Astrophysics, Atmospheric Physics, Newton’s Laws, Gravity, Chemistry, Waves and Sound, Fire and Ballistics. The performances use lots of humour, surprising effects, and awe-inspiring actions. The audience is an active participant contributing to the science demonstration. The participants take home ideas for safe experiments they can use to demonstrate science.
This performance has been successfully performed in the US, South Africa, Ethiopia, Brazil and Israel, for science professionals and teachers, policy makers, grandparents and grandchildren programs, and school assemblies of all ages.
Science Demonstrations – Science demonstrations are older than science museums. They were brought to the forefront of entertainment from the XVI century onwards. Today they are used to convey messages about science and modern research in science museums and informal learning environments.
Connecting science to daily life – Science is sometimes taught in schools and delivered to the public detached from their lives. Yet there is so much science in everything we develop and do; our entire existence is based on science. These science demonstrations visually demonstrate and explains the deep roots and explanations of everyday phenomena in science.
Making science accessible and fun – Everyone can do experiments. Studying about our world is interesting and can be a lot of fun. These science demonstrations are full of humour, delivering surprising effects using food, water, fire, wind and air.
The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.
Presentation type: Perfomance
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Teaching science communication