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There is nothing quite like a hands-on experiment to bring science concepts to life, and this week, our students across multiple grade levels dived into the fascinating world of fluids using a classic favorite: Oobleck!

This year, Teacher Denny Ballough has expanded his role from Lower School Science teacher to lead science instruction across both the Lower and Middle School divisions—following in the footsteps of his mother, T. Daryl Ballough, who previously taught Middle School science. Denny brings a rich variety of experience to our community as an educator, local entrepreneur, and musician, and our students are benefiting from his dynamic approach to experiential learning.

This week, T. Denny guided students through gooey, engaging experiments tailored directly to their current units:

• Grades 2-3: As they prepare to kick off their measuring and weighing unit, students got a practical introduction to ratios. They learned that using about 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water is a great starting ratio, discovering firsthand how adjusting measurements alters the mixture.
   
• Grades 7-8: For our Middle School students, Oobleck served as an exciting launchpad for their upcoming Chemistry unit. They explored key concepts like viscosity, shear stress, and the distinction between Newtonian and Non-Newtonian fluids—even experimenting with different ratios at the end of class to see how altering the mixture changed its behavior.
   
• Grade 1: Our youngest scientists are currently studying States of Matter, making Oobleck an ideal hands-on example. Students observed how it displays characteristics of both a liquid and a solid depending on the force applied—flowing like a liquid when poured, but resisting like a solid when squeezed!

We are thrilled to see T. Denny bring such engaging, cross-grade learning experiences to our science program. Keep an eye out for more pictures coming soon!