Iron science teachers take on museum challenge

What do science teachers do when you're on vacation? Consider the Iron Science Teacher competitions at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Science teacher contestants are given 10 minutes and a secret ingredient to concoct a science activity that can be used in class. The summer contests take place at noon on Fridays -- June 27, July 11 and July 18.

From left, Kelly Foshee from Arkadelphia, Ark., and Bree Barnett from Pleasanton compete in a past Iron Science Teacher. Their secret ingredient was paint. Parodying the cult Japanese TV program "Iron Chef," the Exploratorium's Iron Science Teacher showcases Bay Area science teachers as they build experiments around a given "secret ingredient" — an everyday item such as a paper-towel tube, a straw or a soda can.

Astrophysicist Linda Shore, director of the Exploratorium Teacher Institute and host of the competition, says, "We try to show we can do science with anything. We show teachers how to use low-tech materials to illustrate classic principles of science and math."

As contestant Don Rathjen says, "This helps teachers teach the $10 million state science standards on a $10 budget."

After building the gizmos, the teachers have a few minutes to explain what they are and the scientific principles they demonstrate. Judging is done on a less scientific basis, using what Shore refers to as "the clap-o-meter" — audience applause as measured by the human ear.

If you can't get to the Exploratorium, you can watch the competitions here.

-- Mary MacVean

Photos by Amy Snyder, the Exploratorium