Students get big taste of science

SYRACUSE — It may have not been your typical science lesson, but after a sumo match, a car race and a principal getting pie in the face, Syracuse Junior High students walked away a bit more interested in science.

Syracuse students participated Thursday in a hip-hop science education concert, created by Honeywell and NASA, aimed at getting students interested in science.

FMA Live!, named for Sir Isaac Newton's second law of motion (force = mass x acceleration), uses professional actors, original songs, music videos and interactive science demonstrations to teach middle school students Newton's three laws of motion and universal law of gravity.

The performances weave around a video created to look like VH1's popular "Behind the Music" program — only it's called "Behind the Motion."

"We want kids to think of science in different ways and in a different light and show them that science can be fun as well as educational," said Eric Olsen, a star cast member in the show. "It's a tough curriculum for teachers — just to teach F=MA doesn't mean a whole lot in a textbook, but when they get to kick soccer balls and wrestle in big sumo suits, it sticks in their mind. "

Officials said research shows that fewer students are pursuing science, math and engineering careers while employment opportunities in these fields will increase three times faster than all other occupations.

FMA Live! aims to address key learning objectives identified by the National Science Education Standards to increase student interest and participation in the sciences.

"I usually think science is pretty boring, but this was actually kind of fun," said Dillon Durtschi, a Syracuse eighth-grader who said this was his first time being introduced to Newton's laws.

"I wish these guys were my teachers all the time," said Willie Vansant, another eighth-grader.

For more information about the program, visit fmalive.com.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com