AMERICAN  ASSOCIATION  OF  UNIVERSITY  WOMEN FREMONT,  CA

2011 MATH AND SCIENCE DISCOVERY DAY FOR FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE GIRLS

Back to Welcome Page

Another Great Discovery Day Delights Girls and Parents

By Shirley Gilbert

Locate your pointer in the middle of the picture.  Click to enlarge it. Use the web page back button to return the picture to its normal size.

Girls and Parent tackle the Origami Assignment.       There’s not much left for Miriam Keller to discover about AAUW Fremont Branch’s semi-annual Math and Science Discovery Day.       The November 5th event is the 25th one she’s been involved in; mostly as orchestrator and leader.   And while each one, she says, is a little different;  she’s become extremely adept, with the help of AAUW Fremont Branch volunteers, at making them all very special.       Sixty-two girls from 26 schools in our area -- 15 from Ardenwood -- attended the get-together with their female adult sponsor at Hopkins Jr. High.  The idea, says Miriam, is to provide a day of fun, hands-on math and science experience for fifth and sixth grade girls.

AAUW’s Randy Fewel helps check a girl’s blood pressure.       The girls attend a variety of workshops that included, this time, a planetarium show, electricity demonstrations, origami cubes, vital signs, levers and pulleys (you can lift your mom with one hand!), bristle bots, London Bridge is Falling Down, make your own slime and kitchen chemistry.       The tradition started in 1995.   “The first years,” explains Miriam, “we did one Discovery Day a year for fourth to sixth grade girls.  Then we decided on two a year; one for third and fourth graders and another for fifth and sixth graders.”       Miriam attests to the fact that everything went off like clockwork this year.  She received 53 evaluations and the results were extremely positive.  “Overall,” went one response from a parent, “a fun morning of learning with my daughter.”  “Nothing to improve,” according to one of the girls, “and thank you for the yummy treats!”   One parent had a suggestion for AAUW for the future:  “It would be good to come to the individual schools and have a science/math day for the school.”

Girls are trying to complete a circuit and light a bulb.       AAUW volunteers provided the snacks, helped in the classroom and made certain things ran very smoothly.   “I couldn’t do Discovery Day without the great volunteer help I get,” says Miriam.       One of the tough challenges Miriam faces in today’s multi-media society is getting the word out about Discovery Day to schools, parents and girls.  She delivers flyers to all the schools and that involves getting permission from elementary school principals.  She even provides a Spanish language flyer to schools in Newark.  “What we have to be better at,” according to Miriam, “is to use the new social media like facebook, twitter and the school websites to reach the busy girls and their moms.”       It all takes a great deal of time and dedication.  Why does she do it year in and year out?   “I find that math and science really excite me and I love that girls are excited by it too.”       Miriam, you do us all proud! Please Click Here to see pictures of girls and their parents engrossed in Discovery Day.

Back to Website Welcome Page