Science Guy’s presentation gets kids in Lincoln’s summer reading program excited

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[July 20, 2016]  LINCOLN - The Lincoln Public Library summer reading program welcomed for the first time performer Steve Belliveau for the Thursday morning entertainment. Steve presented a science show he calls “Getting Excited About Science.” He travels from his home in Bartlett to eleven states presenting 350 shows each year.

“When I saw my first science show at school, I thought I could do a better job,” he said. After working in the engineering field and doing magic, he began his science show in 1994. Since then he has performed at libraries and done workshops in schools for science teachers. “I recently presented a workshop for an Illinois science teacher’s organization using my expertise to help them make better science presentations to their classes,” he said.

His interactive show had the kids excited about learning different aspects of science. He mentioned some of the giants in the history of science who helped with our progress. He conducted his presentation like a class, asking his audience lots of questions about various phases of science before demonstrating a science concept.

Belliveau covered the transformation of water into different states, electricity, magnetism, and centrifugal force. With a few batteries and some copper wire, he created a magnet capable of lifting 700 pounds. He made a lava lamp and artificial snow. The snow he made was the same kind that was used at the Winter Olympic in Russia several years ago when not enough natural snow fell for the skiing events.

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“I want the kids to understand that there may be more than one correct answer to a science question, such as how water can be transformed into different states so that if we touch it we won’t get wet. That’s why I quiz them before I actually demonstrate a concept,” he said.

Steve Belliveau’s science program at the library is the fifth Thursday morning presentation this summer. There is one more next Thursday. Contact the Lincoln Public Library’s Youth Services Department for questions about “Read for the Win”, this year’s summer reading program.

[Curtis Fox]

 

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