An Evening of Math and Science at Greenbrook Elementary School

When parents send their kids off to school each day, they rarely get an inside look at what occurs in classrooms week in and week out.  With a goal of allowing parents to get a glimpse of the work being done in South Brunswick's schools, Greenbrook Elementary School held its sixth-annual Math, Science and Tech Night last week.

The evening featured a collaborative effort by teachers, students and parents to provide a variety of math- and science-related activities that highlight Greenbrook's curriculum.

 "This event is about showcasing the work we do in both math and science, while letting parents talk to the teachers and get a look at our facilities," said Vice Principal Gwen Waxman.  "Parents get to see what their kids are learning and how they learn in class.  This is a great community event that brings everyone together and it's a great way to interact."

A number of classrooms housed a variety of math games and experiments, while the gym held the popular Star Lab, a large and inflatable planetarium that saw large numbers of students line up throughout the night to take a trip inside.

"Star Lab is always a huge attraction for the kids," said parent Bruce Tesar, who was attending his third Math, Science and Tech Night with his kids.  "A lot of these activities are well designed, fun and hands on.  It helps reinforce the concepts the kids are studying and puts them in better shape to understand them as they get older."

The hallways buzzed with activity as students excitedly journeyed from one classroom to the next.  Fifth-grade teacher Fatima Caneja's classroom contained several science experiments on sound and vibration.  Students struck tuning forks before sticking them in water, which in turn made the water splash.

"Students are more willing to learn when we give them hands on activities," Caneja said.  "It gives them a better understanding of the concepts."

Other teachers said the event offers students a chance display their knowledge for their parents while having fun at the same time with games and activities.

"We have a lot of brain-teaser-type games for the students," said fifth-grade teacher Leslie Bock.  "They really enjoy showing off what they know and demonstrating it for their parents."

Physical education teacher Linda Mills displayed the concepts of touch math in the gymnasium, an activity that integrated math concepts with physical activity.

"I try to supplement what's going on in the classroom here in the gym," Mills said.  "This really helps those kids who learn better by physically doing things."

Parents in attendance said they can see the benefits of the work done by Greenbrook staff members as the students start to develop their knowledge base.

"These experiments really help my kids understand how science can be used in everyday applications," said Subbu Manchiraju, who has children in first and fifth grade at the school.

Fifth-grader Nick Ciabattoni got a chance to show off a robot he constructed using his computer as a class project.

"I like making things that work and make sounds with the circuits," Nick said.

Nick's father Pete said events like Math, Science and Tech Night help to show the students the numerous benefits that can be realized by expanding their knowledge of the physical world.

"Something like this helps them understand that science is fun and science can be cool," he said.  "It also helps to spark their creativity."