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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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I love Ian's recommendation for creating near riot conditions.  One of my
favorite subversive pleasures of being a museum educator was handing kids
that have been thoroughly enthused to a state of proximal hysteria back to
their control starved teachers. (Enjoy the rest of your visit, HA-ha-ha)

I would suggest that after you have blown things up the show is pretty much
over and there is not much more you can do to raise the bar other than to
keep blowing things up. One way to raise the bar on a hydrogen balloon is to
mix some air into the balloon this produces faster combustion bigger boom!
The other great way to may an H2 balloon even more spectacular is to add a
tiny bit of metal salts to the balloon.  This colors the flame and is the
exact same thing they use to color fire works.  Just make sure you have
decent ventilation which is a must for any chemistry show anyway.

Have fun.

Mike


On 9/5/07 4:52 AM, "Ian Russell" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> I agree that it can be great to build up to a climax of excitement at the
> end of a children's science show.
> 
> Here are some of the factors which I have found to 'connect' with science
> show audiences:
> 
> 1. Maximum audience participation
> 2. Tense anticipation
> 3. Humour
> 4. Reproducability at home
> 5. Familiar materials and context
> 
> Suggestion: obtain ten plastic 35mm film canisters with lids that really
> snap on with a loud click. Half fill each canister with water. Set out ten
> Alka Seltzer tablets (or half-tablets: Alka Seltzer is ridiculously
> expensive!). Tell the audience you need ten especially brave, tough and
> fearless volunteers because the next experiment involves explosions. (Eager
> hands go up everywhere.)
> 
> Re-emphasise the need for special bravery, then pick ten of the very
> youngest, smallest boys and girls (laughter from the audience).
> 
> Form them in a line facing the audience, each holding a film canister. Pour
> vinegar onto some sodium bicarbonate in a wine glass. Briefly explain about
> the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate powders in the dry tablets, CO2,
> pressure etc.
> 
> Show them how to hold the canisters so the lids will not hit them in the
> face. Suggest that they aim them instead towards the audience at a
> 45-degrees angle. (Noisy chaos and laughter erupts in the front few rows.)
> Then move along the line of children, inserting the tablets and snapping on
> the lids. (There's usually some screaming as the staccato rattle of loud
> pops begins.) By this stage any teachers in the audience will be thinking
> that some kind of riot has started. A perfect time to end the show...
> 
> I've also discovered that applause and cheering combined with ringing
> fire-alarm bells are another really great way to end a science show, but
> that's another story...
> 
> [log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
> *
> Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
> Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
> *
> Ian Russell
> 
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