Upland High School chemistry teacher Timothy Duong demonstrates the elephant toothpaste experiment to his students during the 18th annual night held at Upland High School’s Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo provided) :Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
One night a year, Upland High School students turn the school cafeteria into a science museum and lead their community in hands-on experiments that demonstrate the laws of physics.
“So…you can walk around our little museum and learn a lot of physics because each of the major ideas is represented there,” said Upland High School physics teacher David Geller. .
Upland High School physics teacher David Geller presents an experiment during the 18th annual evening held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Max Pobeda, an Upland High School student, works on a physics experiment during the 18th annual evening held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/ SCNG)
Upland High School students observe an experiment on expanding and deflating marshmallows during the 18th annual evening held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif) Paul, The Sun/SCNG) Me
Upland High School chemistry teacher Matt Benedict demonstrates an experiment on expanding and deflating marshmallows to his students during the 18th annual evening held at Upland High School’s Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Photo by Anjali Sharif) Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Upland High School student Andrew Barrett demonstrates a Lego Care experiment with square wheels during the 18th annual night held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Upland High School students demonstrate experiments during the 18th annual evening held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo by The Sun/SCNG)
Upland High School students enjoy physics experiments during the 18th annual evening held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo by The Sun/SCNG)
Upland High School chemistry teacher Matt demonstrates an experiment using pressurized boiling water to his students during the 18th annual evening held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.・Mr. Benedict (Photo provided by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Upland High School students enjoy physics experiments during the 18th annual evening held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo by The Sun/SCNG)
Upland High School physics teacher David Geller and student Caitlin Pardo demonstrate an experiment during the 18th annual evening held at the Upland High School Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Upland High School chemistry teacher Timothy Duong demonstrates the elephant toothpaste experiment as students watch up close during the 18th Annual Night at Upland High School’s Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. . (Photo by Anjali Sharif) Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Upland High School chemistry teacher Timothy Duong demonstrates the elephant toothpaste experiment to his students during the 18th annual night held at Upland High School’s Science Museum on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Photo provided) :Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Geller said his favorite devices were made by students who chose to preserve their projects for future generations. A personal favorite, he said, is a gravity well that looked like a yellow device in a shopping mall that was left behind a few years ago where kids could drop coins in for donations.
“One of my students made it out of fabric, which very well illustrates Einstein’s principle of gravity,” he added. “So he made it, so when he graduated he said I could keep doing it.”
This year’s Science Night included several electrical devices, including a Tesla coil, a ring launcher and a large gyroscope, Geller said. There was also a demonstration of how a car with square wheels rolls.
The museum experiment has been going on for 18 years.
“What I really like is what my students are teaching,” Geller said.
