Since 1994, Wizards has provided volunteers with the opportunity to participate in a hands-on program that can change students’ outlook on science. Volunteers travel to various classrooms or after-school programs to perform weekly experiments with children from 1st to 7th grade.
Groups of four to six students determine their experiments, and then travel to the site together. The experiments can cover all types of science, from biology to physics to chemistry. What site a volunteer visits depends on their individual schedule and what times the site has available.
Wizards volunteers spend two to three hours working with the children each week, and form bonds with the class while connecting abstract principles of science to the everyday world. This fun-filled program awakens the children’s interest in science while encouraging a love for learning.
Please click here to download the Wizards Program brochure.
Sample Wizard Experiments
- Forensics Whodunit
Students and Wizards become detectives in this exciting and popular experiment. Volunteers devise a crime and present the evidence—a ransom note and a fingerprint—to the class, who then has to determine the criminal. Students use ink chromatography to match the ink from the note to a pen, and then take fingerprints of themselves and the Wizards. This experiment mixes chemistry and anatomy, while providing an example of how important science can be. Depending on the age group, this experiment can also include hair, fiber and blood analysis.
- Cabbage Patch Chemistry
Students learn about acids and bases in this colorful experiment. Just a few drops of cabbage juice are added into different household items like lemon juice, vinegar and water, which turn the liquid into different colors. Students make their own ph scale, and see examples of acids and bases—a fundamental chemistry concept—that are all around them.
- Additional Experiments
Other experiments Wizards volunteers may use include Magnetism, Electricity and Circuits, Cork Rockets, The Food Chain Game, Oobleek, Balloon Rockets, Satellite Stimulation, Simple Machines, Sweet and Sour Science, and many more!
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Do I have to major in science to be in Wizards? |
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No! Wizards volunteers have majors ranging from History Education to Ancient Greek and Business to Biology. All experiments are fully explained and discussed before your visit, so no prior science knowledge is necessary. |
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Who comes up with the experiments? |
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Each group of volunteers decides which experiment they do each week. The ever-expanding Wizards experiment file keeps hundreds of experiments handy, but volunteers are more than welcome to create their own. |
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How do groups decide on experiments? |
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All experiments are age-appropriate for the class and also are meant to supplement school curriculum. It is usually a matter of preference as to what experiment a group would like to do each week. |
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How do volunteers travel to the Wizards sites? |
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Each group of volunteers meets at a designated place and then drives a Community Service Center van to its site. Every group will have at least one student who has been trained and certified to drive a CSC van. Some groups may take public transportation. |
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Do the experiments take a lot of prep time? |
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All the supplies for experiments are ready prior to each weekly visit. Each volunteer is only required to understand the experiment and the primary science concept behind it. Any problems or questions regarding experiments can be directed to the Program Manager, who will be happy to clarify instructions or suggest alternatives. |
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How are sites chosen for the Wizards program? |
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Wizards sites are chosen based off their interest in the program, along with volunteer availability. Past sites have included Jackson-Mann Elementary School, St. John/St. James after-school program, and Tobin Middle School. |
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For more information on volunteering with Wizards, please contact:
Catherine Crider
775 Commonwealth Avenue
Fourth Floor
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617-353-4710
Fax: 671-353-9424
Email: wizards@bu.edu
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