MORRISTOWN — Jason Lindsey, better known as Mr. Science, visited Union Local Elementary School on Friday afternoon for a holiday-themed presentation.
Lindsey is a nationally recognized science, technology, engineering and mathematics teacher who has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, Fox & Friends, WeatherNation and several other television programs throughout the United States. Lindsey said he got the name Mr. Science in 2010 when he was visiting communities in Honduras, where the children would call him “Senior Ciencia,” which translates to Mr. Science.
“For the longest time, I did TV weather, and I noticed that the kids weren’t getting a lot of science when they were in school unless they were tested in science,” Lindsey said. “So I decided to create a hands-on program that showed kids that science is everywhere, not just in the classroom.”
He added that his goal has consistently been to connect science to the real world.
Lindsey began touring the country presenting his “Hooked on Science” program to children of all ages in various schools in 2007.
“I started Hooked on Science when I left TV weather, but I’ve liked science all of my life,” he said. “I used to be terrified of storms, which ironically got me hooked on science. I would read books and learn more about science and do experiments. So being scared of science is what got me hooked on science.”
Based out of Lexington, Kentucky, Lindsey spent several years as an on-air meteorologist before creating Hooked on Science, which has ultimately become his full-time job.
On Friday afternoon, Lindsey presented his “Santa Science” program at ULES. It is designed to show children that Santa uses science.
“We used everyday ingredients from around the house. We did a Christmas fireball by using an ingredient called lycopodium powder, a powder to help kids better understand the importance of making sure their Christmas tree is watered because if not you can create a fire and so on,” Lindsey said.
According to Merriam-Webster, the chemical he used is composed of the spores of lycopodium, a type of evergreen moss, and related plants. It is highly flammable.
Prior to the assembly held in the elementary school’s gym, Lindsey also presented a classroom bouncy ball science program for the fifth grade students.
In addition to traveling around the country to host assemblies, Lindsey has also designed hands-on science curriculum for the show Veggie Tales, Raddish Kids, Hefty, the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and the Minor League Baseball team the Southern Illinois Miners.
Mr. Science will also be on hand today when Santa Claus arrives at the Ohio Valley Mall. The fun starts with a Holiday Science Show with Hooked on Science at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Boscov’s Court. Santa will help Mr. Science with a few experiments and then he will take his seat at the Santa set.
Other mall activities Saturday include: Holiday Hooked on Science Shows at noon and 2 p.m., Boscov’s Court Face Painting and Balloon Art 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Center Court Activities and Games 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Center Court free cookies and cocoa packets to the first 100 children, Boscov’s Court. Holiday Fashion Show with The Children’s Place 1 p.m. at Center Court.
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