This summer, the Jule Collins Smith Museum was home to the art and science program "Science Matters." Each week of the program is part of a seven week series that explores the many similarities between the aspects of art and those of science. Last week was one of the seven weeks that the series spans over the summer.
The program was also held part-time on campus in Parker Hall, where other personnel could assist.
"The best part of the program is observing kids seeing the similarities between different domains," said Andrew Henley, a leading coordinator for the program at the Jule Collins Smith Museum.
The program helps instill characteristics of scientists by reinforcing curiosity, asking questions, finding ways to answer their own questions and more.
"There are many things that coincide between both art and science, and this program shows just how many there are if one looks deeper," Henley said. "Even things as simple as colors are as present in science as they are in art."
Ideas such as how science concepts are integrated into the world of art are just a portion of the ideas discussed in the program. A main goal of the program is for the children to notice the world of science that surrounds them everyday.
"We covered topics such as the chemical nature of paint, an activity that required students to make their own paint, as well as analyzing and documenting the patination process," said Program Director Mary Lou Ewald.
Students also learned how to use a grid to create to-scale drawings of natural objects. The program consisted of 30-40 students in grades 2-5 learning well beyond what is expected of this age group.
"The concepts taught at this program, and other Science Matters programs this summer, are fairly complex for this age-group and beyond the standard elementary curriculum that students experience in school," Ewald said.
With the program being so popular this year, it is hard to imagine that it will not be brought back next year.
"We definitely hope to bring the program back to Auburn again next year," Henley said.
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