The scientific method in action

Cecile Krejsa, Melissa Rosscup, and Sarah Powell of Swedish Medical Center offer activities “from pipette to purpose,” leading their young guests through the steps of the scientific method with several colorful and unusual activities.

The kids enjoy using pipettes and test tubes to mix colored water. Before they do, one of the scientists says “Let’s make a hypothesis — that means you try to predict what will happen. What color do you think you will get?” from mixing, for example, yellow and blue water. After mixing them together, the kids are asked to compare the result to the hypothesis.

Cecile Krejsa, Melissa Rosscup, and Sarah Powell of Swedish Medical Center

Along the way, they discuss related questions, such as “What is a milliliter?” or for older kids, “What makes a well designed experiment?”

There are coloring books available, with pictures of hearts per the cardiology themed table — but those are being ignored, with more exciting things to do — like touching a real pig’s heart!

It’s clear that kids enjoy using real lab equipment, even in the most basic experiments, and they love meeting real scientists.

About Swedish Medical Center

Established in 1910, Swedish Medical Center has grown over the last 100 years to become the largest, most comprehensive non-profit health provider in the Greater Seattle area with 8,500 employees, 3,000-physicians and 1,200-volunteers. It is comprised of four hospital campuses – First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard and Edmonds – a freestanding emergency department and ambulatory care center in Issaquah, Swedish Visiting Nurse Services, and the Swedish Physician Division – a network of more than 40 primary-care and specialty clinics located throughout the Puget Sound area.

In addition to general medical and surgical care, Swedish is known as a regional referral center, providing specialized treatment in areas such as cardiovascular care, cancer care, neuroscience, orthopedics, high-risk obstetrics, pediatric specialties, organ transplantation and clinical research.

By Brian Glanz for NWABR. Please reuse and remix! We share with a Creative Commons Attribution License.