8th Grade Fermilab Field Trip

In association with the study of the atom in chemistry, the 8th Grade Class took its annual field trip to Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, February 12. Prior to the field trip, students worked on various lab activities and computer simulations for approximately three weeks. Part of the field trip includes the Lederman Education Center, which provides students with hands on experiences connected to indirect observations, detectors, accelerators and new ideas. A tour of the LINAC (the linear accelerator), the control room, and a view from the 15th floor allows students to see a working laboratory. The docents, guides, perform a nitrogen show for the students, which is followed by the opportunity to meet with one of the scientists at the lab. This year Alvin Harms, a physics engineer, spoke with students. He explained his job and answered a variety of questions from the students ranging from black holes to the mass of neutrinos. Thank you to the parents who volunteered to chaperone, helping to make the trip possible.