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News
Articles
Weird Science
Point Pleasant Reporter
August 31,
2006
Children learn science
during library program
The Times-Beacon
August 24, 2006
Man opens children's
eyes with science
Asbury Park Press
August 23, 2006
Do You Believe
in... Magic?
Maple Shade Progress
March 3, 2006
Kids learn spooky side
of science
Asbury Park Press
November 3, 2005
Take stories, add
experiments, get fun-filled learning
The Star-Ledger
July 27, 2005
Swords, Sorcery and Science
The Cranbury Press
July 15, 2005
Electric tale of science discovery unfolds at library
The Cranbury Press
July 30, 2004 |
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Entertainer mixes learning with laugher
If you can
imagine the Three Stooges with a science degree, then you'll get
an idea of what one man, Andrew Piccirillo, is all about.
Piccirillo tells stories in a frenzied, physical and
exhilarating way. Then he throws in wacky science
experiments that are related to the story and ad-libs humorous
one-liners that aren't related to the story.
The result is Piccirillo Sciencetelling. It's an
interactive, intensely entertaining
family program that was recently held at the Point Pleasant
Borough Library.
Piccirillo, who lives in Hillsborough in Somerset County, said
that by adding science into his stories, he's not only
entertaining his audience, but educating them, too.
The science experiments breathe life into the stories and allows
children to see, hear and feel the story. In short, the
story comes alive, he said.
"I want kids to realize that science can be fun. It can
help build a foundation in high school and college in which they
want to pursue classes in science or maybe a career in science,"
said Piccirillo.
When Piccirillo asked a boy to pull his arm to stretch his back,
Piccirillo's back made a loud cracking sound. Or did it?
Nope, it was just a large plastic cup that Piccirillo had
cracked under his arm pit.
"In science things can look and sound like one thing but can
really be something else," he said.
During the show there were loud screams (on several occasions),
lots of giggles, cheers and hands popping into air to be called
upon as a special volunteer.
Piccirillo's story focused on a dog and bird who escaped from a
pet store and the dangers they encountered as they searched for
the home of a little girl who would take them in.
Several times during Piccirillo's story, he would drop to his
knees and plead, "I need a vo-lun-teer!" that was the cue
for a child to take part in another wacky experiment.
For example, using a leaf blower and roll of toilet paper,
Piccirillo aimed both objects at the audience, turned on the
blower, and let the roll stream out into the crowd. The
purpose was to let the audience know what it felt like to have a
lawn mower shooting blades of grass at the characters in his
story.
To simulate a scene in the story involving glue, Piccirillo
poured acetone over a Styrofoam cup, which resulted in a gooey
mess.
"At Piccirillo Sciencetelling we will not harm you: we changed
our policy in June," he said.
When a child said he was "Five, no six years old!"
Piccirillo said, "My, they age so quickly."
To the delight of the audience, Piccirillo did some of the
experiments more than once.
Another experiment involved pouring vinegar and baking soda in
an empty plastic film canister. The lid popped off and the
kids popped out of their seats.
In another experiment, Piccirillo used a pump, tubing, funnel,
flour and a lighted candle to show how flour can be flammable
when enough air gets between the particles of flour.
When a very small child leaped to give Piccirillo a high-five
hand greeting, the performer quipped, "You know it's a real high
five when you have to jump."
Ian Martin, 7, Point Pleasant, was thrilled with the show.
"I like science. I like the planets and the amazing
wonders. Science is just like magic, right?"
Ian's mother, Janet, enjoyed "how the program incorporated
different science experiments into storytelling." |
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Copyright © 2006
Asbury Park Press. All rights reserved. |
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