St. Mary’s third-grade students recently spent part of their week in the Bernard ’40 and June (Beck) Christenson Science Classroom, taking part in a hands-on chemistry lesson made possible through a St. Mary’s Ball & Auction purchase. Students arrived in goggles and lab aprons as they rotated through stations led by high school chemistry students.
Under the guidance of Dr. Erica Larson, the chemistry class designed lessons focused on color-related scientific phenomena as part of their final exam. The younger students created rainbow chromatology keepsakes, observed chemical reactions through color changes and bubbling and watched the combustion “pop” produced by an acid and zinc reaction. A flame test station, where students compared the colors produced by different solutions, was a crowd favorite.
School officials say the experience reflects the intended versatility of the renovated science classroom, which allows for collaborative learning across grade levels. Teachers noted that both the high school and elementary students benefited from the interaction.
St. Mary’s Catholic School is currently enrolling for the 2026–27 school year. For more information, contact the school office at 712‑732‑4166.
