The Carnegie Library in Rockport is continuing its weekly “Silly Science” programs, with last Tuesday’s event focusing on the topic of homeostasis. The lesson was given by Shelby Sitzman, a biology teacher at Jasper High School. She told kids about the importance of organisms to maintain a stable body temperature, and the challenge that entails. To demonstrate the point, kids were given a bowl of water, with cups of colder or warmer water as well as a thermometer. They were then tasked with maintaining a stable temperature in the bowl different from that of the room itself, requiring regular infusions of new water to offset environmental pressures.
Above, kids attempt to maintain a stable temperature in a bowl of water different from that of the room, demonstrating the challenge faced by many life forms in regulating their body temperature. Below, Shelby Sitzman explains the basics of homeostasis and some ways organisms regulate body temperature.
Photos by Don Steen
