The Milford Project & Sixth Grade Science

Posted by Harrell on 16 February 2012 | 0 Comments

I love live theatre! … and who doesn’t love science?! Imagine my delight when science teacher Kevin Pease stopped by my office one day to introduce Scott Ripley. Mr. Ripley is an Associate Professor at UNC-CH who is currently directing the East Coast premiere of a new musical entitled The Milford Project, written by Kevin Oeser and Nick Martin. The play is being presented February 23-27 by The Lab! Theatre, UNC’s oldest and most active student theatre group.

Mr. Ripley and several cast members have been at Woods in recent weeks to work with sixth graders on their science projects. According to The Lab! Theatre Website, The Milford Project is a play set in Iowa in 1937 about “Richie, a thirteen-year-old science prodigy who attracts the attention of the US government with his research into the properties of the atom. Richie is secretly conscripted to construct a superweapon America can use to win the coming war … because no one ever suspects the child.”

According to Mr. Pease, “Each student is getting something different out of this project. They are working on something they are genuinely interested in.” Earlier in the year, 10^th grade chemistry students used “kitchen chemistry” to teach concepts to the sixth graders. Now, it’s time for the sixth graders to pursue their own questions – How does an atomic bomb work? How do you build a terrarium? On February 22, students and parents will travel to the theatre lobby to set up their projects. Science students from UNC will stop by and ask questions to tap the student’s newfound knowledge. The science projects will remain on display throughout the run of the show from February 23 – 27.