• 34°
franklin county times

McWane Center presents Reactions in Action at RES

Students participating in the summer program at Russellville Elementary were treated to a Reactions in Action presentation by McWane Center presenter Norman Schmitz Thursday.

Schmitz taught students about the three ingredients needed for combustion – something to burn, oxygen and heat; explained the differences in physical and chemical changes and how to determine what kind of change has occurred; and demonstrated several real-life scenarios as illustrations.

“We’re so pleased for the students to have this wonderful opportunity to learn about science first hand in such a fun manner,” said Angela Crittenden, a fourth-grade math and Alabama history teacher at Russellville Elementary.

In one demonstration, Schmitz poured acetone on a Styrofoam ball to demonstrate a physical change; the size and shape of the ball changed, but its chemical makeup remained unchanged.

Schmitz also explained how including metal expansion joints on bridges allows for the bridge to expand and contract safely – another physical change.

Students learned that a change in color means a chemical change has occurred.

In a demonstration of chemical change, Schmitz set fire to a piece of flash paper that seemed to disappear.

“The particles go flying,” Schmitz said. “They transform into smoke, but that smoke is so scattered you can’t see it. It looks like it disappears because it burns so well that it doesn’t even make ash. It just burns and scatters into the air.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

Franklin County

RCS holds annual Black History Month program 

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: American Legion Posts 64 and 120 – ‘Veterans Strengthening America’

Franklin County

RHS graduate crowned Miss Northwest Shoals

Franklin County

RHS graduate crowned Miss UNA

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: In memoriam – Monuments honor the fallen of Franklin

High School Sports

RHS senior chosen as Bryant-Jordan Region 8 Scholar winner

High School Sports

Russellville High School ladies soccer team members participate in annual Night to Shine

x