Halloween at Hill Elementary was anything but ordinary this year. Instead of spooky stories and candy, fourth graders spent the morning bringing science to life during the school’s sixth annual Frankenstein Day – a hands-on STEM adventure where every student became a scientist for the day.
Dressed in lab coats, goggles, and festive scientist costumes, students filled Hill’s STEM lab for a morning packed with discovery, laughter, and learning. What started six years ago as a single classroom experiment has evolved into a full-blown, grade-level event that now takes over the school’s STEM spaces every Halloween.
Throughout the morning, students rotated through six creative, Halloween-themed lab stations – DIY Lava Lamps (states of matter), Enchanted Potions (mixtures), It’s Alive! (circuits), Witch’s Brew (solutions), Puking Pumpkins (chemical reactions), and Boo-blek (non-Newtonian fluids and forces).
Each experiment tied directly to lessons students have been learning in class, reinforcing key science concepts through exploration and fun.
“We focus on science concepts that we’ve learned so far or are about to learn,” said Hill fourth grade science teacher Kelly Pringle. “It’s a great way to combine labs, demonstrations, and experiences all into one exciting day – and to practice lab safety and student discussion while having fun.”
For Pringle, Frankenstein Day is organized chaos – and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I am that all-in teacher,” she said. “This is a culmination of science concepts the kids have been learning the first 12 weeks.”
She says giving students a chance to learn by doing is what makes all the difference. “Hands-on is the best way for kids to learn,” Pringle said. “It locks it into their memory and stays there longer when they have that hands-on experience.”
The event’s timing on Halloween adds to the excitement.
“We do it on Halloween because the kids are already dressed up,” she said. “We want it to be a crazy day. We want them to enjoy it and have the best time.”
Parent and guardian volunteers helped transform the STEM labs overnight, turning them into eerie, glowing spaces filled with bubbling mixtures and bursts of curiosity. The creativity and excitement even caught the attention of Fox 4 News, who visited the campus to capture the spooky science fun in action.
For Hill principal Kasie Longoria, Frankenstein Day is a highlight of the school year – and a perfect reflection of Hill’s learning culture.
“Frankenstein Day is the perfect blend of creativity and STEM,” Longoria said. “It’s an amazing example of how hands-on learning can inspire a lifelong love of science.”