What do you get when you cram 83 teachers into a small room with an endless supply of kitchen chemistry ingredients? You get an outstanding teacher workshop at the NSTA 2005 convention in Dallas. Kathy Denman, Mary Pat Weingardt, and John Walsh presented a great workshop entitled, “Eye-catching Demos Guaranteed to Get Kids Excited About Learning.” This picture was taken just seconds after the eruption of a giant Mentos Fountain. Kathy shared her experiences connecting science with popular pieces of children’s literature. On his way to the convention, John Walsh discovered that the TSA agents at the airport also like science. That’s why they decided to keep (confiscate) over half of his demos. But John’s a true pro and pulled together some great demos centered around light and optical illusions. John finshed up with a vinegar-powered rocket that lauched nicely, but covered the entire front row in residue! Mary Pat Weingardt presented a wonderful collection of classic pieces of children’s literature and build solid connections to hands-on science activities. It’s no wonder Mary Pat is a Presidential Award recipient in math and science.