Copiague Middle School’s science program, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Leccese, is giving students the opportunity to learn using hands-on experiments to reinforce classroom lessons. 
Eighth grade earth science students are learning about the seasons, the planet’s revolution around the sun and its tilt. To better understand the change of seasons, students used a globe and a heat lamp to predict the season, the duration and intensity of light. Meanwhile, seventh grade student-scientists are learning about the human body systems. During a study of the nervous system, they conducted an experiment using a ruler. Working with a partner, the students predicted and tested their reaction times when the ruler was dropped to see how fast their nervous systems responded and if one hand was quicker than the other. 
Seventh and eighth grade students also conducted a velocity lab by using a stopwatch to record how fast their cars traveled down a ramp. They found the average time after three different trial runs. During another science class, eighth graders studied force using a friction board. The students used weights and a spring scale that was dragged along a smooth surface, sandpaper, rubber and cork to measure the different forces.