The Magnificent Makers #2: Brain Trouble

“Do you think there are real brains in there?” Violet whispered to her best friend, Pablo.
Pablo shivered. “Gross! Did you turn into a zombie or something?”
“Maybe I did. . . .” Violet raised her hands overhead and pretended to take a bite out of Pablo’s shoulder. They laughed as they waited in line with the rest of their class.
It was brain awareness week at Newburg Elementary, and local college students had organized a brain fair. No one knew exactly what it was-but they heard there would be tons of games and activities.
“I wonder if traveling to space messes with your brain,” said Pablo, scratching his cheek. “Since there’s no gravity and all.”
“Maybe when you’re an astronaut, I’ll do some experiments and find out!” Violet replied, tapping the tips of her fingers together.
“No way!” Pablo laughed, covering his head with his hands.
Pablo and Violet had been best friends since first grade. They played on the same soccer team after school. And they both loved to order pickle pizza at the Newburg Diner. But what really made them best friends was how much they both loved science. Pablo was going to become an astronaut. Violet was going to run a lab of her own and study different kinds of diseases.
“Okay, students,” said Mr. Eng from the front of the line. “It’s almost time to go inside.”
“Yay!” everyone cheered loudly.
Mr. Eng removed a pencil from his ear and put it in front of his lips. “Shhhhhh! We are still in the hallway and need to use our indoor voices.”
The class settled down. But there was a buzz of excitement in the air.
Violet was the tallest and tried to peek through the window of the gym door. “All I see are a bunch of fourth and fifth graders who look like they’re having fun.” She crossed her arms and sighed. “When’s it going to be our turn?”
The gym doors opened, and out walked Principal Jenkins.
“Good morning, students!” she said.
“Good morning, Principal Jenkins!” replied the class.
“I hope everyone is ready to learn all about the brain!” She waved the class into the gym with a warm smile.
“Come on, Pablo!” Violet grabbed his hand.
The gym was packed with different stations. At one, kids were making jiggly brain molds out of Jell-O. on the other side of the gym, a fifth grader was making a toy car move using cables attached to his arms. There was also a group of kids watching a cockroach leg dance to the beat of music playing on a cell phone. And at another station, a student wore a cap with a bunch of wires sticking out of it. It looked like they were recording signals from his brain!
“Violet, !mira! said Pablo. He tugged on her shirt. “Look over there!”
Violet’s eyes darted to where Pablo was pointing. On the opposite side of the room was a station with five red and silver microscopes lined up on a table. A smile grew on Violet’s face. It stretched so wide it nearly touched each ear.