Jiang Chunjie

Using ‘Magic’ to Illuminate the Science Classroom

Author | Zhao Yan

His classroom is not filled with dormant formulas from textbooks, but rather a “magic” that sparks creativity; his teaching tools are not limited to conventional models, but may include self-made instruments that emit “alarm sounds” or mysterious “blind boxes” filled with knobs. Students say he performs “magic” by transforming dull scientific laws into visible sparks, audible sound waves, and tangible changes—he is Jiang Chunjie, a science teacher at Shenwei Town Junior High School, who has spent 25 years turning science classes into engaging experiences for rural students.

The ‘Mysterious Device’ on the Teaching Platform

Making Science Fascinating

When discussing “the properties of sound,” Jiang Chunjie enters the classroom with a “mysterious device” covered in knobs: turning the switch, a low “buzz” transforms into a sharp “squeak,” and the waveform on the oscilloscope twists, finally resulting in silence…

“This is ultrasound, which our ears can no longer ‘catch’!” he explains with a smile, “The frequency range of sounds that humans can hear is from 20Hz to 20,000Hz; sound waves above 20,000Hz are called ultrasound, while those below 20Hz are called infrasound. The vibration frequency of a butterfly’s wings is generally less than 20Hz, which is a type of infrasound that we cannot hear.”

This “mysterious device” is Jiang Chunjie’s homemade “sound demonstrator,” allowing students to hear the fascinating changes of sound waves from 1 to 50,000Hz. “In our daily lives, ultrasound and infrasound play significant roles; with ultrasound, doctors can accurately obtain images of internal organs, and with infrasound, we can determine the location and intensity of earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions…” Through vivid experiments, engaging explanations, and effective questioning, students grasped the knowledge and skills of the lesson in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Even the most mischievous students in class were wide-eyed, afraid of missing a single waveform’s movement, realizing how wonderful the sounds we take for granted in our daily lives can be.

This sound demonstrator not only produces stable sound waves with adjustable waveforms, amplitudes, and frequencies, improving the traditional experimental model in textbooks, but also allows for extended experiments: testing the hearing range of the human ear, demonstrating ultrasound and infrasound, and explaining the principles of alarm sounds at 110 and 120. Jiang Chunjie won the provincial first prize in an experimental innovation competition with this innovative experiment, and since then, he has been unstoppable on the path of “innovation,” spending half of his salary on purchasing experimental equipment.

The ‘Starfire Classroom’ on the Playground

Making Knowledge Shine

During the evening self-study break, the playground suddenly bursts into a “starry sky.” Jiang Chunjie, wearing protective gloves, swings a red-hot thin iron wire into the air, and countless sparks erupt, falling like a shattered galaxy. Shouts and gasps fill the air, with students on tiptoes asking, “Teacher Jiang, what kind of magic is this?”

“This is chemistry!” he laughs, holding up the iron wire, “Iron burns in oxygen, turning into iron(III) oxide while releasing heat and light—look, the wire is thin enough to ‘burn’ in the air!” Before the sparks have settled, he picks up chalk and writes the reaction equation on the blackboard, and the students who were just marveling at the beauty are now focused on the ‘Fe’ and ‘O₂‌‘ in the equation, their eyes shining with the realization of how it works.

Such “outdoor classrooms” are not uncommon in his teaching: the blue-purple flames of sulfur burning in oxygen resemble a small cluster of stars; the color change of acid-base indicators when dropped into solutions looks like a spilled rainbow; the loud bang of hydrogen exploding instantly makes students remember the principle of “flammable and explosive.” “There is so much beauty hidden in science,” he says, “colors, light and shadow, sounds… these are hooks that can capture students’ curiosity, and we can slowly ‘feed’ them knowledge, making it easier for them to absorb.”

Students say, “Attending Teacher Jiang’s class is like unboxing a mystery box; you never know what you’ll see next, maybe the sparks from burning iron wire or a magical mechanical hand that can pick things up.” Behind these “magics” lies not only his generous spending from his own pocket but also his dedication to sourcing materials from hardware stores and fine-tuning experiments at home until late at night: to make the experiments both beautiful and fun, Jiang Chunjie spares no effort, saying, “It’s worth spending any amount of time and money to make children love science!”

The Warmth of Education

Ensuring Every Curiosity is Nurtured

“True education is making children feel that ‘science is really fun.'” In the laboratory on the first floor of Shenwei Junior High School, there are numerous “treasures”: a security system, a red-green light simulation photo-taking device, various ceramic items… Each piece carries the warmth of craftsmanship, but the most treasured by Jiang Chunjie is the 280 sets of integrated programming single-board machines he invented and had students create.

“This single-board machine is designed for the integration of science and programming applications; it does not require a computer, and can be programmed directly using BASIC language by plugging in a keyboard. For example, this mechanical hand that can move objects is controlled by this single-board machine.” Speaking of the motivation behind inventing and creating the single-board machine, Jiang Chunjie’s tone is filled with pride, “Not for anything else, but to cultivate children’s interest in science. Many children love playing games, and I want them to know that programming is the most interesting game. Originally, children discussed games after class, but now they rush to the laboratory during the ten-minute break to watch me conduct experiments; interest is the best teacher.”

To ensure that more rural students can receive computer programming education, Jiang Chunjie collaborated with the children of Shenwei Junior High School to produce these 280 sets of integrated programming single-board machines. These single-board machines, which integrate programming, compiling, and running into one small board, cost about 100 yuan each and will be provided free of charge to some rural classrooms in our county next semester, offering an affordable solution for computer programming education in rural schools.

“Today’s children are easily addicted to mobile games, so I want to build a ‘magic castle’ to ignite their curiosity about science with love and responsibility, infusing warmth into every experiment.” Jiang Chunjie has been on the path of education for 25 years, holding onto this original intention, demonstrating the warmth of education through action, having spent hundreds of thousands of yuan on this integrated programming single-board machine.

Because of this passion for education, he was successfully selected for the 2024 Jack Ma Foundation “Rural Teacher Program,” receiving a development fund of 100,000 yuan; earlier this year, he also received targeted sponsorship from the Yang Peifang Foundation in our county.

However, Jiang Chunjie does not stop at the “learning” aspect of science; he believes that excellent scientific design is not just a science, and many great technological innovations often come from the creative application of interdisciplinary integration. Currently, he is attempting to integrate science (S), technology (T), engineering (E), mathematics (M), and humanities and arts (A) through project-based technological activities, elevating STEM education to STEAM education, allowing students to develop excellent engineering thinking through hands-on practice.

When the sparks of iron flowers on the playground illuminate the eyes of the youth, and the mechanical hand moves objects by command, prompting children to exclaim, “Programming is amazing”… these moments may be the most vivid representation of the warmth of education.

Books enrich the mountains and seas, footsteps measure the distance, warmth is transmitted to thousands of homes. Ninghai Release specially presents the “Guotou Cup” “Read Thousands of Books, Travel Thousands of Miles, Send Blessings to Thousands of Families” media co-creation competition, today is the 30th article:“Jiang Chunjie: Using ‘Magic’ to Illuminate the Science Classroom“.

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□ Author: Zhao Yan

□ Editor: Wang Jingru

□ Proofread: Zhao Yan Huang Haiqing Ma Danchun

Statement: Some images in this media are sourced from the internet, and the copyright belongs to the original authors.

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