MY JOURNEY THROUGH SCIENCE

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My Journey Through Science — A Diary of Curiosity

By Edwin Ogie — Benin City, Edo State · Last updated: October 5, 2025

Physics & Chemistry Practice English & Math Practice

A diary-style reflection on discovering physics and chemistry through curiosity, small experiments and a few moments of wonder — written for students, teachers and curious minds across Nigeria.

Opening: A childhood spark

I remember the day clearly: a humid afternoon in Benin City, the sky heavy with monsoon promise, and my grandmother's kerosene lantern sputtering while I tried to read a tattered school textbook by its weak light. I was ten. The textbook had a picture of lightning arcing over a plane and a small caption: “Electric charge creates fields.” The idea — that invisible forces could push and pull without being seen — hooked me like a fish on a line.

From then on I collected small questions like beads: Why does iron stick to a magnet? How does a battery make a bulb glow? Why does salt dissolve faster in hot water? Each question felt like a small riddle I wanted to crack, and every cracked riddle made me feel a little more capacious — like the world had grown a bit larger and friendlier.

First experiments: curiosity on a shoestring

Our school lab was modest — a single wooden bench, a few dusty beakers, and a hand-cranked microscope that clanked like an old bicycle. We didn't have fancy reagents, but that limitation taught me the best habit I still use: invent with what you have.

One weekend I used a donated flashlight, some copper wire from the market, and a small zinc nail to make a crude battery. The bulb glowed faintly. For me, that faint glow meant something enormous: it meant I could make a thing that did something. It transformed the abstract diagrams in our textbooks into tools I could touch and change.

That small success gave me permission to experiment more boldly. I built a simple electromagnet to pick up paperclips, and then I made a saltwater circuit to understand conductivity. None of it required a high-tech lab — only patience, careful notes, and a readiness to fail and try again.

Learning by doing: when physics and chemistry become stories

Over time, I noticed a pattern: every time I performed an experiment, a story unfolded. A metal rod clamped in an ice bath told a story about energy flow; a bubbling beaker whispered about molecular collisions. Physics and chemistry stopped being collections of formulas and became narratives about how the world behaves.

This storytelling approach made even difficult ideas digestible. Hooke's law became a tale of springs and patience. Acid-base reactions became a drama of exchange: who gives protons, who takes them, and why the result matters for life and living systems.

The challenge: doing more with less

Nigeria's schools often lack well-funded labs. But scarcity forced creativity. I learned that a teacher who could improvise a simple model — a hand-drawn circuit on a cardboard board, a recycled plastic bottle used to show pressure changes — did more for understanding than a lecture packed with equations.

In later years I started running small after-school sessions: “kitchen chemistry” and “electronics on a budget.” Students learned to test water purity using inexpensive reagents, to build simple meters from discarded parts, and to record observations carefully. These hands-on sessions were where shy students found their voice; they explained to one another the very experiments that had once been mysteries.

Key experiments you can try (safe, low-cost)

Below are experiments I used to spark curiosity. They are safe, inexpensive, and perfect for classrooms or home practice. Always follow safety guidance (goggles, adult supervision when heating or using chemicals).

1. Make a simple battery: zinc nail + copper strip + lemon or vinegar-soaked cloth → light an LED (teaches electrochemistry and circuits).
2. Electromagnet demo: wrap insulated wire around an iron nail, connect to a small battery, and pick up paperclips (teaches magnetism and fields).
3. Density column: layer honey, water, oil and alcohol in a clear bottle — drop small objects to see where they float (teaches density & molecular packing).
4. Crystal growing: dissolve salt or sugar in hot water, let cool and watch crystals form (teaches solubility and nucleation).
5. pH indicator with red cabbage: boil red cabbage leaves, filter the liquid and use it as a natural pH indicator to test household acids/bases (teaches acid-base chemistry).

Materials are commonly available in local markets. For lesson guides and printable worksheets, consider the practice pages on Edwin Ogie Library — Physics & Chemistry.

The role of mentors: teachers who light the way

I was lucky to meet Ms. Aisha, an unassuming chemistry teacher who smelled faintly of chalk and peppermint. She didn't give answers — she asked better questions. When my notes were messy, she taught me to write procedures clearly. When experiments failed, she asked "What did you observe?" rather than "Why didn't it work?" That shift — from blame to observation — turned failure into data.

Her mentoring had three qualities I still try to practice:

• Curiosity over correction: ask “what” and “how” before “why not”.
• Small, measurable goals: incremental tasks that lead to competence.
• Honest feedback: precise comments that guide improvement.

Teachers who mentor rather than lecture turn classrooms into laboratories of character as well as knowledge.

Tools that helped — low-tech & high-tech

My journey combined old-fashioned curiosity with modern tools. Use what you have:

• Notebooks & sketches: record steps, results and questions — a scientist’s best habit.
• Local markets: inexpensive wires, bulbs, batteries, beakers & glassware.
• Google AI resources: use Google AI for lesson ideas, data exploration and generating experiment worksheets responsibly.
• Quick definitions: if a term trips you up, use Google’s quick definition (try define: curiosity) to scaffold the idea simply.
• Edwin Ogie Library practice pages: the Physics & Chemistry practice section contains exercises you can assign to students.

Tip: When using AI tools or online resources, always validate experiment safety and adapt instructions to local materials and circumstances.

From student to maker — how the journey shaped my path

Curiosity became a career compass for me. Simple experiments turned into projects; projects into internships; internships into an engineering degree. More than skills, science taught me a way of thinking — observe, hypothesise, test, revise. This loop is the same whether you design a circuit, debug code, or solve a system of equations.

My advice to any young person reading this: start small. Build one thing. Record what went wrong. Ask a teacher one specific question the next day. Repeat. Curiosity multiplies when you feed it with action.

Final reflection & moral

Looking back, the lantern’s weak glow seems symbolic: curiosity often begins in imperfect light. But with steady questions and patient practice, the faintest glow becomes enough to see the next step. For me, that next step led to a life in science and a desire to pass the habit on.

Moral: “Curiosity is the key to discovery.” Keep asking, keep building, and remember — the best experiments begin with the simplest questions.

Get started — quick resources & next steps

If you want a starter pack (experiment checklists, printable worksheets and a 4-week curiosity plan), Email Send An Email with the subject Curiosity Starter Pack. You can also:

• Visit the Physics & Chemistry practice page for worksheets and lab ideas.
• Try a timed practice quiz on English & Math practice to sharpen problem-solving speed.
• Share this post with a student or teacher who might run a low-cost experiment next week.

Share your experiment: post a photo on social media and tag @EdwinOgieLibrary — I’ll share the best projects on the blog.

© 2025 Edwin Ogie Library — Keep curious, keep building.