BY CHRISTINE GRIMALDI
Staff Writer

SCOTT PILLING staff Leigh Russ sings and plays a science lesson for students in one of his classes at South River Middle School last Friday. SOUTH RIVER - What "is a big ball of gas; made up mostly of hydrogen; which gives it quite a blast?"

Students in Leigh Russ' South River Middle School science classes can answer that - and carry a tune at the same time. "Oh the sun it supplies our daily energy," begins the refrain.

Russ, 59, keeps his acoustic guitar handy in class and often smiles underneath a trim white beard as his students join in singing the science-themed lyrics he composes. Everything from his melodies to the instructional verses are original creations.

Russ' songs are fact-specific lessons set to folk music.

"I'm a spin-off of the folk era," he said, while noting that he has his own style.

In fact, with different lyrics, Russ' songs would not be out of place at the folk festivals he used to attend while teaching himself to play the guitar in his late 20s.

Russ graduated from Central College in Iowa and is certified in all sciences, though he teaches Earth science. He began his career at the South River Middle School in 1971 and moved to Monroe Township High School for two years. By 1976, he left to work in sales for a lengthy period - a time when he would also develop his ability to play guitar and read music during his travels.

He returned to teaching in 1991 at the same middle school where he got his start.

Russ lives in Monroe Township with his wife. He has four grown children.

He wrote his first science song in April 2002 and now has a collection of about 25.

"So it's time to make a CD," he said, laughing.

He recently cut his first demo in the middle school's music room.

Russ wanted to perform live at libraries and intended to use the recording as an example of his work. Though these plans fell through due to red tape, he has performed at South River's elementary and middle schools. The borough's primary school also welcomed him for two performances on May 19.

"It went very well. The kids seemed to really enjoy it," said Principal Dorothy Unkel, adding that Russ encouraged student participation.

She said she could see the potential for the first- and second-graders "internalizing the information" taught through Russ' catchy music.

Included among his set was the song "Scientific Method."

"His science was actually very appropriate," she said of the topics addressed.

"I have a lot of respect for Mr. Russ and what he does, particularly trying to motivate our younger students to learn science," said Ron Grygo, superintendent of schools.

Grygo cited Russ' units on weather as particularly informative, both for the younger students and those in his middle school classes. Such meteorology lessons, from learning about barometric pressure and cloud formation to determining weather patterns over the years, aim to "bring science right into their lives."

Russ said he uses a combination of teaching methods in his own classes.

"I believe that hands-on experience is probably the best, and then explanation of what you did," Russ said.

He specified such visual lessons as teacher-led demonstrations, question-and-answer sessions with demonstrations, and lab experiments that allow for individual investigation.

"When we do labs, we have to do the write-up, and the 'Scientific Method' helps us remember," said Melanie Florindo, a sixth-grader in Russ' Earth science class.

But it's also fun, she said, "because that's the time we can be loud."

As for the scientific method, the song of the same name instructs that "only if your hypothesis proved to be correct/next time you'll know what to expect."

Russ himself expects to record a CD this summer titled "Branches of Science," aimed at students from the second grade through middle school levels, and he will later cut a science concept CD geared to a younger audience. He plans to somehow market and sell both across the United States.

After retirement, Russ intends to embark on a third career of performing his music at various school assemblies.

"I have never seen anything like this around here," he said.