MySci Initiative Puts Animals in the Classroom
Posted: 04/14/2009
Project involves Most Holy Trinity School, Duchesne Elementary School
ST. LOUIS (April 14, 2009) - Science Alive: Learning, Leading and Connecting, an action research project started by two MySci program specialists, has put live animals in classrooms at Most Holy Trinity School in north St. Louis and Duchesne Elementary School in Florissant, Mo.
Steve Kessel and Darlene Norfleet began planning the project last summer, and it launched in January. This type of project is new for MySci, which is known for providing K-2 teachers with curriculum books and classroom kits on plants, animals and the earth, and then later visiting the schools with an Investigation Station, a roving vehicle of innovative exhibits and specimens, to give students an interactive learning experience.
Through Science Alive, Kessel and Norfleet introduce live animals to selected upper-level classes at each school. Once the students are comfortable caring for the animals, the students, serving dual roles as caregivers and animal experts, introduce the living creatures to a K-2 class. The younger students then must care for the animals. All of the students are required to observe the animals' behavior and keep journals.
Animals introduced so far include fish, turtles, hissing cockroaches, fire belly toads and rats. In the coming weeks, parakeets and millipedes will be added to the classrooms.
"Children need to understand the interdependency of animals, plants and water," Kessel said. "These kinds of experiences, we hope, will capture a child's interest and keep them interested in science."
Pat Travis, who teaches first grade at Duchesne and is participating in the Science Alive program with fifth-grade teacher Steve Marsden, says the experience has been invaluable for her students. "My students are definitely more interested in science thanks to this program," Travis said. "It's been a great opportunity for us, and it's been a lot of fun for everybody involved."
Norfleet describes one recent observation noted in the journals of Travis' students. "They were observing what foods turtles preferred to eat," she said. "They alternated feeding the turtles dead fish, live fish, food pellets and carrots. They felt like the turtles didn't like eating live fish because it was harder for them to capture their meal. It's simple observations like this that nurture children's proficiency in science inquiry."
Nicole Scheel, who teaches K-2 science at Most Holy Trinity, said her students are observing and learning a lot about the animals, and interest in science has noticeably increased thanks to MySci's Science Alive.
"Most of these animals aren't common in the city, and these children are excited to care for and hold them. A lot of students want to hold the cockroaches, for example, and that wasn't something they wanted to do when this program started," Scheel said. "The program is definitely worthwhile, especially because we don't have the funds to go on fieldtrips. MySci brings the excitement into our school."
Eighth-grader Raymond Bogan helps younger students at Most Holy Trinity learn about the animals. During a recent session, a group of second-graders asked Raymond how to tell if the class turtle is male or female. Raymond plans to conduct some research and report back during his next meeting with the class.
In the same session, second-grader Ashley Hackney, with the help of MySci's Kessel, used a magnifying glass to view the eyes of a hissing cockroach as it paused while crawling on her arm. And kindergartners Eric Williams and Anthony Johnson-Wright observed the eating behavior of rats. Anthony, in his journal, wrote that the rats prefer to eat sweet corn over the other options presented.
Science Alive supports MySci's mission of getting students and teachers excited about science. The new program engages students and teachers, giving them a strong starting point for science education, Norfleet said.
As an action research project, Kessel and Norfleet will take a systematic look at the success of the Science Alive program after it ends in June. At that time, MySci will determine whether to refine and continue the pilot program as part of MySci's regular program offerings during the 2009-2010 school year.
About MySci
MySci, funded by Monsanto Fund, is a collaborative effort
among the following institutions: Washington
University in St.
Louis, the Saint Louis Science Center,
the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Saint Louis
Zoo. MySci's mission is to enhance a sense of wonder and interest in science
for children and their teachers. The MySci program gives early elementary
students all over St. Louis
the chance to study science through inquiry. It provides curriculum books and
classroom kits in the topics of plants, animals and the earth. It also includes
a visit from an Investigation Station, a roving vehicle of innovative exhibits
and specimens that make learning through climbing, crawling, seeing, hearing
and smelling more exciting than ever. MySci is getting an early start on
recruiting the next generation of scientists.
For more information, contact:
Justin Lopinot
314-469-3500
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