My 6th grade Earth Science students spend time every day on inquiry-based lessons. We spend a lot of time working in groups which helps us see that we are smarter, together. The scientific question we will try to answer is "Can we identify the lunar craters and mountains we have learned about?"
I teach one hundred fifteen students who live in a suburban community about forty miles from St.
Louis, Missouri. Our school has a mixture of ethnic groups and a population of about one thousand students.
I teach in a regular education setting with a few special needs students in my classes. My tables are arranged in groups of four, so my students must practice active engagement to achieve academic success. We nurture our groups and non-participation is not an option. Each student is responsible for doing his/her part and is graded as an individual. I have found that we are able to accomplish so much more when everyone is doing his/her fair share and every person has a voice is their learning. It is important to me that my students have their hands on something every single day - that I am not just lecturing as they sit and listen. We engage in model making, experiments, demonstrations, and activities that involve the whole body.
We spend an entire quarter of school learning about space. Several years ago I won a Boeing Scholarship and was able to attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. I returned with an immense love for all things space and a burning desire to pass that love on. NASA has provided me with many valuable lessons and activities. Part of my curriculum involves teaching students all about our closest neighbor, the moon. I was so fortunate to be able to secure 12 Galileoscope 2-inch Refractor Telescope Kits from the Rick Edelman Show. What I need now are the tripods for the telescopes.
My Project
Our Science Department (consisting of nine teachers grades 6-8) wants to have a Science Exploration Night this spring. I want to set up the twelve Sunpak- PlatinumPlus Ultra Tripods that night for parents and students to see the lunar surface. In addition, I hope to hold future monthly Lunar Nights where students and parents can come to school one night a month and view astronomical objects using our telescopes.
In my opinion, science is the single most important subject a student can learn.
When we give students the tools to see the world in new ways, to ask questions, to seek answers, to engineer, to be creative problem solvers, then we have secured society's future. It is through innovation and exploration that our society can flourish. Students need rich opportunities to learn about the world through first hand experiences. If students' curiosity can be sparked, they'll excel and we will benefit.
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