My first profession was in nursing. Science mixed with collaboration with colleagues, all for the betterment of God’s children – what a wonderful career! I found that I particularly enjoyed the teaching aspects of nursing, whether the recipient was a patient and family, nursing or other staff. This naturally morphed into school instruction, and I have enjoyed this work for over 20 years.
At Saint Adelaide Academy, we science teachers collaboratively support each other, sharing supplies, ideas and time. Because of this, our students have developed a fascination with God’s world. With each new concept the students explore, they become more and more aware of the complexity of God’s creation and the obligation we all have to be responsible citizens of God’s world. The entire school became involved with my sixth grade project of raising trout from eggs to alevyn to fingerlings, then to the release of these in a local lake. Students stopped by my classroom each day to check the growth of our little fish. This was clearly an experience of one of God’s circles of life, and our students embraced the experience.
Earnest laboratory experiences begin in kindergarten. I work with the education department of San Bernardino County Museum and I am able to bring specimen kits to school, allowing our early learners the chance to explore habitat life. These students are also introduced to various scientific instruments. Microscope use is a favorite of theirs, as they discover the intricacies of a butterfly wing or a bit of sand. Each week, these students punctuate their evaluations of the current lab, with “this was the best lab ever.” Yet each week, another “best lab” is introduced to kindergarten.
At the beginning of each school year, grades 5-8 participate in a scientific method investigation that involves a natural or man-made disaster experienced during the previous year. This year students showed how difficult it is to find a leak in an oil pipeline. This coming year, students will investigate groundwater depletion during a drought. Another teacher and I have already taught a current-event theme of drought, in preparation for this opening lab.
Each year, Saint Adelaide Academy presents an outstanding science fair, which is one of my assignments. Middle school students begin project preparation in September, and each level of progression is evaluated by both parents and teacher. Projects increase in complexity throughout the grades. The best projects are sent to higher competition at the regional RIMS County fair, and from there, many of our projects have gone on to compete at the California State Fair. While I am always impressed with the quality of our students’ science fair projects, I am thrilled when our projects succeed at the highest levels.
We have won Sweepstakes at the RIMS fair, an indicator of the best middle school project (out of 800 entries). We have received a gold medal and several silver medals at state-level competition. This indicates that our students are working beyond the requirements of public school, and their skills continue throughout their science experiences at our school.
Life Science in the seventh grade is phenomenal with its lab experiences. Students learn how to mount slides and adjust microscopes. God as our creator becomes incontrovertible as students realize just how complicated even fundamental life is.
They explore various life forms including human anatomy with specimen examinations and explorations such Lumbricus Alive! and the Cardio lab, when students listen to heart beats and determine their own blood pressure using stethoscopes and sphygmomanometers.
All year long the seventh graders anticipate the rat dissection, where students use actual surgical instruments and are taught proper operating room techniques. Each year, students returning to visit from their high schools report that they were the only students in their science classes who were laboratory-skills ready.
In working with the recently accepted Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), I find that Saint Adelaide’s teachers have been teaching to the new standards for years. We are clearly preparing our students to innovate, lead and create the science-based jobs of the future. I have every reason to expect that our students will guide others in responsible care of God’s world.