At Tualatin Valley Academy, Jennifer Youker, TVA science teacher, works to bring science to life for her sixth-grade students through inventive experiments.
Youker, a teacher at TVA for 9 years, was inspired to include more hands-on science activities after attending the Excellence in Stem Experiential Education program for teachers in 2016. She remembers a breakout session about the necessity of inspiring a passion for science.
Attendees were reminded that they never knew which of their students might go on to find the cures for cancer or other diseases still valiantly being fought. Youker took that reminder to heart and decided to help students find joy in science. She started by incorporating more labs into her teaching.
The ByDesign curriculum that Youker uses supports her desire to make science interactive, providing labs the students can do with each lesson. Students learn how infectious diseases spread by observing the effects a rotten apple has on other apples in close contact. One part of this experiment involves removing the skin of an apple with sandpaper and then rubbing it against the rotten apple. They also rub two apples with their peel intact against the rotten one and then clean one with soap and water and the other with rubbing alcohol.
According to Youker, the students noticed that if the apple “didn’t have any cuts in it” they largely remained unaffected by the rotting apple. Through experiments like these, they begin to draw connections to the importance of the skin in protecting our bodies against disease.
Other science activities the students have done include placing eggs in various solutions to learn about osmosis, worm composting and building DNA strands with Twizzlers, marshmallows and toothpicks. One of the favorite labs this year was the dissection of a chicken wing. For many students, this was their first opportunity to dissect an animal.
Several of Youker’s students enjoy the hands-on science activities. “I like all the science stuff because it gives us a break from reading from the science textbook,” shared a student. Another stated, “For me personally, I don't really like science, but Mrs. Youker makes it really fun to do.”
It appears Youker is accomplishing her goal of making learning about science fun. This solid foundation in science is valuable to helping students develop inquisitive minds — a trait that will serve them well throughout their educational career and beyond!
Students used apples to learn about disease spread, sanitation, and germs.
One of the favorite labs this year was the dissection of a chicken wing. For many students, this was their first opportunity to dissect an animal.
Students have done a variety of science activities this year, including placing eggs in various solutions to learn about osmosis, worm composting, and even the dissection of a chicken wing.
Students have learned about disease spread, osmosis, DNA, composting, and animal anatomy this year.
Students have done a range of experiments this year, including placing eggs in various solutions to learn about osmosis.
