Sixth Grade Science is Hands-On!
Students in the 6th grade at TVA are provided with many opportunities to grow their love for science thanks to the many experiments their teacher, Jennifer Youker, offers in her class. Mrs. Youker, a teacher at TVA for 9 years, was compelled to include more hands-on-science activities after attending the Excellence in Stem Experiential Education (EXSEED) program for teachers in 2016. She remembers in a breakout session someone talking about the necessity of inspiring passion in students for science because “maybe those are the ones who will go on to find the cures for cancer and other diseases that we don’t have cures for.” As a result, Mrs. Youker wanted to help students find joy in science and started to incorporate more labs into her teaching.
The ByDesign curriculum Mrs. Youker uses supports her desire to make science interactive, providing labs with each lesson. For example, students learned about how infectious diseases spread through observing the effect of a rotten apple on apples they brought it into contact with. They removed the skin of one apple with sandpaper and then rubbed it against the rotten apple. They also rubbed a few more apples with their peel intact against the rotten one, and then after that cleaned one of the apples with soap and water and another with rubbing alcohol. According to Mrs. Youker, the students noticed that if the apple “didn’t have any cuts in it” they largely remained unaffected by the rotting apple. Through steps like these they were able to draw connections to the importance of the skin in protecting our bodies against disease.
Other science activities the students have done this year include placing eggs in various solutions to learn about osmosis, worm composting, and building DNA strands with Twizzlers, marshmallows, and toothpicks!
One final example of a science lab the students have done this year and particularly enjoyed was the dissection of a chicken wing. For many students, this was their first opportunity to dissect an animal.
Several of Mrs. Youker’s students enjoy hands-on science activities. One student shared, “ I like all the science stuff because it gives us a break from reading from the science textbook.” And another stated, ”For me personally, I don't really like science, but Mrs.Youker makes it really fun to do.” Responses like these from students indicate that Mrs. Youker is accomplishing her goal of making “learning about science fun.” This solid foundation in science is so valuable to helping students develop inquisitive minds–a trait that will serve them well throughout their educational career and beyond!
