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GAINFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PTO SPONSORS IN-CLASSROOM SCIENCE SERIES First Grade: “Dig It” Geology ProgramApril 1, 2004, Middlebury/Southbury—In an effort to support the science curriculum at Gainfield Elementary School, the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization is funding a number of science-oriented programs for the students. A certified teacher employed by High Touch-High Tech provides hands-on, participatory science experiences for students with such titles as “Wiggly Worms,” “Weather on a Kite String,” and “Bug Safari.” Gainfield Elementary School’s PTO sponsors the High Touch-High Tech programs for the students at an annual cost of over $3500. This is their fourth year of sponsoring this science program. “The goal is to stimulate the imagination and curiosity of girls and boys in the world of science,” said PTO president Connie Herr. “Next year, Region 15 will be making changes to the science curriculum, but right now, the PTO is happy to be able to help supplement the teachers’ existing lessons.” “The High Touch-High Tech lesson is a great way to bring science to the students because it brings the field trip into the school, saving money on buses and fees. What I like best about the program is that since it is taught in individual classes, the children have lots of chances to learn by touching and doing,” said Mrs. Herr. In a recent High Touch-High Tech program, entitled “Dig It,” Mrs. Banville’s first graders learned about the earth’s layers, active and dormant volcanoes, and rocks and minerals. The students used hard-boiled eggs to simulate the earth’s crust and looked inside the egg to see a representation of the earth’s mantle, and outer and inner cores. The instructor, Mary Rose Giuliano, described and created an active volcano, and then the students panned for rocks and minerals that they were allowed to take home. “The High Touch-High Tech mission,” said Mrs. Giuliano, “is to increase scientific literacy of children. We believe it is important to expose children at a young age to science in a fun manner.” In a related science issue, the Region 15 Science Curriculum Team is preparing to implement a revised K-8 science curriculum in the upcoming school year. The team is ensuring the curriculum meets with new state science standards, developing student performance benchmarks, and selecting new student resources. One of the goals of the team is to design a concept-based curriculum, which helps educators teach beyond scientific facts and more toward the higher-level concepts and principles of the subject area. The new science curriculum for K-8 students will begin in September 2004.
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