Cub Run Students Put Science To Practice
News
By AMELIA BRUST
Daily News-Record
HARRISONBURG — When Megan Morris’ fifth- grade science classes at Cub Run Elementary School learn about cell biology, they usually have a textbook in front of them.
For a change of pace, she and colleague Carey Boyer brought students to James Madison University for an interactive microscope lab Tuesday.
As part of the activities, children soaked plant leaves in varying sugar water concentrations and watched the cells change in shape.
They shared compound microscopes from JMU’s biology department and identified the cellular features using Smartboards.
“ I’m finding some really weird stuff,” said Oscar Rodriguez, 10, of Massanetta Springs. “I’m pretty excited.”
Kerry Cresawn, assistant professor of biology, arranged for about 80 students to visit her classroom this week. Morris and Boyer brought the first wave, and a second group of students, accompanied by teachers Jolene Wiseman and Elizabeth Harding, is arriving today. “This gives them an appreciation that cells are not just static pictures,” Cresawn said.
Cresawn has visited Valley elementary schools before, and Tuesday was the first time students went to the university. Using a $7,572 grant from the Merck Foundation, Cresawn has made about 60 school visits since August to teach “ foundational science” at the elementary level.
The grant also allows her to give “ biology backpacks” to teachers containing supplies for their classroom.
Cresawn said that adjusting her vocabulary and teaching speed for elementary students was a new challenge.
“We do this lab with sophomore biology majors,” she said.
Morris said her classes do experiments at Cub Run, but they do not have access to equipment as sophisticated as JMU’s supplies.
“I like to see the chloroplasts moving,” said Kayleigh Doss, 11, of Rockingham County.
Gabby Atwell, 10, of Cross Keys said she likes her regular science classes, “but this is a lot more fun.”
Contact Amelia Brust at 5746-293 or abrust@dnronline.com
“I’m finding some really weird stuff. I’m pretty excited.”
— OSCAR RODRIGUEZ
CUB RUN ELEMENTARY FIFTH-GRADER
Jensyn Eaton, 10, a fifth-grader at Cub Run Elementary School, adjusts a slide with a plant fiber to view it in a microscope during a field trip to James Madison University on Tuesday.
