LPMS teachers present at science conference

Several Vestavia Hills City School science teachers presented at the 2014 Science Works Conference at the McWane Science Center. The purpose of this conference is to teach science teachers how to add rigor in their classrooms. Some of the sessions that they either taught or co-taught were a hands-on physical science session, a life science session and an outdoors session. In the physical science session, teachers were shown how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts really work in a classroom. 

Through this workshop, teachers learned how a rocket launcher was made using PVC pipe, a grill igniter, tape and glue. The rockets were made from water bottles with isopropyl alcohol as fuel. In another session, the topic was plant reproduction. The teachers presented a hands-on lesson that included a flower dissection. Participants dissected a lily, mounted it on a 5” x 7” index card and labeled all of its parts. Another session encouraged teachers to take science outdoors. In the outdoor session, attendees learned how to create mini ponds from leaf litter and distilled or spring water.  

Participants prepared slides from a pre-made mini pond, and used microscopes to examine the microorganisms that were collected during the mini field trip into nature. The theme throughout each session was that teachers were encouraged to let students learn through exploration before reinforcing learning through reading and writing. The participating Vestavia Hills science teachers were Jennifer Anderson, Jennifer Brown, Jemmie Clements, Aimee Farrer, Becky Gibson, Brett Horne, Alicia Johnson, Desiree Spencer and Kathrene Westbrook.

-Submitted by Linda Rummell