STEM
Reinventing Labs in Distance Learning
Imagine a high school science classroom, and it’s likely you’ll picture students bending over a dissection in Biology, donning goggles and gloves as they mix chemicals in test tubes in Chemistry, or building complex Rube Goldberg-esque machines in Physics. The lab experiment is one of the cornerstones of high school science education, and it’s one of the more challenging elements to translate to distance learning. Over the last nine months, our STEM teachers--true scientists all--have been experimenting, analyzing, adjusting, and refining their approach to bringing the laboratory home for our students.
In Ramsey’s Chemistry class, students are conducting simple experiments with materials that can be found in many average kitchens. Families receive a list of the necessary materials the weekend before, and students can pair up with others (virtually) if they don’t have access to all the supplies. The students then record videos and share their results with their classmates. Take a look at this candle in a jar experiment.
Robotics students were provided with robot kits at the start of the semester. Students have used the materials in the kit to build and program their machines, and they record and share their tests and demonstrations using the same process (watch some robots follow a one-meter line).
Lisa’s students have conducted a number of “home physics” experiments, using household objects to examine concepts like Newton’s laws and projectile motion. Her Astronomy students have also built their own quadrants, instruments for measuring the angle between celestial objects and the horizon, using materials found at home.
Many of our STEM teachers are utilizing virtual interactive simulations (such as those created by PHet). Some of these simulations are very sophisticated, and help to give students a rich understanding of subjects like genetics, atomic structure, plate tectonics, and more. These simulations are helpful even in a traditional classroom environment when students are studying hard-to-visualize concepts. In fact, even when we aren’t in a shelter-in-place situation, our teachers use a combination of hands-on projects (sometimes conducted at home, sometimes in the classroom) and digital simulation or video.
One thing is certain: our always creative, always curious teachers will continue to explore new ways to illustrate scientific concepts for our students, whether they are on campus or at home. In standard SA fashion, during this time, our STEM staffulty members have taken risks, documented, analyzed, made discoveries, and found surprises along the way that will inform their approach going forward.
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