Foxborough's Young Scientists Share Learning Experiences

By Amy Berdos, Assistant Superintendent of Schools

Five of Foxborough's young scientists were the focus of this week’s School Committee Teaching and Learning Highlight.

Students Anya and Timmy from Mrs. Baughan's fourth grade science class at the Taylor Elementary School and Nora, Catlin and Shane from Mrs. Spitz's second grade class at the Igo Elementary School shared what it is like to be a scientist in Foxborough.

The students presented their experiences with the Sangari Active Science program which was implemented in September.

"I love the fact that they don't tell you facts, but instead you have to find them out by experiments," explained second grader Catlin.  Nora and Shane agreed and said it was great that everyone gets to do experiments and not just one person.  

The students excitement was palpable as they said that it was finding out the science for themselves in a fun way was the best part of science class. Giving an example of a second grade class experiment about paint and water, second grade students explained to the committee the concept of viscosity and how it affects paint.

From the teacher perspective second grade teacher Mrs. Spitz said that she gets as excited as her students when the cart rolls up.  

The hands-on program provides many opportunities for students to work together, use many strategies, and she agreed with her students that the program allows them the chance to discover the science for themselves.

Fourth graders Anya and Timmy echoed the sentiments of their second grade peers by saying that they also get to do a lot of experiments.  They demonstrated an example of one of their experiments in which they were able to illuminate a light bulb by creating both an open and closed circuit.  Using words such as electrons, conductors, insulators and filaments they demonstrated their knowledge of how an electrical circuit works.

 Mrs. Baughan said that teaching fourth grade science with the Sangari Active Science program has been a completely different experience from teaching some of the same units in the past.  

She explained that the hands-on approach allows students to trouble shoot, engage in a lot of trial and error and most importantly they are able to discover the science.  

"I've really seen the kids discover on their own and I'm not telling them as much as before" she explained. It was clear that collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking were not new to these young scientists and that they enjoy the hands-on active science taking place in their classrooms. Asked to sum up science in one word, students enthusiastically replied, “fun!”

(Amy Berdos is the Foxborough Assistant Superintendent of Schools.)