MOST Staff Bring Lessons to Schools After Pandemic Cancels Field Trips
“We saw the galaxy and it was so pretty!” Franklin fourth grader Yordanos exclaimed. “I learned that we can’t live on Mars because there’s no water there.”“I liked getting to feel the bugs,” classmate Angel added. “I liked when we were able to choose a bug to draw!”
Each year, SCSD Pre-K, 4th grade and 8th grade students enjoy a trip to the Museum of Science and Technology (MOST), where they are invited to participate in hands-on STEM learning. For many, it’s a highlight of the year.
This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual field trips were cancelled. But thanks to a committed team of MOST educators, students weren’t disappointed; instead, the museum staff brought STEM learning straight to their classrooms!
“With field trips still not taking place, this was a great way to ensure our Pre-K, 4th, and 8th grade students still got to experience some of what the MOST has to offer,” SCSD Supervisor of Science and Technology Dana Corcoran shared. “Each student also received a MOST family day pass to visit on their own should they choose to do so!”
Fourth grade students enjoyed rotating through four different stations within their classroom, learning about dinosaurs, space, bugs and inclined planes.
“My favorite part of the MOST visit was the dinosaurs and fossils,” McKinley-Brighton student Jay’Odassi Daniels shared. “I got to touch a scorpion and a skull and [fossilized] poop!”
“It was fun to have the MOST come in and visit us,” classmate Janieliz Ayala added. “My favorite parts were the dinosaurs, the fossils and the animal adaptations, because we got to touch teeth and body parts!”
“It was so fun to learn about the inclined plane because we got to see if a hard ball or a soft ball traveled farthest,” Imenia Wright said.
"My favorite part was learning about the planets because it was crazy to see how much stuff there is out in space and how big the universe is,” Seymour fourth grader Jayden shared. “I liked learning the names of all the things like the asteroids and moons."
Teachers said it was clear that the hands-on learning helped spur students’ interest in science and technology.
“Our students had a field trip scheduled for the MOST back in October, and they were really bummed when we had to cancel it,” Franklin teacher Dorota Mariak explained. “When we told them the MOST was coming to them for a field trip, they got really excited! Students were engaged the whole time – they were asking questions and making connections to what they already know. It was great that the MOST was able to bring the field trip to them when the original plan couldn't work out. The students cannot wait to go in person one day!”
Thank you to the staff at the MOST for bringing STEM learning to our SCSD classrooms.
