Second-graders really dig science lab
The second-graders in my class at Stewart School really enjoy learning about science. Recently, the students studied living things of the past, most notably, fossils. They learned that fossils are the remains of plants or animals that became buried in mud and hardened into rock over time, and they developed and understanding of how paleontologists search for fossils to learn about life from over 65 million years ago.
Before going to Stewart’s Science Lab, the students wrote hypotheses about what the “fossils of the future” might be. When arriving for their lab, as with all science lab experiments, the second-graders reviewed safety procedures before beginning—the wearing of eye protection, the washing of hands, and avoidance of smelling or tasting any experiments. Then, they gathered materials together to create their very own fossils. The budding scientists made a mixture of plaster and water, and filled animal footprint molds. They let the casts harden into what “fossils of the future” may indeed appear to look like to future paleontologists. These eager learners can’t wait for the next science experiment.
Stella Guiry is a teacher at Stewart School.
