Science lab
Second grade visits the school laboratory for a fun biology workshop.
Second grade Science gets the best of both the elementary and high school science programs with some English thrown in to boot. They learn about vertebrates and invertebrates in the animal unit which is a lot of fun. But when they learn all about fish it really gets exciting! That’s when a visit to the school laboratory is in order.
Students from Cristina’s 1st bachillerato biology class take the time to prepare a workshop in English and in Spanish for the younger ones. They practise their presentations a few times and decide which animals Cristina will pick up from the supermarket the night before.
There are 5 tables manned by one or two biology students with 5 younger ones in attendance. The older students dissect different types of fish, squid and mussels all the while explaining in detail the functions of the various organs.
Shrieks of laughter are heard coming from the laboratory as the children are encouraged to touch the scales, hearts, liver and intestines. Cristina explains in English and in Spanish how the gills work on the fish at the board then sends the youngsters back to the tables to check them out on the fish set before them.
After all is done a trip to the sink to wash little hands with hot water and soap is needed. The children talk excitedly about who touched what and how it felt.
Later in the next class each child makes a thank you card for the biology students who worked with them at their table. Some chocolate also finds its way to the junior teachers.
The older students love seeing themselves depicted in the drawings on the cards and appreciate the heartfelt words written within. Second grade has been visiting the laboratory for the fish for the last 10 years.
Elizabeth Girard
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