Science Showcase: Manheim Kids Show Rendell What They're Learning

Nov 18, 04:05 AM

Current Headlines: By Shenk, Rochelle A

ROCHELLE A. SHENK Gov. Ed Rendell and state Sen. Mike Brubaker visited Burgard Elementary School in Manheim Thursday for a first- hand look at the school's participation in a special science education initiative.

"I'm excited to be here today. I first came across this program when I was campaigning in the Pittsburgh area in 2002," Rendell said of "Science: It's Elementary"

"It's a new way of teaching," the governor said. "There aren't any textbooks; kids learn by doing. Once people see this program, it sells itself."

The program aims to transform the way science is being taught to elementary school students statewide.

Rendell and Brubaker viewed the program in action during their visit to the school, which houses 432 students in kindergarten through fourth grade.

The program is being implemented in each grade, and the two visited one classroom in each grade with the exception of kindergarten, since that grade just began the program this week.

Their tour guides? Four fourth-grade students - Anna Burkhart, Madelyn Cooper, Charis Dinger and Nate Volker, representing each fourth-grade class - who were fittingly attired in lab coats and safety goggles.

As the guests walked down a hallway, one first-grade class recited information about clouds, precipitation and thermometers. For their finale, the 23 students sang the "water cycle song" that details the steps in the water cycle.

Joann Bacon's third-grade students demonstrated their studies on carbon printing by showing copies they had made of their own fingerprints.

"If you watch the TV show CSI,' (Crime Scene Investigation) that's exactly what they do," Rendell said after being shown the technique.

Ella Funk's second-grade students conducted the "Bubbles & Fizz" experiment that demonstrates what happens when a solid (baking soda) is mixed with liquids (first water, then vinegar). Funk explained that the students work in pairs and conduct one experiment such as this a day and have completed 14 experiments so far.

When Rendell asked how many of the students would consider becoming scientists, and received a nearly unanimous response.

The SIE initiative was launched with $10 million in grant funding in the fall of 2006 by the governor and the Legislature. This year, funding was increased to $13.5 million.

The program is designed and coordinated by ASSET Inc. (Achieving Student Success through Excellence in Teaching), an independent nonprofit reform initiative established in 1994 by Bayer Corp. and several corporate and education partners in the Pittsburgh region.

Rendell noted that SIE is now in 128 of the state's 501 school districts and in a total of 501 schools.

"My goal is to have the program in all the schools throughout the state by the time I leave office," he said.

Carol Saylor, Manheim Central School District superintendent, said that Burgard began participating in SIE last year as part of the state's pilot program.

"The elementary curriculum in general (in this country) focuses more on reading and writing," Saylor said. "This program brings science into the elementary schools. It's very hands-on, so it's far more interesting for the students. We hope that as a result students have much more interest in and do better in science."

Saylor's hopes may be well-founded.

Rendell noted that eighth-grade students who were involved in the program had the highest science scores in the country and those scores were on par with those of eighth-grade students in countries such as Japan, which is known to excel in science.

Additionally, science is being added to the national No Child Left Behind educational initiative.

A first-year evaluation of the SIE program was conducted by Horizon Research Inc., of Chapel Hill, N.C.

According to information provided by ASSET, Horizon's evaluation found that early indicators point to a program that is on track to making science education come alive in Pennsylvania's elementary schools.

The governor's office received an invitation to visit the school from first- grade teacher Colleen Reiner.

"We were exploring ways to share this program with our community," she said. "We're having a Science Showcase - groups of students will be demonstrating what they've learned to parents during upcoming parent-teacher conferences. We also talked about sharing with our borough council members and legislators. That's when I had the idea of contacting the governor."

She noted that ASSET provides professional development training to teachers involved in the program, as well as science modules used in the program and support for teachers involved in the program.

Last year Burgard teachers received three days of training and later this year teachers will receive additional training.

"ASSET's vision is to make it as easy as possible for teachers to implement the program," Reiner said. "Since we've been involved in SIE I've found that instead of me asking questions, my students are asking me questions. It's much more exciting."

Caption: Rochelle Shenk, New Era - Correspondent Gov. Ed Rendell is shown at Burgard Elementary school Thursday with fourth-grade students (from left) Nate Volker Madelyn Cooper Charis Dinger and Anna Burkhart.

(Copyright 2007 Lancaster Newspapers)

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