Arkema has the scientific tools to make lasting connections with teachers
Elementary school science teachers dove headfirst into science this summer to find innovative ways of teaching the subject to students.
The Arkema Inc. Science Teacher Program paired local science teachers with Arkema scientists to focus on hands-on learning and ways to magnify students’ interest in science.
The program is held annually at about 14 different sites throughout the country and has worked with over 800 teachers since its start in 1996. In Pennsylvania, programs are held in Bucks County, Berks County and in King of Prussia.
About 17 local teachers attended the session at the King of Prussia Research Center Aug. 3 to 6.
Arkema is a French chemical production company with U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia that creates products such as solvents, Plexiglass and solar panels.
According to program director and senior Arkema chemist Dana Swan, a diverse set of third- through sixth-grade teachers are chosen to attend each year, based on their school’s financial situation and individual enthusiasm for science.
Swan, a former chemistry teacher in a Virginia public school, hopes the program boosts an interest in science for both teachers and students.
“We’ve seen that students lose interest in science between the third and sixth grades. If a student has a teacher who is very enthusiastic about science, that can generate more interest,” Swan said.
In the program, teachers chose an area of scientific study that they wanted to focus on, such as electrical engineering, earth and space science, or biology.
Each teacher was paired up with an Arkema scientist and received an educational kit that included curriculum-planning information, lesson ideas and low-cost, hands-on activities and demonstrations relating to the area of science they initially chose.
Swan hopes that in addition to earning professional development credits, teachers are inspired to teach through demonstrations and hands-on activities after the experience. In the biology kit, project ideas and materials are provided that encourage students to study and dissect sterilized owl pellets.
An electricity kit includes a demonstration for students that show how to design an electrical circuit that lights up a bulb.
“We want to get the word out there, so we can get as many teachers to experience the program as we can. We are excited about science and would love to transfer that enthusiasm to anyone we can,” Swan said.
Phyllis Tyrrell, a third-grade teacher at St. Rose of Lima School in North Wales, decided to attend the session immediately upon hearing about it from the school principal.
Tyrrell wanted to work alongside a scientist and become more relaxed when teaching science.
She chose to work with a human-body science kit, because she felt it could be used throughout the majority of grade levels at the pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school.
She hopes to teach students about joints, muscles and coordination through an interactive activity idea found in the kit. The activity teaches students to build a working hand model out of ordinary objects, such as paper clips, rubber bands, wooden sticks and rubber tubes.
“In the demonstration, we were able to see up close how these things work. It’s an excellent learning tool for the students,” Tyrrell said.
Karen Cedrone, a fourth-grade teacher at Upper Merion School District’s Roberts Elementary School, teaches an electricity unit within the science curriculum and wanted to find ways to spark students’ interest.
She hopes to incorporate into her lesson an activity in which students wire a cardboard house with electricity to make each room light up.
“I thought the program was awesome. I recommend it to anyone who teaches science and is interested in gaining more ideas. It was nice working along with the scientists to get a different perspective as well,” she said.
For more information, visit the Web site at www.arkema-inc.com
The Arkema Inc. Science Teacher Program paired local science teachers with Arkema scientists to focus on hands-on learning and ways to magnify students’ interest in science.
The program is held annually at about 14 different sites throughout the country and has worked with over 800 teachers since its start in 1996. In Pennsylvania, programs are held in Bucks County, Berks County and in King of Prussia.
About 17 local teachers attended the session at the King of Prussia Research Center Aug. 3 to 6.
Arkema is a French chemical production company with U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia that creates products such as solvents, Plexiglass and solar panels.
According to program director and senior Arkema chemist Dana Swan, a diverse set of third- through sixth-grade teachers are chosen to attend each year, based on their school’s financial situation and individual enthusiasm for science.
Swan, a former chemistry teacher in a Virginia public school, hopes the program boosts an interest in science for both teachers and students.
“We’ve seen that students lose interest in science between the third and sixth grades. If a student has a teacher who is very enthusiastic about science, that can generate more interest,” Swan said.
In the program, teachers chose an area of scientific study that they wanted to focus on, such as electrical engineering, earth and space science, or biology.
Each teacher was paired up with an Arkema scientist and received an educational kit that included curriculum-planning information, lesson ideas and low-cost, hands-on activities and demonstrations relating to the area of science they initially chose.
Swan hopes that in addition to earning professional development credits, teachers are inspired to teach through demonstrations and hands-on activities after the experience. In the biology kit, project ideas and materials are provided that encourage students to study and dissect sterilized owl pellets.
An electricity kit includes a demonstration for students that show how to design an electrical circuit that lights up a bulb.
“We want to get the word out there, so we can get as many teachers to experience the program as we can. We are excited about science and would love to transfer that enthusiasm to anyone we can,” Swan said.
Phyllis Tyrrell, a third-grade teacher at St. Rose of Lima School in North Wales, decided to attend the session immediately upon hearing about it from the school principal.
Tyrrell wanted to work alongside a scientist and become more relaxed when teaching science.
She chose to work with a human-body science kit, because she felt it could be used throughout the majority of grade levels at the pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school.
She hopes to teach students about joints, muscles and coordination through an interactive activity idea found in the kit. The activity teaches students to build a working hand model out of ordinary objects, such as paper clips, rubber bands, wooden sticks and rubber tubes.
“In the demonstration, we were able to see up close how these things work. It’s an excellent learning tool for the students,” Tyrrell said.
Karen Cedrone, a fourth-grade teacher at Upper Merion School District’s Roberts Elementary School, teaches an electricity unit within the science curriculum and wanted to find ways to spark students’ interest.
She hopes to incorporate into her lesson an activity in which students wire a cardboard house with electricity to make each room light up.
“I thought the program was awesome. I recommend it to anyone who teaches science and is interested in gaining more ideas. It was nice working along with the scientists to get a different perspective as well,” she said.
For more information, visit the Web site at www.arkema-inc.com
