Greystone Elementary's Science Week Goes Beyond the Classroom

Each year, Greystone Elementary in Birmingham, Alabama chooses a topic for a school-wide enrichment week dedicated to help all students learn something they may not learn in the classroom.

This year, teacher Mandy Fox decided to make the week dedicated to science after watching experiment videos from Steve Spangler. Mandy and her co-teacher put together a schedule full of science activities and lessons. They chose activities based on what would “wow” the students and get them interested in science.

Mandy says, “it was great seeing so many kids excited about learning more about science.”

The week was packed with small and large group experiments like Walking on Eggs, Burning Money, Iron for Breakfast and Film Canister Rockets. They had guest speakers like an archeologist, forensic scientist, wildlife rescue officer, chemist, dog agility trainer and a robotics team. The week ended with a paper airplane building competition.

Do we even have to state that the kids had a great time? Mandy says the kids are still telling her that the science week was awesome. Some wish science week could be every week. Now that’s getting it to the dinner table.

The teaching staff also enjoyed  the week. One teacher told Mandy that she didn’t like teaching science because it always seemed so hard. Mandy shared, “with Steve Spangler experiments, it made it so easy and she LOVED sharing in the learning with the kids. She said it had made her a believer in the ease of getting kids to question and want to learn more about science. ”

Mandy Fox and all of the teachers and staff at Greystone Elementary are teachers making a difference. They don’t just teach with worksheets and to the test. They are inspiring their students by creating memorable, teachable moments. Our hats are off to these amazing educators.