Summer school keeps brains active with hands-on science

By Ms. Susan Huseman (IMCOM)July 6, 2009

Summer school keeps brains active with hands-on science
Teacher-In-Charge Vanessa Faerber prepares children for a lesson during the Patch Elementary School summer enrichment program. Seventy students in grades 1-5 are attending this summer's program, which focuses on subjects such as dinosaurs, life in sp... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

STUTTGART, Germany -- Two weeks after the last bell rang for summer break, 11-year-old Molly McCoy found herself back in a classroom.

She and 69 other students are enrolled in a summer enrichment program at Patch Elementary School.

"My dad signed me up because it would keep my brain active, instead of letting it fry over the summer," she said.

The four-week, half-day program for students in kindergarten to fifth grade is sponsored by the Department of Defense Education Activity.

The curriculum is designed to enrich and reinforce student learning through high-interest, hands-on activities focused on language arts and math skills, said Teacher-In-Charge Victoria Faerber. "It's not a remedial program," she added.

It's not a typical class, either. Faerber's class is composed of 24 third through fifth-graders. Kindergartners, first- and second-graders are divided into two more classes. The students in each class are divided into groups, and rotate between three stations: exploration, investigation and creation.

Each group is student-led. "The teacher is the facilitator," said Faerber. "This helps the students become independent and learn how to give directions."

Team leaders organize their groups, hand out materials and keep their fellow students focused. "You have to tell people this and that, but what's fun about it is that you get to sit in a comfy chair," said Joshua Clark, 12, on his first day as team leader.

But even with a comfortable chair, being a team leader can be a tough job. "Sometimes I have to command [students] to stop. It's kind of hard," Joshua said.

But it's not all on the team leaders' shoulders. Older students, called pathfinders, are paired with the younger students. Issues are solved through a chain of command: pathfinder, team leader and teacher. "It's about the students taking charge and learning to work together," Faerber said.

They're also having a good time. "We get to do a bunch of fun activities," said Adriel Moran, 11. "It's more interactive than just writing in a notebook."

With activities on dinosaurs, life in space, volcanoes, the coral reef and mysteries of the deep to come, Adriel is excited about getting to study sea creatures such as the starfish, crayfish and squid. "I'm most looking forward to biology and sea animals," he said.

The students aren't the only ones who enjoy the summer program. "During the year, I'm a reading teacher," Faerber said. "We don't get to do a lot of hands on activities like science experiments. It's fun."