Lesson to go bags make virtual learning days fun for MFL MarMac second graders
MFL MarMac second grade teachers Katie Kregel (left), Dacia Jacobsen and Eva Swatek are pictured with some of the STEM lesson to go bags that have gone home with students. During some of their Wednesday virtual learning days, the teachers and students complete the hands-on activities together, over Zoom. (Submitted photos)
Second graders in Mrs. Swatek’s class show off the geo domes they created. Peggy Schilling, who handles school-based and summer youth development programming for Clayton County Extension, finds, plans and prepares the activities. They are often related to second grade science and math standards.
For one activity, students sorted seeds into fliers, rollers and hitchhikers. Teachers said the projects have been a hit.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
MFL MarMac’s second grade teachers have partnered with Clayton County’s ISU Extension and Outreach Office to offer hands-on, educational activities for students on the district’s Wednesday virtual learning days.
“Over the summer, I was doing lesson to go bags,” said Peggy Schilling, who handles school-based and summer youth development programming for Clayton County Extension. “I was looking at MFL MarMac’s school schedule and saw they were not going on Wednesdays. I’ve worked with [teacher] Katie Kregel, who checks out our STEM Lit-Go kits every year, and asked if there were some little activities they wanted to try.”
This fall, Schilling began providing STEM challenge bags, each containing an activity the teachers and their classes can work on together during some of their Zoom sessions. The materials are dropped off in the elementary office and the second grade teachers disperse them to the kids Tuesdays before the virtual learning days.
The hardest part, said Schilling, is often finding 50 bags, then fitting materials in those bags.
On Wednesdays, Kregel explained, “We walk through the activities together. Sometimes a video link is included to give background on the topic, or we teachers can find a related book or video to help explain the concepts.”
Schilling finds, plans and prepares the activities for the teachers. She tries to offer activities related to second grade science standards, and math standards too.
“Some are through Iowa 4-H—prepared lessons they send out,” Schilling said. “I’ve also dreamt up some.”
One involves 50 pine cones, putting them in a bag with peanut butter and bird seed to make bird feeders.
“Then, you can share information about birds. Ask the kids, ‘Do they migrate?’ They might think they do, but not all birds go south for the winter. This is something they could then do on their own at home, during Christmas break,” Schilling said.
The second graders have also done activities with matter using baking soda, vinegar and a balloon. They sorted seeds into fliers, rollers and hitchhikers; planted grass seeds into water beads; and made straw and paper rockets and, more recently, geo domes.
“Sometimes it’s a struggle to have [the students] manipulate some of the materials without being in person,” Kregel admitted, “but usually an adult pops in to help at home. It’s been great because topics often come up after the activity and we can refer back to that experience. We love the idea of providing a hands-on experience for our kids on their virtual learning day.”
Fellow second grade teacher Eva Swatek agreed. At conferences, she said some parents shared with her how excited their children are for the Zoom sessions and how great the activities have been.
“The students have loved the activities and I wish I would have taken a picture of their reactions for all the Zooms. A lot of ‘this is awesome,’ ‘I love this’ and so on,” she remarked.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Schilling would often go into local schools to do activities like these. She said she misses the in-person interaction, but is happy the kids are having fun.
“Hopefully the kids look forward to getting involved, to getting their hands dirty,” she said. “They’re more likely to learn when it’s hands-on.”
