By Michael Peacy

While my first year of teaching was a series of “whoas, wows, whews, and ums,” my second year evolved into more, “Wow, that was fun!” and “Whew, what an adventure!”

Last year, I was a little more relaxed but there were plenty of times that I felt like I was back in my first year again.

It didn’t hurt that I had a spectacular group of students, ready for anything, which helped me to be more adventurous as a teacher. Even though my background is in social studies, I agreed to be the sole science teacher in 6th grade. So, learning how to teach science, keeping one lesson ahead of the kids, and saying, “I’m not sure but I’ll find the answer for you,” were my first adventures; making hail was my second.

During our meteorology unit, we were learning about how hail forms and decided to make our own batch. The activity works this way: first, start with a cup of ice, then add salt into the ice to allow the water to freeze at a much lower temperature. Next, put clean water into a test tube and put the test tube into the ice/salt mixture. After awhile, take the test tube out and drop an ice crystal in the test tube. Now, teaching logic states that you should probably try this at home before you try it in class.

Unfortunately, I didn’t do this; I did the experiment for the first time with my first hour. The first group brought up their test tube, and I dropped the ice in and the tube just completely froze. The results took me by surprise. All I could say was, “Wow, that is so cool.” I’m glad the activity worked well.

After reflecting on this activity, I started to think about how ice expands and that we used glass test tubes. All I could think was, “Whew, glad no one broke the glass.”

Another thing I found out this year is that if you disguise work as fun and let the students be creative they really can come up with some amazing things. The other thing we did with our meteorology unit was to study weather maps. As a final project, they had to study weather maps for a few days and then predict what the weather on the fourth day would look like. I have two big weather maps, and they had to create their own copy of weather symbols to put onto the map. They made fronts, snow, rain and some even did fog. Then they had to put together a weather report that we recorded. They were funny and creative – this is an activity that I’m going to continue to do for years to come. One of my favorite reports included two people in different weather conditions dressed to fit the part. On one side of the country they were predicting warm weather and in another area it was snowing.

While science was the “adventure” of the year, camping was the “learning experience.” Our overnight camping trip to Camp Whitcomb Mason went really well. As a house, we decided that it would be a lot of fun to plan an overnight educational field trip. This brought me to a nervous point when we had to go before the school board to present our idea. Once the school board approved our trip we were off and running. We planned to take the trip in February due to the fact that there were not many other options at that point. One of the lesson plans we had worked up was to use the scientific method to make toboggans travel farther and faster. The lesson learned here is if you’re going to use a sled in a lesson, make sure there is snow.

Another lesson I learned at camp is that no matter how hard you try to get the kids on your side, the moment they have a chance to make you kiss a moose, they sure will turn on you. At camp, they have a game where you try to hide a wood chip called “Suzy” on someone and if that person still has it when a meal ends they have to get up and do something talented. If the students like what you do, you’re off the hook; if not, you have to kiss the moose. (Why is it if you kiss a moose at camp the picture will undoubtedly end up in the yearbook that year?)

With all the activities we did this year like camping, creating weather reports to making hail, it’s no wonder that when June came around I said, “I wish they could stay, but man, I need a break – not from the job but from the students.” This year, things got easier for me. The “whoa, um, wow and whews” are becoming fewer and are replaced by the adventure and learning experiences. Teaching really is an exciting job, and each year seems to present its own adventures.

I can’t wait to see what my third year brings.

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Posted November 28, 2006