GRANTS IN PLACE UPDATE: Elbow Lake, MINNESOTA

Courtney Puchalski's "WCA North Science Residency" received $1,150 in Grants in Place funding to support having a scientist from the Science Museum of Minnesota do a residency at West Central Area North Elementary, which will engage students in the science of engineering.

Thanks to West Central Initiative, a regional community foundation based out of Fergus Falls, MN, for supporting our Minnesota Grants in Place program.

We are pleased to provide the following update from Ms. Puchalski:

"On October 2^nd and 3^rd, the Science Museum of Minnesota visited West Central Area North Elementary to present a science residency on Investigative Science.201 students and 20 adults from the school and the community were able to participate in the 2-day program that involved the case of a missing dog from a school and clues that lead to the dogs whereabouts and what he might have been up to.

The whole school began the program in the gym, where they discovered the case and learned that each grade would be investigating different clues to help solve the case.Then over the next 2 days each class was able to use different investigative science techniques like ultraviolet light, tracking, investigating scat, looking at fibers under microscopes, and doing chemical analysis.

On the final day the students all gathered back in the gym to present on their findings and worked together to solve the case.

This grant allowed us to bring a fun approach of Science into the school.With so much focus on Reading and Math in today’s schools, this was a great opportunity to show kids how fun and educational Science can be.It allowed grade levels to work together and help provide unity to our school.

Here are some quotes from students and adults that participated in the program:

-Wow!It was so funny being a detective! 1^st Grader

-I didn’t know what scat was till I took this class!2^nd Grader

-I loved being able to mix chemicals and see what would happen! 4^th Grader

-It was so cool to look at dog slobber under a black light! Kindergartener

-I’ve never use a microscope before and it was so fun! 3^rd Grader

-What a great educational and hands on activity for our students! Teacher"