Over the past several years there has been a big push in underserved communities to bring up test scores in the basic skills of math, reading, and writing while subjects that are considered “extras”, like science, have often been incorporated less into the school curriculum, if not overlooked completely. Additionally, these schools face extraordinary challenges in accessibility to basic classroom supplies let alone scientific learning tools.

However, educators in these schools now see how we have incorporated these basic skills into our JMZ science lessons through hands-on labs, experimentation, measurement and data taking. They also view our lessons as supporting English language development. Since kids are naturally inquisitive and often fascinated by scientific topics, interest is there to begin with. I use a lot of visuals, such as enlarged photos, drawings, and scientific models to demonstrate my message and I am very animated, using hand gestures and body movements to describe things. I share a lot of personal, science related stories with my students, since I have worked with various animals at large zoos and aquariums and have travelled to places relevant to the topics I teach about. 



For example, during a lesson on earthquakes, tectonic plates, and continental drift, I share my personal experience of visiting Iceland and snorkeling between two large tectonic plates, in 34-degree water, and being able to reach out and touch both plates at the same time. Kids are fascinated with stories and can relate more when they learn something through a story related to someone’s personal experiences.

For classroom teachers, a lot more has been added to their plates. Most teachers state that our lessons are such a valuable, hands-on addition to the science curriculum they are provided with within their district. They also love that we take care of supplying, preparing, and cleaning all of the materials, resulting in experiential learning for their students while freeing up some of their own time for other teacher tasks. 

As computers and other electronic devices have become such a large part of many students’ everyday lives, fine motor skills are on the decline. We have been more intentional to incorporate a lot of fine motor skill tasks into our lessons, which can be challenging at first, but are great skills to integrate.

We also need to reinforce the process of paying attention to details and following instructions through the Scientific Process, which involves thinking, trying, failing, re-thinking and re-doing; constantly reminding the students that they don’t always have to get things perfect and that trial and error is completely normal.



We also have grown in the sophistication of our lessons. In 1998, we were offering just a handful of lessons that were taught out of a kit. Today, we offer a selection of over 75 grade-specific and Next Generation Science Standards aligned science lessons, all developed by our experienced JMZ educators.

Science has shown that people learn in a multitude of ways. Reading books or watching videos is certainly one way to learn about something. The ability to perform a scientific experiment and see the results first-hand, use quality science tools and equipment, see and touch an animal biofact, or meet a live animal up-close and personal is extra meaningful.

One of my favorite lessons to teach is my 4th grade Circuits lesson. It is such a hands-on lesson that makes a complicated topic so understandable because they see the concepts happening right in front of them. Some kids come into the lesson with some word knowledge of how a circuit works, but when I hand them some wires, a light bulb, and a battery and tell them to make the bulb light up, they are stumped. By the end of the lesson, they are making both parallel and series circuits, adding multiple loads (components), and operating them by a variety of switches, all by experimentation and trial and error. They have a much more visual and understandable way of comprehending how everything electrical in their daily lives works. They work both individually and in teams so there is a real sense of accomplishment and team building. Watching their eyes open wide and listening to their excited, gleeful “oohs and aahs” when things begin to work, gives me great joy and a real sense of satisfaction that I have provided a successful, as well as fun, science lesson.

Children are scientists from the time they are born, constantly questioning, exploring, and learning new things. They should be encouraged to continue to be inquisitive and confident in their ability to learn and discover new things and understand that access to science should not be based on age, where you live, economic status, or ability.