BY KAREN CLARKE
Bradford Assistant Superintendent of Schools
The Bradford Education Foundation has provided funding for all of our fifth-grade students to participate in science activities with the Cade Museum in Gainesville.
This week, our students had a virtual, interactive field trip with the Cade science educator. She was broadcast into their classroom where the kids did a lesson on “The Solar System and Beyond” (think an interactive Bill Nye the Science Guy).
The Cade supplied kits of materials for each student that they got to take home. The students learned about Newton’s Laws of Gravity using a ping pong ball and a bouncy ball. They also had the opportunity to create their own nebula with planets, comets, etc. One kid said to me, “This is why I love science!”
In mid-October, all of our fifth-graders will go on a field trip to the Cade Museum. There, they will be in the Creativity Lab with the science educators there and will be doing activities on weather, climate and systems. While they are at the Cade, they will also get to see the actual lab where Gatorade was created. After their visit, they will get to have a picnic lunch at Depot Park before returning to school.
Right after Thanksgiving, each school will have a Cade in the Classroom visit where the science educators will come to our schools to do activities with the students on “Energy: The Ability to do Work.” Again, they will provide materials for all of the students to participate.
All of these lessons are designed to spark creativity, interest and excitement in science with lessons/activities that are based on the Florida Standards. We are so grateful to the Bradford Education Foundation for providing this unique and special opportunity for our students.
