Science Grant Provides Unique Opportunities for Central School Fifth-Graders

Most students start their weekends with possibilities of sleepovers or a night at the movies.

But last Friday, the fifth-graders from Lemont’s  got to experience something different.

Thanks to a professional development grant awarded to teacher Michelle Anderson from the DuPage Children’s Museum, her students and their families got to spend the evening at the Naperville facility, taking part in a Family Science Night. The event included science games, hands-on experiment and other fun activities.

When Anderson initially heard about the Exploring Forces and Motion grant offered by the DuPage Children's Museum, she immediately applied.

“I take every opportunity I can for professional development,” she said. “I keep pushing myself to learn new things to bring into the classroom.”

Previously a teacher at for 10 years, this is Anderson’s first year teaching the fifth-grade science curriculum. With a background in biological science, she thought the participation in the museum’s workshops would help her gain knowledge on forces and motion, specifically simple machines.

Besides the Family Science Night, the grant covered Anderson’s two trainings at the museum, as well as well as the cost for Anderson's substitutes on the days she attended training, and the cost for materials and for transporting the students and their families, nearly 90 people, to the science night.

Anderson also had to plan and implement a science activity in her classroom, under the evaluation of a DuPage Children’s Museum staff member. She opted to teach a lab on friction, and tied it to the scientific method.

Anderson enjoyed sharing what she learned with the students.

“I like to use hands-on materials as much as possible,” she said. “And I love having the opportunity to bring something new to the fifth-grade teachers.”

The grant also provided Anderson with $100 worth of lab supplies for her classroom, and in May, the DuPage Children’s Museum will come to Central School to work with her students on a lab project.

Gina Rodewald, principal at Central School, lauds Anderson’s pursuit of the grant.

“It’s always nice to have someone take advantage of resources from people in the area,” she said. “And it’s great to bring those resources in so the students can benefit from them.”

And the grant is a boon for the District 113A School District, as officials are tackling an already tight budget.

“This was entirely free and so beneficial to the district,” Anderson said.

Another bonus?

Seeing her students “get excited about learning.”

“The most rewarding part is when kids get excited to want to learn on their own,” Anderson said. “And when kids start to make connections on things, that’s so rewarding for me.”