October 25, 1978
New Science Program in Donegal oe 1
elementary schools
SUSQUEHANNA TIMES—Page 7
Fifth graders at Riverview learn to estimate quantities of particles by breaking
them into manageable units. From left to right are; Brenda Zink, Joanna
Hedgepeth, and Teddy Reeves.
Third graders at Maytown study symmetry. From left to right are; Toby Applegate,
Joe Garber, Robert Arnett and Erik Williams.
Kindergarteners at Grandview play with blocks, before learning geometric principle
with them. From left to right are; Mary Jane Derr [who built a bridge], Dustin
Piersol [with a ‘‘thing to climb on’’] and Stacie Wagne
fd -
r [with a garage].
Sixth graders at Seiler experiment with light. From left to right are; Jim Buckley,
Hank Rathkey, Mike Shelly, Rick Hallgren and Scott Houseal.
After a couple years of
pilot studies, the Donegal
elementary schools have
fully committed themselves
to a new kind of science
program. Instead of learn-
ing science fundamentals
from textbooks, the kids
are now learning with their
own hands, by performing
experiments.
colored plastic.
In Mrs. Carol Ginge-
rich’s Sth grade class at
Riverview, the same hands
-on approach is being used
to teach the kids elemen-
tary statistics. Starting with
heaps of marbles, peas,
and various smaller parti-
cles, the students first
discover how hard and
boring it is to count by
The program extends all
the way down to kinder-
garten. At the Grandview
School, Mrs. Libhart’s kin-
dergarteners are learning a
lot from simple-looking
wooden blocks. The lessons
start with ordinary play
(this reporter watched the
class build various bridges,
boats and gas stations) and
end with the kids learning
Be One
Of The
Lert x. 2 4 Y ice Jen
~ ° ~ Who Have
iF First Federal
SAVINGS & LOAN ASSOCIATION OF LANCASTER
to join our 1979 Christmas Clubs
Clubs pay 51/9; perannum
compounded daily
HO
S “2
i z
||
AK sys
Stop in or mail the convenient coupon today to
First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Lancaster
24 E. Main St., Mount Joy PA 17552
FSLIC
Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corp.
Traveled To
Cisse. Christmas Club go
PLEASE DO NOT WRITE ABOVE THIS LINE
Here is my application card with my first payment in the class checked.
A good example of how ones, then work out pro- to compute the relative $1] $200 $50 $0 00
the new approach works is gressively more sophisti- volumes of cubes.
provided by Mrs. cated ways of estimating Although the program NAME
Alexander’s 6th grade class the number of particles in a does not use textbooks or Please Print
at Seiler. Her students are heap. : tests, all the teachers this . STREET SOC. SEC. NO.
currently studying light. In Shirley Trimmer’s 3rd reporter interviewed
In the past, they might grade class at Maytown, thought that the students CITY STATE ZIP CODE
have gone to a textbook to the kids are studying were learning a lot more
find out what color results symetry, with niirrors and from this program that SIGNATURE DATE
when red and blue light are geometrically patterned from the old-fashioned
mixed, or which end of the sheets of cardboard. ‘‘At method of teaching Seigrce. Ei ir £2 eral
spectrum is diffracted far- first, 1 couldn’t see the Apparently, when the kids
thest by passage through a purpose of this project,” construct and execute their Mans apLon ASSOCIATION OF LANCASTER
glass of water. Today, the teacher admits. Then own experiments, they un- Lancaster Park City Lititz
derstand what they have New Holland Millersville Mount Joy Quarryville
behind the dark curtains in
the auditorium, they figure
it out for themselves, with
light bulbs ‘and sheets of"
an organic chemistry stu-
dent told her that sym-
metry is the basis of his
own specialty.
studied much better than
when they memorize facts
from books.’
Member Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation
AI Tl ne lp a WM CN TR A A.
.
0 FF 5 0 0 48 00 FF 6 ST £6 00 SF £0 $0 £4 SF 00 Pe 0 09 0 0 OP OP 00 We $F 09 Wn 69 Tp $9 99 08 0 & TR SA PT 43 as Fv Sa VS ES Se STAs vis Seal