Bristol Twp., Borough Teachers Get STEM Lessons From Experts

Six teachers went to summer school in July, and now that the school year is in full swing, they’ll have the opportunity to share the same lessons in Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) with their young scholars.

The three-day program was designed to lay the foundation for future careers in the STEM fields. The Arkema plant in Bristol Township provided the setting for four teachers from Keystone Elementary School in the township, and three from Snyder-Girotti Elementary School in Bristol Borough.

“Hands-on science experiments, based on each teacher’s interest, explored four topics: Rocks and Minerals, Soils and Landforms, Chemical Tests, and Motion and Design,” said Debbie Miller, senior plant executive.

Participants in the program were Debbie Foulke, Angie Burgess, Monica Wilhelm, and school Principal Mark Willicki, from Keystone Elementary in Croydon. The Snyder-Girotti teachers were Brenda Ours, Kristin Faight, and Yvonne Gattelli.

Keeping a journal was a common, and important thread in all the experiments, the teachers said. Aong with the scientific values, the journals were expected to help the students sharpen skills in writing and observation, and to develop higher thinking skills.

“In the classroom, they will have to observe, not get their information right away, and from another source,” said teacher Debbie Fouke, whose experiments revolved around chemistry.

Foulke plans for 16 experiments for her classes. Students will explore “unknown” white substances that will include talc, sugar, baking soda and cornstarch. The kids will conduct test with those substances and water, vinegar, iodine, red cabbage, juice and heat.

The children will also learn the importance of labeling their experiments, and to understand cross-contamination of chemicals, Fouke said.

Although the lessons target the younger classes, sixth-grade teacher Yvonne Galttelli will lead her charges through soils and landforms. They will study soil composition, and get to recognize forest, mountain, desert, and river delta soils.

Chemical and physical weathering of the soil will be included in the classes.

Brenda Ours and Kristin Faight offered a demonstration of rocks and minerals, with Ours passing around several samples of materials she and Faight gathered. Their classes will mine the school fields for samples that they can learn to recognize. Filed trips will also be arranged.

“We thought maybe we could also bring in a geologist to the school,” Faight said.

Angie Burgess’s subject was technical drawing – referring to a blueprint, which is a plan or drawing that shows how something is designed.

But Burgess’s demonstration was really a hands-on experiment, and participants and Arkema workers were put to work using a drawing to construct a mini-vehicle, then, via a well-placed rubber band, make that vehicle move.

“This shows potential energy – energy stored and ready to be released,” she said.

Arkema’s Science Teacher Program began I 1996. Teachers who have participated have shared what they have earned with more than 50,000 students nationwide. In addition to the program, Arkema provides each with kits that contain all materials they need for their classroom experiments.

Arkema plant manager Steve Bader said that he was pleased with the results of the 2019 program.

“We at Arkema recognize the importance of promoting science for the younger generations. The teachers were exceptional, and it was a really nice few days,” Bader said.