A program developed by the School of Education at Shorter University is offering local elementary students a fun way to connect with science.

Shorter’s teacher candidates hosted a Family Science Night at Cave Spring Elementary on March 3; the event is one of a series of events planned at local elementary schools during this school year. At the Science Night events, students receive a science passport allowing them access to a series of interactive stations to teach them science concepts such as magnetism, forming hypotheses, and the order of the planets.

“The Family Science Nights are great opportunities for students and their families to participate in standards-based science activities which extend or support classroom learning,” said Dr. Dana King, assistant professor of education at Shorter. “Our teacher candidates create interactive science stations based on the Georgia Performance Standards for science. Students are given a science passport to help navigate through each station, and this passport also helps Shorter teacher candidates assess student learning and their effectiveness as a teacher.”

The March 3 event was a fun learning experience for students at Cave Spring Elementary, according to John Kapustay, instructional lead teacher at the school. “The families and students enjoyed the science night activities and continued to talk about them the next school day. The event was well organized and the teacher candidates were well prepared. CES looks forward to partnering with Shorter for future events.”

Cave Spring Elementary Principal Trina Self agreed, “The students enjoyed the science stations. The teacher candidates were so prepared and were able to answer the students’ questions as they visited the stations.”

Dr. King said the Family Science Nights benefit host schools in a number of ways. “Both schools we are working with this semester are Title 1 schools,” she said. “Title 1 schools seek ways to involve parents in the learning process. Shorter teacher candidates set up the science stations and basically do all of the work. Our host schools advertise for us, and teachers and administrators are present to help meet parents and interact with the students and families.

“Family Science Nights are very easy for our host schools to implement. Students and parents benefit because the stations are fun and interesting. Next, the events allow students to spend quality time with their parents learning valuable content.”

In addition to the Cave Spring event, Shorter will host a Family Science Night at Alto Park Elementary from 5 to 6 p.m. on March 24. Similar events were held during the fall semester at Pepperell Elementary and Armuchee Elementary schools.

Dr. King added that partnering with area schools also provides a great learning experience for Shorter students who are majoring in education. “Our teacher candidates are afforded a great deal of time to be in schools interacting with students, teachers, and administrators. Events like Family Science Nights, however, allow teacher candidates to interact with one of the most valuable stakeholders in education – parents and caregivers. These events allow candidates the opportunity to practice meeting parents and discussing curriculum-based topics with them.”

These types of school-based initiatives are an important part of the work of Shorter’s School of Education, Dr. King added. “Shorter University’s School of Education has a solid reputation in Rome and Floyd County. Such events help us to continue to shine as leaders in the field of teacher preparation. Additionally, as parents and students interact with our teacher candidates, we feel certain many of them will consider attending Shorter in the future based on the positive interactions they have had with our university.”

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christ-centered, four-year liberal arts university committed to excellence in education. The Princeton Review annually includes Shorter on its list of best Southeastern Colleges. Shorter is a member of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 40 areas of study, online courses and degree programs, undergraduate programs for working adults, and four master’s programs. Learn more about Shorter at www.shorter.edu.

###