‘IN OUR ELEMENT’
Graduate science education students visit Costa Rican school
Our day began bright and early at Escuela Rafael Ecuardus H, in Monteverde proper.
We visited with Nina Sylvia and her first- and third-grade students. The students graciously welcomed us and invited us to play soccer, rugby and baseball with them during recess.
We observed the class in action. First-graders were learning two-digit addition while fifth-graders were creating posters of aquatic and terrestrial animals. Even with so many visitors watching, students were so engaged in what they were learning.
Dr. Tammy Lee brought two robots to leave with the students from Ann McClung of Pitt Pirates Robotics in Pitt County. Students will design their own robot using repurposed materials of their choice. We used a robot made from repurposed cardboard to demonstrate how to operate the robot. Students soon jumped in and began operating the robot on their own. They were such quick learners!
The graduate students show children at the school how to operate a robot made from repurposed cardboard.
The graduate students spent their day at Escuela Rafael Ecuardus H. (Contributed photos)
We made lots of new friends at Escuela Rafael Ecuardus H. We are very grateful to our friend Sylvia, who teaches English there, for welcoming us to her school. Sylvia was a fabulous host and guide during our visit.
After our visit to the school we headed back to Monteverde Biological Station for our trip debriefing. We discussed what we learned, the highlights of our trip and how we plan to take all that we have experienced and learned about climate change and its effects back to our classrooms. Monteverde Cloud Forest has been an amazing classroom for us.
Once our debriefing was over, we said goodbye to our guide Emily Hollenbeck, a Council on International Educational Exchange professor, and the Monteverde Biological Station, which has been our home for the week.
First view up close of Volcano Arenal
We loaded up our bus and headed northeast to our next stop, Arenal Volcano and Los Lagos Resort. We could see Volcano Arenal from a distance and marveled as we got closer and closer to our destination.
When we were almost to Volcano Arenal, our driver pulled the bus over to the side. We could see people staring and pointing into a tree. We soon found out that a sloth had literally stopped traffic. We joined the rest of the sloth’s fan club to get a view. After seeing the sloth, we felt that our trip to Costa Rica was now finally complete!
Finally, after four hours of travel on winding unpaved and paved roads we arrived at our next destination.
The clouds above the volcano cleared and we got our first view up close and personal of Volcano Arenal. We quickly unpacked and headed to the pools and spa to experience the warm waters of Los Lagos heated by geothermal energy. After trekking through the rainforest, our agenda said it was time for some rest and relaxation.
Eye opener of the day: These teachers have very little resources and no technology in their classrooms but their students were still engaged. The students were independent and were on task at all times.
-by Lauren Brewington, fifth-grade science and social studies teacher at Pactolus School in Greenville
Kelsey Phillips, fifth-grade math and science teacher at Sam Bundy School in Farmville
Rachel Lowery, sixth-grade science and social studies teacher at Kings Mountain Intermediate School
June 21, 2018