This week I have something really cool to share, but I have to take some liberties here with paraphrasing, as a lot of this was big, wordy answers. Answers that I simply did not understand. I interviewed two students, Sophie and Dezandria, about a classroom activity they did that I happened to observe. First off, let me say the future’s so bright in speaking with the two of them and what they were demonstrating proves it. In class, they were talking about the sliding filament theory and students were creating 3D models that shared steps in the process on a microscopic level. Dezandria and Sophie spoke to me about how the 3D model process really helped to exemplify what was going on in the transition to make a muscle move. And, of course, we all giggled at the end of their long explanation because of thinking of how many times this happens in the split second. Sophie and Dezandria talked about the fact that making the 3D models really helped identify the process and what exactly was going on. Each slide in their presentation showed the small changes that are actually occurring on a microscopic level with the 3D models. They discussed how the calcium flowing in kicks off this process and then they were able to talk me through what happened next. And, of course, eventually all of these processes happen to make the muscle move.
Talking with these two students made me celebrate what we do here as our kids understood the sliding filament theory. The best question, though, that I asked was what do you think about Ms. Saunders creating an activity like this for you? And the answer I received back was how impressed they were because Saunders had the opportunity to just show a video or something else, but by gathering all these supplies and having students create the 3D models, the lab really helped them learn and understand everything that was going on. Both students really appreciated Saunders’ extra effort.
How cool is it that our students are doing activities this complex and this intricate? But even more impressive to me is that SHS has dedicated teachers in the building who go these extra steps to create learning opportunities and create 3D models to help with understanding. Again, thank you to those teachers who dedicate themselves to our kids. Thank you, Ms. Saunders, and great job to the students for working so hard and learning.
