Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools Sept/Oct 2018 | Page 17

Rea View Elementary students think critically and
creatively in mock medical school
On May 24, Rea View Elementary’s fifth grade classes were
temporarily transformed into a medical school.
Standing next to rows of tables dressed in medical scrubs and
physical lab coats, dozens of fifth graders proudly presented their
medical research papers and accompanying projects to a steady
stream of visitors who packed into their classrooms. The “medical
school graduation” was the culmination of a weeks-long focus on
body systems and included a unique approach to learning that
required the fifth graders to collaborate, think creatively, conduct
their own research and fine-tune their presentation skills.
“For the past few weeks, our students have worked in teams
and researched the six body systems. They not only logged their
research but also built replicas of the human body using normal,
everyday household items that represented the function of all
of the organs,” said fifth grade teacher Amy Bleakley. “They had
a really great time because it required them to be creative and
really think outside of the box.”
Fifth grader Ansley Williams said she enjoyed having the
opportunity to showcase her knowledge about the body systems
to parents and local community members. Their replica of
the human body included a circuit board which, the aspiring
neurologist said excitedly, represents the brain.
Another student, Ashley Murray, said she’s enjoyed the project
so much that she is now considering a future in the healthcare
field as a doctor.
It’s moments like that, Bleakley said, that lets her know
that the Rea View Medical School is much more than just a
cool classroom lesson or project. Encouraging students to think
critically and creatively has far-reaching benefits and helps to
empower and instill confidence in all of the students.
“When several girls came up to me and said they now want to
be doctors, my heart kind of fluttered because there was power in
that. You could tell they felt confident and said to themselves, ‘We
can do this,’” she said. “But at the end of the day, I want all of the
students to walk away from this knowing how to work together
and collaborate as a team and create something that they’re all
proud of.”
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Parent Teacher Magazine • Sept/Oct 2018 • 15