based in Stateline, Nevada. And the miners are elementary students
Unlike an all-ages school assembly, Science Theater’s lessons allow
in northern Nevada schools who participated in Science Theater:
every student to actively participate in scenes that address a
Rocks and Minerals Program in Oct.-Nov. 2014. Founded in 2009,
standards-based science question. It has proven particularly effective
Get in the Act developed their Science Theater Program to draw on
at reaching the non-traditional learner, educates across all
the natural teaching parallels between science and theater.
backgrounds, and builds teamwork and literacy skills. Since Get in
Both science and theater use questioning, hypothesizing,
investigating, and drawing conclusions to develop critical-thinking
skills. Using this model as their classroom framework, 4th-grade
the Act develops curriculum in Physical, Life, Space, and Earth
Sciences, each K-5 classroom can participate in age-appropriate
science enrichment based on state standards.
students learned how minerals can be identified by color, hardness,
This teaching model has helped Get in the Act’s partner schools
streak, and luster. Each workshop allowed every student to
reach important milestones. For example, Tahoe Lake Elementary in
participate in two scenes that built on that lesson’s key question, in
Tahoe City, California, was named a California Distinguished School
this case how to identify minerals? With over 4000 known minerals
in 2014. Principal Stephanie Foucek expanded on this achievement,
on earth, students learned that they can identify these minerals by
“One of our primary foci is to provide hands-on and inquiry-based
their physical properties.
learning in science, and I have no doubt that Science Theater helped
us meet this goal and earn that recognition.”
“Science Theater is very engaging; the big ideas stick!” declared Ms.
Cooper, 4th-grade teacher at Southside Elementary in Elko, Nevada.
Teacher surveys completed after each lesson affirm Science
Because students dramatize science concepts in memorable scenes
Theater’s effectiveness. Get in the Act asked participating teachers in
they learn and retain the content from those scenes. This allows
Nevada a series of six questions. These inquiries asked if Science
students to quickly connect core concepts to their everyday world by
Theater enhanced classroom curriculum, reached specific learning
adding the Arts to S.T.E. M. for a genuine S.T.E.A.M. learning
objectives, integrated art forms, and developed student outcomes
experience. “Science Theater gave my students new ways to learn
such as critical-thinking, teamwork, and communication. More than
about our important topics and standards,” remarked Ms. Conner,
97% of teacher responses strongly agreed that Science Theater
2nd-grade teacher at Southside. “It kept my students on task and
reached these classroom objectives with their students.
100% engaged.”
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