This and many other scientific facts were discussed by students who participated in the Public School System’s Outdoor Science Summer Enrichment Program during its recognition day on Friday.
The students also showed PSS officials, teachers, parents and visitors what they had learned about energy, erosion, turtle nesting, tilapia dissecting at the American Memorial Park Visitor Center theater.
Janelle P. Rivera of Koblerville Elementary School was this year’s event coordinator for the outdoor science program.
She said one of its goals was to make learning about science fun.
“I believe that we achieved that goal this summer,” she said.
Rivera said the program started on June 27 with 80 participating elementary students from different public schools on Saipan.
She said the students went on three to four field trips a week for hands-on learning.
“They also spent some time in class to discuss and review the lessons learned from the field trips,” she said.
During the recognition day, each class created a “movie” about the favorite things that they learned during the program.
Asap Ogumoro of Garapan Elementary School, who served as one of the teachers in the science summer program, said the activity was safe and educational.
He said they measured erosion on Managaha, visited the Hawaiian Rock Quarry and had a chance to sail with Carolinian navigator Lino Olopai.
Paul Joyce, a special education teacher who was involved in the science summer camp, said some of their students may have disabilities but the program focused on their many abilities to provide these students a wonderful learning opportunity.
The students, he said, learned dissection and even had the opportunity to enjoy eating fish prepared by interns who worked for the summer program.
“There is no more knowledgeable and enthusiastic person than Val Welch to guide the students in the pursuit of scientific knowledge and discovery,” Joyce said.
He said the students also learned about the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. water catchment system.
PSS’ other summer programs are Tiningu’ Lengguahi yan Kuttura, Robust Summer Fun, Summer Language Arts and Mathematics Summer Adventure.
