The second annual Making Science Make Sense teacher workshop saw over 30 participants last Saturday at the Bayer Crop Science Research Center. The workshop offered hands-on training for several inspiring science experiments for teachers to take back to the classroom. The workshop serves as an extension to Bayer’s in-school Making Science Make Sense program.
Teachers were shown examples of experiments extracting strawberry DNA and measuring pH with blueberries. There was also an activity called Apple to Earth, which demonstrated the small ratio of the planet’s surface that can actually grow food for the 7.5 billion residents of earth.
The teachers also toured the Bayer Crop Science West Sacramento labs where they participated in a career panel with Bayer scientists. Understanding that teachers are a significant influence for students in third through eighth grade, information was offered on how to prepare students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Other experiments such as Balloon Skewers, Lava Lamps, Magic Milk and T-shirt Chromatography, also provided teachers with ideas for teaching STEM in the classroom. After the workshop teachers were provided with two complete experiments kits stocked with the necessary supplies to recreate the experiments in their own classrooms.
Bayer’s award-winning Making Science Make Sense program is designed to help teachers spark an interest in science in their students through hands-on projects and experiments. The program encourages interactive engagement with students, as inquiry-based instruction can assist children in the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.