As a child and honestly still today as an adult, I enjoy watching reruns of The Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy. These educational programs make science fun and help turn complex concepts into relatable ideas. As a student, science classes, (minus chemistry and dissecting frogs and worms) were typically enjoyable to me. And now, as an adult who believes in Christ, it’s incredible to think of the intricate detail God puts into all of His creations and the divine masterpieces we can study and explore through the sciences. 

In mid-February, I recall seeing our older students walk into school with some really well-constructed, creatively and colorfully designed science projects designed like cells. The projects really caught my attention and truly looked like they took the type of skill high school students would exude. I’m not surprised though because TRS students are hardworking, creative, and they care about the work they produce. 

These dynamically assembled, “Animal and Plant Cell,” projects were products of Mrs. Metcalfe’s science class, where she instructed her fifth and sixth grade students to dive deep into discovering what cells are and why they are needed. In the event you’re like me and haven’t taken a science course in awhile, according to the dictionary, cells are the basic structural, functional, and biological units of all known organisms. 

As it relates to the recent “Animal and Plant Cell,” project, 6th grade TRS student Christian Dyson says “it was kind of fun to do, I had fun doing it.” When students can say they enjoy what they are learning, that’s always a plus and from what I have observed, Mrs. Metcalfe makes her lessons fun, interactive and relatable for her students. 

In a letter to parents, Mrs. Metcalfe shared that in her science class, “We use the teaching method of Project Based Learning, or PBL, to help students learn better. A project motivates students to gain knowledge, and they remember it longer. Projects give students the chance to apply the skills they learn in school to personally relate to real-world situations. Your child also learns skills in PBL, such as how to think critically, solve problems, work in teams, and make presentations. These skills will help students succeed in the future, both in school and in today’s work world.”

“I learned about the different parts of the cell and what they do,” says 11 year-old Christian. Still talking about cells, he goes on to say that it’s “pretty cool that there are so many of them” and it’s important for students to learn about cells because “cells make us up, [so] if you want to be a scientist that’s important to know.”  

As always, I’m so very proud and impressed with TRS students. These children are incredibly talented, and I look forward to seeing them make their contributions to society with excellence and purpose.