News

Exploding "Volcanoes" Bring Shrieks Of Surprise

The Scientific Method can be seen in action all over PCA’s campus this month! 

Last week Mrs. Rhodes took her second grade class on an adventure to explore what makes up the Earth, without even having to leave their desks.

“We followed the steps of the scientific method to discover what happens when a gas builds up in a closed space like a volcano,” explained Rhodes. “We turned our desks into mini science labs where we set up our equipment. Each student wore safety goggles which protected their eyes, and even more protected their hearts as we saw the lesson through God's lens of truth.”

Each student filled a brightly colored plastic tube with two droppers of water, before carefully adding a half of an Alka Seltzer tablet. Quickly, the students capped the tube and began to energetically give it a shake! Waiting for the reaction they knew would come, students hurriedly took a step back and within seconds they watched as their tubes launched into the air! This immediately brought squeals of surprise and delight as you'll see in the video below.

“We realized gas build-ups are explosively dangerous, as rocks and lava blast into the air from a volcano,” recalled Rhodes. In studying science and the Bible, Mrs. Rhodes' students discovered that the Earth's surface has become dangerous since the Fall but scientists can help people understand the dangers and prepare them for natural disasters. 

From floating M’s last week to exploring the earth this week, students at PCA are building on their scientific knowledge and skills all around campus.

Getting Students On The "Write" Track

Teaching the writing process to students is nothing new to veteran English teacher Vicki Blackstone, but this year she decided to take the lessons outside of just classroom hours.

“It is important that students can write an argument essay with a thesis and support before they enter high school,” said Blackstone.

In order to ensure that this happens, Blackstone has developed a Writing Lab process, a way of teaching that ensures her students never get too far off track during their essay writing. 

At the start of the assignment, each student is given a rubric outlining the essay’s expectations for final grading, as well as quality example essays to use as a guide. 

The essays follow the Formal Writing Process Formula, which begins with developing a thesis, followed by an outline. Once this step is completed, they move on to each point of the outline and develop paragraph by paragraph until a five-paragraph paper has been created. Students will write independently in class, as they wait to be called up for a one-to-one conference. Those that want a little more help can sign up before and after school for scheduled appointments. 

“Good writing is a college readiness skill, and employers are seeking candidates with powerful written communication skills,” explained Blackstone. “So working in a writing lab with a teacher helps students:

• understand the importance of audience

• recognize strengths and weaknesses in their writing

• develop a master plan for proofreading, editing, and revision 

The Writing Lab is a valuable tool in preparing our students for life beyond our classrooms. Mrs. Blackstone agrees, "I like to think working one on one writing with a teacher provides a PCA student an academic and workforce edge."