Proctor's Science Curriculum for many ninth graders begins in Mike Walsh's Earth Science class studying geology while also learning fundamental study strategies that will them well throughout the remainder of their Proctor career.



Last Monday, the Earth Science class made the trek across Route 11 to the Andover Elementary School. Their destination: a visit with Mrs. Kidane's 4th grade class to teach her students about various classifications of rocks.



Today, the two classes joined forces once again. This week's session involved an identification lab during which Proctor's students helped 4th graders identify different rock samples based on features discussed during the preview visit.



Each Proctor student served as a group leader, taking a selection of rocks and using features discussed last week to classify each rock. Below, Earth Science students pass on their newly acquired knowledge to their 4th grade counterparts:



As the activity ensued, Proctor's students slowly gained more and more confidence in their own knowledge of rock classification and became increasingly willing to engage the 4th grade class.



A palpable excitement from the 4th grade class was evident as Proctor's students walked in the door. While Angus, Carter, Daisey, Gabi, Luc, and Katie may not realize the positive impact they had on the learning experience of the 24 students they visited today, those fourth graders will undoubtedly remember more about igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks than they otherwise would have.



Truthfully, this experience for Proctor's Earth Science class will have a similar impact. The Earth Science class had clearly mastered rock identification prior to their visit to Andover Elementary, as evidenced by their comfort level leading the small group labs, however, being placed in a position of teaching that knowledge significantly reinforced earlier learning. What better way to assess student learning than to place them in a position of teaching others?



Interactions like this collaborative exercise between Andover Elementary School and Proctor not only help to reinforce the existing relationship between the two schools, but positively impact the learning experience for all students involved!