Aquatics Teaches Water Cycle at Paschal Elementary

Sixteen aquatic science students were given the opportunity to go to Paschal Elementary School last Friday. The students packed science supplies to teach fourth graders about water cycles, watersheds and water conservation. They prepared a lesson, an experiment, and a workbook to present to fourth graders. 

“This trip involves a community. It gives the big kids and the littles kids an interaction that not even teachers can have,'' aquatic science teacher Mr. Menchy said. 

​On Friday, students had to meet by eight-thirty with all the supplies and booklets to be able to start presentation by nine-thirty. The three groups of presenters were assigned two classes of fourth graders, and presented their prepared demonstrations. The presenters had full control to demonstrate their experiments. 

“The main reason I wanted to go was to gain experience teaching kids. Plus I love seeing the kids faces when they learn something new,” Jared Hinojosa (12) said. 

For the past two weeks all three of Mr. Menchy’s aquatic science classes planned an hour long presentation for the fourth graders. Each class was split into three activity groups: workbook, presentation, and experiment groups. Classes had to work together to make a presentation for a total of fifty fourth graders. 

“The first year it was hard to get this trip approved because it was something that has never been done before. Now, it’s not that big of a problem,” Mr. Menchy said.

Despite difficulty getting approval, the plan was successful; it has become an annual project. The experience has allowed students to be exposed to a rewarding career and build relationships with young students.

~Connie Wiggins- ​Assistant Editor-in-Chief