Buncombe County Schools Science

Young scientists at Avery's Creek Elementary in Ms. Crouch's classroom launched their science unit on Ecosystems with lots of great questions, discussions, and initial drawings about their notices, wonders and background knowledge of different animals in their habitats.

It's so great to see these students engaged and excited about learning!

Our young scientists Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. Discovery Academy went above and beyond with an exciting experiment to model cellular respiration in plants! 🌱 Using oxygen and carbon dioxide sensors connected to a data logger, students measured gas concentrations to observe how plants consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide. 📊 This real-time data collection allowed them to dive deep into understanding the respiration process and the science happening within every cell!

Thanks to a generous grant from GE Aerospace in Asheville, a new cohort of 3rd-grade teachers from Black Mountain Primary School and Glen Arden Elementary School embarked on their Galaxy Games training! During the session, teachers were actively engaged in hands-on learning, gaining tools and strategies to bring this innovative program back to their classrooms. The Galaxy Games program, a collaboration made possible by the grant and a partnership with Asheville Museum of Science, seamlessly integrates literacy, art, and science as students design and create their own board games. These games are not only an exciting way to deepen content knowledge but also foster creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. The program culminates with students presenting their finished games to their families and the community, providing a meaningful opportunity to showcase their learning and celebrate their achievements. This unique initiative highlights the power of partnerships in transforming education and engaging students in interdisciplinary learning!

Fifth-grade students at Enka Intermediate School engaged in an exciting team-building STEM activity where they designed and constructed devices to protect an egg during a drop from various heights. The egg containers were tested at progressively higher levels, depending on their success in keeping the eggs intact. This activity was a fantastic opportunity to combine the engineering design process with teamwork and community building!

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, 7th-grade students at Cane Creek Middle School welcomed Jason Boyer who brought both knowledge and reassurance. He provided valuable insights into the science behind this rare storm, explaining the unique weather systems that contributed to its formation and the path it followed. Alyson Miner, a 7th grade teacher shared that “our weather unit was, ironically, interrupted and replaced by our absence from Hurricane Helene.” To cover the unit upon return they “wanted it to be student-driven, relevant and interesting.” Students came up with questions before Jason Boyer presented and they were mostly interested in lightning, storms, and hurricanes. Students gained a deeper understanding of how hurricanes develop and how local rivers, tributaries, and the landscape played a role in the storm’s impact. Describing the visit as “a bittersweet moment,” he shared that his goal was “to ease some of the anxiety by explaining how rare an event like this really was.” We are grateful he was able to share his passion for meteorology while providing insight to our students.

💧Young scientists in Caroline Sgan's classroom at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School are learning the magic of science! Students were creating hypotheses and testing them out to find out just how many drops of water a penny could hold, while learning to work together! They also tested to see what happens when you added soap to the water and then compared results. They were amazed at the properties of water when the penny could hold over 50 drops!

🔬Seniors at A.C. Reynolds High School in Lexi Houle's AP Environmental Science class are testing out some soil after participating in the Soil Your Un**es challenge from the USDA. Students find out soil health and quality by burying underwear and finding out how much microbial activity there is in the soil. The more the underwear is broken down, the healthier the soil! Students are doing preliminary testing on soil quality in their dig site in this part of the activity.

🔭 Science is in taking off at Enka High School! Students in all the classes are learning by asking questions about the world around them and then testing out ideas. Young scientists all over the school are learning about real life phenomena and learning on a deeper level. These jets are ready to fly! ✈️

Science at T.C. Roberson High School is more exciting than ever! Teachers are using real-world phenomena to give students context for their learning, allowing them to think critically and solve problems in creative ways. In these dynamic classrooms, students aren't just learning facts—they're becoming problem solvers and thinkers who are ready to take on the world!

Experiential learning continues at Johnston Elementary School! More native pollinator gardens went in as we continue to spread the "buzz" about the importance of native plants! 🌻

Thanks to a grant from NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Buncombe County, we were able to beautify the gardens even more by adding some healthy mulch on top of the new plantings!

🌼🦋 School Beautification with a Purpose! 🌿🐝

Through a collaboration with Bryan Tompkins from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, several of our schools have transformed empty spaces into vibrant sanctuaries for pollinators with a special project that's as educational as it is beautiful. Bryan has been working with schools throughout our district by speaking in classrooms, providing native plants at no cost and then bringing the plants and mulch to the school for the planting.

In this highlight from T.C. Roberson High School, Bryan began with a presentation to students about the vital role native plants and pollinators play in our ecosystem. Three teachers, Dayna Ferguson, Randi Baldwin, and Trent Wharton led the charge on facilitating the project. Understanding the importance of biodiversity, their students took the reins, designing pollinator gardens that showcase a variety of native plants, carefully selected for their seasonal bloom and attractiveness to local pollinators. Ms. Ferguson shared that, "the kids had to maximize diversity, consider plant types and flowering times to create their designs."

The students then rolled up their sleeves and turned their designs into reality, planting these gardens. These new green spaces not only enhance the beauty of our school grounds but also serve as crucial habitats for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

This project is more than just a lesson in ecology; it's a hands-on experience that teaches our students about environmental stewardship, the interconnectedness of life, and the joy of making a positive impact on the world right from their schoolyards. This project also provides materials and resources for teachers to continue this sustainable outdoor classroom for future classes.

Join us in celebrating this wonderful initiative that is nurturing young minds and the planet alike! 🌱💚

🦋Monarch butterflies have been on the move in Buncombe County Schools! 🦋

Teachers who participated in the Symbolic Butterfly Migration project have been receiving packets of butterflies from all over the US. This project symbolizes the actual migration of monarchs. Students across BCS learned all about migration patterns and created ambassador butterflies and individual butterflies. These went to schools in Mexico through the organization Journey North. The class ambassador butterflies got to stay in Mexico, but the individual ones were sent to all schools that participated.

Not only were connections made from schools in Mexico, connections were made in schools around the United States!

Two teachers were able to turn these connections into valuable lessons. Gabriela Bermingham, the 2nd grade Dual Language teacher at Oakley Elementary School had her students place the butterflies on a large map to study where they came from. Ms. Bermingham shared that "The farthest butterflies came from Mexico, California, and Canada!"

Shanna Buckner, a Kindergarten teacher at Johnston Elementary School partnered with Haley Stamey, a Blended Learning Coach to create a map through Padlet. The kindergartners created a chatterpix video describing where the butterflies came from and then pin that location on a map. They then shared this map with other schools that participated.

It's wonderful to see this learning through global connections! 🌍

Thanks to Bee City USA Asheville for providing teachers with grants to participate in this amazing project!