Growing Branches: Owl Wings and Coon Tails (Part I)

When I was in Junior High, there was a science teacher whose classroom was filled with the coolest science stuff! There were jars filled with the creepiest specimens; eyeballs floating in mysterious liquids and fetuses of heaven only knows what watching you from their curled positions. The walls were hung with charts and diagrams of body systems and plant parts. Microscopes filled old, wooden shelves in cabinets with sliding glass doors. Test tubes, beakers, and Erlenmeyer flasks sat at the ready. The blinds were kept partially closed creating a dim, semi-spooky setting that gave many a middle schooler a thrill upon entering!

But it was all for naught..............

Not once did we use a microscope, view a specimen, or mix anything in a flask. It was just read the chapter and answer questions. Read the chapter and answer questions.

What a let down!!!

Most of my teaching career I taught math and science, and spurred on by my Jr. High disappointment, I always tried to put cool science stuff in my students' hands. I began collecting- snake skins, brain coral, coprolite (dino dung), purple mica from Madagascar, a rattlesnake rattle, trilobites, turkey tails, obsidian arrowheads, a coconut in its shell, an ocean finger sponge, shark teeth, black sand from Hawaii, and on and on.

At first I tried passing something interesting round once a week. The questions were always the same. "Is this real?" "How much did this cost?" Often we spent so much time discussing the item that we had to rush through our lesson. (My favorite was the turtle shell that sparked the question, "Where did the turtle go?" I could just picture the image in their heads of a scrawny, wrinkled turtle discarding its old shell and going shopping for an upgrade.) So I switched tactics and started putting an item up on the lab table each test day. Directions on the board that day would read:

When you finish:

1. Put your test under the ammonite.

2. Put your answer document under the fish scales.

3. Get a Science World magazine and return to your desk.

4. Read quietly until dismissal.

This worked perfectly! The kids had to pick up and handle each specimen. I had little cards there explaining what they were holding. When the test was over and we were waiting for the bell, we discussed the specimens, I testified that they were real, and they debated likely cost.

Soon I realized the kids were getting excited about test day and immediately upon entering the room read the "When You Finish" directions from the board wondering what the specimens would be for that day. I too grew to love test day because I could sit in the back of the room and watch the kids handle those specimens and enjoy the wonder in their faces. They would slowly turn the item over, viewing it from each side, totally engaged and interested. If the specimen was too gross (fish skeletons, stuffed birds) the girls refused to touch them and would wait, holding their tests (and sometimes their noses,) until a boy came up and lifted the specimen for them. You don't often get to witness chivalry in action!

One day the directions read:

1. Put your test under the bulb.

Now I meant the large brown, hairy amaryllis bulb, but I knew they would be looking for a light bulb. Oh my goodness did I sit back and laugh! The bulb was right in front of them, but they searched all over the lab table and finally looked up at me in total bewilderment.

We planted bulb and they loved it! That amaryllis was like the class pet! Our goal was to have a big red flower in class on Valentine's day, then we would have a drawing and the lucky winner would take it home to their mom. Vera won!