CMU and Renaissance Academy Benefit From Hands On Learning

Central Michigan University class is teaching applied science to local charter school and both sides are largely benefiting.

Dr. McDonald’s EDU 345 class is getting some hands on learning this semester. The class will be teaching applied science to grade school students at Renaissance Academy a total of four times this semester.

“It’s good for Renaissance because the elementary students get more personal time to learn about science,” McDonald said. “It’s good for CMU because it means so much more when we can do real world things.”

Students get into groups of only three or four and do different applied science labs. Today they CMU students were doing a lab about buoyancy.

CMU students would take questions and predictions from the younger Renaissance students. CMU students would then show the children the lab and teach them why things float and why things sank.

“I think it’s a great resource for future leaders,” said Ms. Adcox a first grade teacher at Renaissance. “I believe that it really benefits both sides.”

Principal of Renaissance Academy, David Krauss believes the project to be very beneficial to his young students. Hands on learning has always been important at Renaissance Krauss told me. They even receive live shipments of earthworms.

“The more people to share in the students learning is important to me,” Krauss says. “We want the kids to see good college role models, we think this will encourage the young kids to be good college role models themselves some day.”