Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 19, 1994 TAG: 9404190133
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Melissa DeVaughn
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Three evening and weekend courses are being offered by the Virginia Tech entomology department and the Museum of Natural History. Entomology, aquatic entomology and hands-on insect activities are courses designed just for teachers. Instructor Reese Voshell concentrates on teaching his students material that can be used effectively in their classrooms. In other words, he teaches teachers how to teach about bugs.
"The goal was to make it possible for elementary teachers to incorporate studies of insects in the classroom," Voshell said. "Kids are interested in insects, even just insect stories - they really grab their attention. This is an ideal way to get science in the elementary education."
And it doesn't just stop at science, Voshell said. The things he teaches in the courses can be incorporated into math, reading and writing, and are ideal for interdisciplinary teaching.
The entomology course concentrates on the basics - identification and the biology of common land insects. Most of this work is done in the classroom. After this course, teachers may opt to take aquatic entomology, which deals with bugs found in local streams and ponds, or they may take a hands-on insect activities course and do experiments and exercises that can be used in elementary education.
Sharon Newberne, a second-grade teacher at Harding Avenue Elementary School who is taking the aquatic entomology class, said she is already using bugs in her classes even though she hasn't taken the hands-on activities course yet.
"I brought in the specimens from the streams [field trip] and the kids just love looking at them - they think it's wonderful," she said. "I'm looking forward to the activities class. I've gotten a lot of ideas from the book," but the activities class will teach her the most, she said.
Newberne said she is taking the entomology courses for several reasons.
"I wanted to expand my science curriculum in the classroom, and children are really drawn to insects and little crawly things," she said. "They are fascinated by bugs, and since I kind of have a fear of bugs I thought it would be neat to try and get over it and show the students that bugs are no big deal."
Barbara Riccio, who teaches preschool at the Blacksburg Montessori School, also is afraid of bugs. "I've always had a can of Raid around," said Riccio, who is taking both the aquatic entomology and the activities courses. "But it's not that bad now."
Although teachers are taking these classes on their own time, they are earning graduate credit - one credit for each course - and financial assistance is available.
"The [teachers] seem cheerful and seem to be having a good time," Voshell said.
"In teachers, you can see them immediately making plans to use the material ... " Voshell said. "When you're teaching a teacher who will have 20 to 24 students you can start multiplying the transfer of information, and it's satisfying to know that so many people will benefit from that information."
So how are teachers actually using this information?
"We have praying mantises that have hatched in our classroom, and we'll be putting them in a praying mantis feeder," said Shari Tripp, who teaches third grade at Eastern Elementary School in Giles County. "The kids have absolutely loved it, and when we watched them hatch, it was unbelievable - I was sick that I hadn't videotaped it." Tripp also plans to study earthworms with her kids this week, and says she will use the information in math as well as science by graphing data and charting information.
Entomology for Elementary Teachers will be offered this fall. In the spring semester, teachers may enroll in Aquatic Entomology for Elementary Teachers. Hands-on Insect Activities for Elementary Education is offered both semesters, but Voshell recommends teachers take one of the basic entomology courses first. No summer classes are available, but if the demand grows Voshell said they may be added. For further information, call 231-6342.
|n n| Indian Valley Elementary School will hold a SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR Wednesday through Friday and also on Monday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. The newest titles from more than 70 publishers will be available. For more information, call the school at 745-9420.
|n n| At most schools, where there is spring, there are SPRING PLAYS. After a winter's worth of rehearsing, schools are preparing to show their stuff. Here are the productions under way for this week:
nBlacksburg High School: "Rehearsal For Murder," Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and again Sunday at 3 p.m. Admission, $3, adults; $2 for Blacksburg High students. For more information, call 382-5706.
nChristiansburg High School: "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Admission, $3 at the door. For more information, call 382-5178.
nPrices Fork Elementary: "Stone Soup," put on by the fourth- and fifth-graders. Monday at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
|n n| HEATHER BOARDMAN, a student at Blacksburg High School, will travel to Virginia Beach this weekend to compete in the Virginia Annual Homecoming Queen selection. Virginia's homecoming queen will receive a cash scholarship plus an all-expenses paid trip to California for the National competition. Best of luck to Heather!
|n n| Check Elementary School will hold its third annual CRAFT FAIR AND FLEA MARKET Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those who would like to participate in the event may rent a space for $10 (bring your own table and chairs). If it rains, the event will be moved inside.
For further information, call 651-6336, 929-4691 or 929-4221.
|n n| The Radford Community Hospital Auxiliary and the Radford Community Health Foundation are sponsoring a $2,000 SCHOLARSHIP for an area high school senior interested in pursuing a career in health services. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is May 2. Call the Radford Community Hospital volunteer manager at 731-2558 for an application or more information.
|n n| Remember, KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION will be held this week at all Montgomery County schools. If your child will attend the new Blacksburg school, registration will be held at Gilbert Linkous. Call the school your child will attend for further information, and make sure to bring an original birth certificate and social security card to the registration. Or call Doris McElfresh, director of elementary education, at 382-5120.
|n n| MELISSA HWANG, a fifth-grader at Belle Heth Elementary School, won third place at the 14th Annual Bartok-Kabalevsky International Piano Competition held last week. Melissa enjoys playing piano, swimming, rollerskating and tennis. Melissa is the daughter of David and Nancy Hwang of Radford.
|n n| Five students from GATEWAY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY recently participated in the Old Dominion Association of Christian Schools State Competition at Landmark Christian Academy in Richmond. Jodi Burke placed third in art for the high school division, Stacey Wheeler placed second for New Testament Knowledge and Leah Fleet placed third for her crafts project in basket-making.
|n n| Belview Elementary School held a CAREER DAY at the school last week to introduce the pupils to the many job opportunities in the area. Parents, community members and others with interesting or different jobs talked to the children about their work.
|n n| Claremont Elementary pupils recently celebrated the 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL. There were lots of special activities for the day, but the biggest was a schoolwide penny collection. They used the pennies for math problems, then counted up their collection. The pupils managed to collect 5,638 pennies - that's $56.38.
|n n| Here's what's been happening at SHAWSVILLE HIGH AND MIDDLE SCHOOL:
nFine Arts Career Day was held at the high school last month to familiarize students with careers in music. The Laurel Strings Quartet, Dave McKee from Virginia Tech and Bill Smith from Radford University, were the guests.
nAn art exhibit was displayed at the middle school for fine arts month in March, and several activities like "Stripe Day," "Tie Day" and "Art Dress Week" were held.
nTenth-graders visited area elementary schools to tell the children about the importance of reading. The students also stressed that reading and writing are fun.
nThe concert band and swing choir attended the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Performance at Preston Auditorium at Radford University. The orchestra performed excerpts from Mozart's Double Piano Concerto, Barber's Essay No. 1 and Dvorak's Symphony No. 7.
nThe all-county chorus concert performed last month, and included 30 high school and 27 middle school students.
nThe following students represented the All-County band: Jackie Cerva, Angie Cox, Chris Duncan, Dennis Edwards, Staci Harless, Jason Houston, Tony Lafon, Ariel McCrumb, Tresha Taylor, Crystal Mills, Jeremy Clark, Megan Collins, Travis Miller and Cindy Yopp.
nSamantha Patsel and Jackie Cerva, both French I students, competed in the National French test last month held at Lord Botetourt High School. Samantha placed sixth and Jackie placed 10th overall in their category.
nSixth-graders were recently treated to a chemistry show given by high school teacher Lori Harris.
nMath teacher Dee Davidson is one of only 25 teachers in the United States to participate in the Model Math Masters Summer program at the University of Wyoming. The eight-week program will continue for the next four summers.
nApril is Math Education month and students are celebrating with many math-oriented activities. Posters, balloons, buttons and stickers will be used for math projects and prizes will be given away.
nThe French club recently took a field trip to Center in the Square in Roanoke. They visited the art museum, Gallery Three and Studios on the Square.
nMiddle School students recently collected 1,165 cans of food for the needy, and delivered the food in Easter baskets.
nTo celebrate Reading Month in March, sixth-graders at the school read "The Cay," by Theodore Taylor each day for 20 minutes. They kept journals on their reading and wrote letters and ocean charts about the events and characters in the novel.
nPaula Sampson, Jessica Carr, Christina Dudley, Julene Hyatt, Misty Hatcher, Scott English, Mary Martin, Andy Smith, Wendy Crisco, Brad Basham, Jessie Akers, Barnett Carr, Chad Baskin, Jeanette Taylor, Angie Richardson, Wendy Rensock and Trisha Taylor recently won the "Pi Day" poster contest, polyhedron model contests and challenge problems.
If you have an interesting school-related item for the paper, send it to Melissa DeVaughn at the Roanoke Times & World News, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, Va., 24073.
by CNB