I like making science connections from the classroom to the "real world." I'm in a book club, and we're reading Let My People Go Surfing, by Yvon Chouinard. Chouinard is the founder of the company Patagonia. The book has many great links to science (Patagonia is one of the "greenest" companies out there), but what I picked up on was a chapter about product development. When I lived in NYC and studied fashion merchandising, I learned that there are careers for scientists in fashion. The development of new fabrics, finishes, and performance wear are all heavily involved with chemistry. Most people in my classes seemed to be there for the trends, but I was always very science-minded and was fascinated with the chemistry of it all.
I would like to show my students examples of career paths one could take in a science-related field. Patagonia offers clothing that has to be suitable for extreme weather (cold, wet, potentially-life threatening). Research had to be done to come up with the best fabrics for someone to wear when they climb Mount Everest. I just thought it was cool to combine fashion and science. Also, I really enjoyed the fact that I understood this chapter of the book (I've seen synthetic fibers being produced, like nylon and polyester, and it's kind of like making spaghetti!) having seen some of the machines and tools it discussed.
So, lesson learned for the day: all roads lead to science?
Mrs. Mullen
Hi Steph - Wonderful example. We never know what students in our class may be interested in. Inspiring them to look at things from a different perspective can open so many avenues. We tend to take so much for granted that don't bother to look any deeper. I especially like how you are able to tie in your background.
ReplyDeleteShannon
Steph-I think your backgroud in fashion and your diverse interests and unique perspective will really benefit your students! Making science cool and relevant to the things students care about is a great way to get them engaged in learning. I, too, think connections are everywhere in life, and that one of the keys to capturing students' imagninations is showing them this inter-connectedness.
ReplyDelete-Lara
p.s. Thanks for suggesting "Rocket Boys" for our course book club. I really enjoyed it, and I think it is a great read for this particular course.
Hi Steph, I enjoyed reading your connections between the book, career, and classroom to be. I worked for a chemical manufacturing company that produced polyesters, coatings, and much more! I ran samples during various stages of batch production and tested final product....quality assurance and quality control(QA/QC), later research and development. The polyesters were shipped to other industries to produce other goods. Small world. :)
DeleteHi Mrs. A-
DeleteThat's so cool! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Thanks, Lara. I'm really enjoying the book, too. I loved the movie "October Sky" (based on this book), and the book is just as charming, and so informative as well. I'm actually really impressed with how much application this book has to the classroom and experimental design. Take care!
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