Traveling energy exhibit visits Dickinson Elementary
Fourth and fifth grade students at Dickinson Elementary school Tuesday got to experience a curriculum-based, hands-on activities about energy, the technologies, and sciences involved with the oil and natural gas industry.
Presented by the Houston based Offshore Energy Center, Dickinson was one of only five schools in the metroplex to host the Mobile Offshore Learning Unit (MOLA) traveling exhibit.
Jamie Long, Dickinson Elementary Teacher of the Year, won the free showcase a few months ago at the Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST) Convention in Galveston.
Setup in the school’s gym, MOLU featured six, self-contained, kiosk-style learning centers geared to 5th grade students, since science, including energy, is a focus area for the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) test. Students with a partner rotated through the exhibit and explored various aspects of the oil industry.
Mrs. Long said, “It was thrilling to see the kids get excited about learning about oil. They were able to connect it to the conversations and lessons from the classroom.”
“I enjoyed the experience today because I was able to see and actually do some of the activities that the workers do on real oil rigs,” said 5th grade student Lisette Johnson. “It was like being on the ‘Magic School Bus’.”
