Melaine Rickard and her students work with the STC/MS™ module, Catastrophic Events.

The intercom buzzed in my room, “You have a delivery in the front office.” My Catastrophic Events kit from Carolina Biological Supply Company had arrived! I raced to the office, prepared (I thought) with a hand truck. Looking around the office, I spotted no boxes or containers. The secretary said, “Out front—on the truck.”

What I found “Out front—on the truck” was quite a load. There, on the back of the delivery truck, sat 6 large, plastic containers and about 15 cardboard boxes—all for me, all to be stored in my classroom. Uh-oh.

I took a deep breath, unpacked, stored, labeled, survived, and loved kit-based inquiry science. I’m not an old pro at science, either. This was my first year teaching science, an area in which I am not certified. The key to my success was using all the support that Carolina provided in the kit.

Even before unpacking one box, I reviewed the Teacher’s Guide. The detailed instructions and drawings helped me to visualize the equipment and its function. When the packing list read “Convection Tube™, Pair,” I knew what to look for because I’d seen it in the Teacher’s Guide. Another lifesaver was that each item was packaged with a label that contained a number and a written description that matched the packing list.

One other way I handled the initial unpacking was to label each item’s place on the shelf. During the year, when I couldn’t remember exactly where the clear plastic fluted pan was, I just had to scan the shelf labels to find it.

I also found that advance preparation was the key to successful implementation of the inquiries. Although the Teacher’s Guide provided detailed instructions and tips on time management, even an experienced teacher could not simply pick up the book in the morning and teach the lesson that day. In many cases apparatus must be assembled, materials divided into groups, and transparencies made. My strategy was to read the upcoming week’s lesson over the weekend, while setting up each afternoon for the next day. Making Model Magma™ at 6:45 a.m. helped me learn that lesson!

At the end of the module, when all the materials had been neatly packed away, I asked myself if it had been worth it. To answer, I reflected on my students’ high level of engagement, enthusiasm, and conceptual understanding. The kids’ responses echoed my own. Their comments included:

	“Science was fun.”
	“I actually learned in science.”
	“It is so much easier to understand when I can do it.”
	“Better than a book!”

Indeed, it was worth it. So, when you hear, “Out front—on the truck,” get your handcart and energy drink and start unpacking—it’s hands-on learning from the very first day.

	Find out more about STC/MS™
	Learn more about the Catastrophic Events unit