COSAM News Articles 2023 June Science Matters takes students around the world to explore different habitats

Science Matters takes students around the world to explore different habitats

Published: 06/27/2023

During the week of June 19 - 23, young learners in Science Matters summer enrichment program, hosted by the Office of STEM Outreach, learned about our living world. First through fourth graders investigated unique habitats through exploration of different biomes including oceans, rainforests, caves and polar regions. Fifth and sixth grade students studied plants and the irreplaceable role they play in our world.

“I love the ‘craft-tivity’ during these summer programs,” said Morgan Darvin, a Science Matters instructor from Dean Road Elementary School. “It makes hands-on learning fun and more rememberable for these participants.”

Campers had many unforgettable experiences during their week. Clark-Price, an anesthesiologist from the Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine, shared K9 models and spoke about tracking heart rates during surgery. Campers were even able to see their own heart rates using an electrocardiogram monitor. Ray Wilhite, an anatomy lab coordinator at the School of Veterinary Medicine, brought samples of a variety of animal bones, muscles and lungs for the campers to touch.

Kate Buckley, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, communicated her knowledge about marine life with campers who were able to handle a variety of live organisms including starfish, crabs, shrimp, sea urchins, sand dollars, coral and many more. Students learned about their native habitats and dietary needs.

Students also came face-to-face with bats. They learned how to properly classify them as a microbat or megabat based on ear size, eye size and leg membranes.

Fifth and sixth grade students took a special trip to the rooftop garden at the university’s new Laurel Hotel where they experienced a sustainable farm-to-table environment. The food and flowers grown in this garden were planted by Auburn University horticulture students and are used in the 1856 restaurant. A trip to the Davis Arboretum also exposed these campers to the native plants of Alabama.

“These camp participants have a real desire to learn and are thirsty for educational activities during the summer,” said Darvin. The interactive experiences at Science Matters enable students to see and touch what they are learning about, etching the information in the campers’ minds.