Becky and Paul Grammer, Teachers
Have you ever wanted to conduct an experiment to see just how far a wingless airplane can fly? If you are young enough, you will get a chance to do that in Becky Grammer’s 6th Grade class at the new Tiffin Middle School.
I first saw this experiment when I tutored a student in her class in the old West Junior High building. At that time, Becky had to extend the experiment out into the hallway because their room could not accommodate the 4 meters of string need for each experiment.
It is an experiment on testing variables. The objective is to see how different conditions affect the distance the wingless airplane flies. The airplane’s propeller is powered by rubber bands that are wound up exactly 40 times for each flight of the airplane. The string is passed through a straw that is attached above the airplane and this is where the airplanes do their ‘’flying’’. Mrs. Grammer’s classroom in the new school is three times bigger than her old one and there is plenty of room for the Variables Lesson.
Bun, a dwarf, black Netherlands rabbit with short ears lives in a cage in her room and sometimes comes out to explore her portion of the counter. Bun shares the room with tropical fish in a 55 gallon tank in a corner across the room. Above the tank is a quilt which features squares of many different kinds of oceanic animals. Becky drew and painted the animals with acrylic paints, then stitched them together.
Becky made the quilt when she went to Bowling Green State University and took a graduate class called Ocean Focus in which the last part of the class took place in the Florida Keys. In addition to her husband Paul, Pete Bronson, who teaches 7th grade history, Tom Nahm, who teaches 8th grade science, Darlene Shore, who teaches at Clinton and Elaine Dayton, now retired, all were accepted and took the class at Bowling Green State University. Becky learned about the oceanic habitat and was able to snorkel and scuba dive while studying the reefs. They also learned how to set up a saltwater aquarium and stocked it with critters that they caught while in the Keys.
The 6th grade level is divided into three teams. Becky is one of three teachers in her team. She teaches Science to two other sections in the team and Math and English to her homeroom. At the 7th and 8th grade levels, there are two teams. In math, some students advance more quickly and are able to go to Columbian High school for higher math classes.
As we continue around the room, a large sign, ‘’We are all one family under the same sky.’’ catches our eye. Over the white blackboard a long strip of numbers shows the place numbers up to the trillions. A gang of six toy raccoons hangs out above a cupboard. In the back of the room, next to the ceiling in bold letters are the steps of the scientific method. At the present time, eight microscopes are on the counter in the back of the room. They are shared with other science teachers in the building.
In my next column, I will share more of the interesting features of Becky’s room in the new Tiffin Middle School and tell about the hobby that Paul and Becky find time for after school.
– Mary