Decorah Middle School science class students learn by entering the "Shark Tank"

Decorah Middle School science teacher Scott Boylen recently taught his sixth-grade students to explore thermal energy and the transfer of energy on the molecular level. He organized an engaging way for them to display their learning where they would create a cup system designed to keep liquids cold or warm and present their prototypes to a panel of adults – "Shark Tank" style. Students learned about the real-world impacts of scientific concepts, especially thermal energy transfer. Many of them developed and communicated a deep level of understanding of the science involved in working to slow the transfer of energy between molecules in cup systems designed to keep liquids warm or cold. They gained genuine experience in personal and professional communication. They were involved in real/live discussions about data, using science terms and vocabulary, listening and responding in real-time to questions, and being very genuine in the process. Students overcame any fears they had about public speaking and presented to a group of adults, including parents and their peers, in a semi-formal setting. "I thought that the Shark Tank activity was super fun and was a great way to learn about thermal energy," DMS student Charly Courtney said, "The sharks got to ask questions when we finished, which I thought was cool because we got to work on social skills, speaking skills, what we were learning in science to answer the questions, and why that answer was right and support it with evidence. All in all, I thought it was a really cool way to test us and was super fun to do and create the cups." "My expectation for the 'Shark' part of this project was to not be too intimidating," Boylen remarked, "but to ask the students to do some level of explaining and thinking around the science behind what they had done. I was pleased that the 'Sharks' asked questions that offered my students the chance to do some thinking on their feet and to learn from that experience. They also learned some self-confidence and that they are awesome curious beings with a world full of wonders in front of them."