WAYNE CITY (WSIL) � We took this week’s weather academy to Wayne County, Illinois to educate students about weather concepts such as how clouds are formed.
"You have to have like dust or something for the water to hold on to," recalls fourth grader Jaxson Slover. Lacy Rentfrow teaches 4th grade at Wayne City Elementary. She says her students are already studying weather in the classroom."We just happen to be in the middle of a weather unit in science in our classroom. I particularly think the kids like the wind and the bubble." The students seem to have a pretty good idea of what a meteorologist does."Someone that will like predict like whenever there is a big old storm coming. They can tell you where it’s going to be, and how bad it’s going to be," Slover said.While they know a lot about weather, Rentfrow’s class covers many different subjects."We do quite a bit with STEM in my classroom. I have a maker’s space in my room, and students can freely create or use test cards. I try to incorporate technology quite a bit. We’re going to be putting on wild weather reports next week with a green screen," Rentfrow said. Rentfrow’s maker’s space helps make science a little more hands on."My students come in, depending on if they have free time, or if we’re doing certain science experiments or projects, they might work in here. Also we have a fun Friday where students can choose," Rentfrow explained. She even showed us some of her class’s creations. "We’ve made a landform diorama, we’ve drawn the outside weather and a couple other things I think."She hopes the active learning style will help her students down the road.Â
"I really enjoy science. It’s more of a working subject, where rather than just sitting and learning, we’re doing and making," Rentfrow said.Â
