J. L. Everhart Elementary School Fourth Graders Visit the Perot Museum
By Kay Ray, Longview ISD Foundation executive director, who interviewed students following the academic field trip

With grant funding of $4,920 from the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. for their grant titled “Discover Quest:  Unleashing the Exemplary Jaguar Scientists,” Tashawna Carraway, DeSanka Djurisic, Scarlet Lebron, April Mims, and Naomi Odum took 105 J. L. Everhart Elementary School fourth graders to the Perot Museum in Dallas to study science by experiencing ten different exhibits. 

The teachers’ goal was to enrich the students’ classroom learning, especially to deepen their understanding of organisms and their structures and behaviors that allow them to survive within their environment; recognize patterns in the natural world and among the planets; and to increase critical thinking.

In the Dynamic Earth Hall, students discovered Earth’s greatest wonders.  They gazed into the eye of a storm, felt the ground shake beneath their feet inside an earthquake simulator, and stood amazed at the nearly full articulated mammoth fossil.  Fourth grade science includes earth science, including weather and climate.

In the Dinosaur Exhibit, students got a close look at a dinosaur’s life. They studied animal bones and rare fossils and behavior of modern day animals. 

Students were especially fascinated with the three dimensional human body film.  They looked inside the human body and studied the complexities of the human body.

Students put their athletic prowess to the test to understand the physical and mental demands of becoming an athlete as they toured the Lamar Hunt Family Sports Hall.

In the Lydia Hall Gems and Minerals Hall, students explored the practical and beautiful aspects of Earth’s original rocks.  Earth formations, erosion, and ground formations are part of a fourth grader’s science classroom instruction.

Students dove into the countless possibilities of energy in the Tom Hunt Energy Hall and learned how humans harness natural resources such as natural gas, oil, and alternative energies.  Fourth grade science instruction includes learning about fossil fuels and new forms of energy.

Matthew Matus, fourth grader, described a scientific concept he learned at the Perot Museum.  He said, “I learned about gravity from Earth.  At the exhibit, the docents threw bowling balls that each had different weights, simulating the gravity in other planets.  Jupiter has a great gravity force.  I found this exhibit interesting because it showed me physically the differences among the gravitational force of planets in the solar system.  The exhibit is a great way to show people how gravity works on different planets.”
In the same exhibit, Dalia Oviedo said she learned about gravity too.  She said, “While every floor at the Perot Museum had fun activities, one amazing one showed gravity on Earth, Mars, and Jupiter.  I learned that the gravitational pull on Jupiter is 2.5 times stronger than that on Earth.  Mrs. Djurisic, our teacher, told us that a pencil on Earth falls at a rate of .45 seconds.  If we didn’t have gravity, our lives would be nothing like they are.  In fact, we would all be floating around.”
 
Dalia also learned that a cactus has a self-defense mechanism, using its spikes and poison to defend itself from predators.  She said this was interesting because she did not know a cactus could defend itself.  She also learned a few fun facts: Some cacti grow fruit, and some Mexican people eat cacti.

Layla Rosales said her favorite exhibit was the rock room. She learned that rocks are a non-renewable natural resource.  She was impressed with a tall, beautiful, purple rock named Grape Jelly Amethyst Geode.  She also saw the Imperial Flame Topaz from the Outo Preto mines in Brazil.  The topaz was found seven hundred years ago.  She also saw a smaller amethyst geode that was shaped like a heart.

Layla Rosales learned about a retired doctor who loved to travel.  One day when he was camping with friends, he felt tired and could not breathe well.  He was concerned because he was such an active man.  Therefore, he visited his doctor who, through surgery, gave him a ventricular device that helped improve his blood’s circulation, thereby improving his breathing.  As a result, the retired doctor continued to mountain climb and camp and live longer.  Because of invention’s like this one, people enjoy an improved quality of life.

On May 2, students treated members of the Longview ISD Foundation to a thank you presentation about their trip.  Students creatively prepared songs about their experiences at the Perot Museum and presented a song and dance thank you for the opportunity to visit the Perot Museum.

The Foundation members were touched by the students’ gratitude and singing talent.

The Longview ISD Foundation is proud to have offered this experience to these budding scientists and appreciate the musical thank you!