Two SC Professors Have Article Published

Two Southwestern College professors recently had an article published in the December 2011 issue of the journal “Science and Children.”

Michael Tessmer, professor of chemistry, and Rick Cowlishaw, associate professor of biology, wrote “Time for Slime.” In the article they describe an inquiry-based activity designed primarily for the K–2 classroom in which students look at the microscopic parts of an aquatic food chain. According to Tessmer and Cowlishaw, students will ask questions and make observations about the world around them, and then see the differences at the microscopic level.

With a microscope and a projector, images magnified on a screen allow students to feel as though they can almost touch the projected organisms such as microalgae, protozoa, and small invertebrates. When projected at the highest magnification some of the microorganisms can be two or three feet wide on the screen.

“The wonder and thrill of seeing microscopic organisms on a large screen captivates young children and engages their natural curiosity,” Cowlishaw says.

“The paper is based on work we have done with local school groups with the intention of elementary school teachers trying microscope activities themselves” Tessmer says.

Tessmer and Cowlishaw have team-taught courses in environmental science at Southwestern College and collaborated on numerous science outreach projects in the community.

Southwestern College is a private institution granting undergraduate and graduate degrees and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. About 1,800 students attend classes at the main Winfield campus, at five professional studies sites in Kansas and Oklahoma, or online around the world.