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September 19, 2008

Baldree wins science award

By Deanna Brown

Blooming Grove Elementary fifth grade science teacher Pam Baldree has been honored with the Shell Oil Company Teaching Award for her exemplary performance and excellence in teaching science. She was also recognized by the Education Service Center Region 12 Science Collaborative as the mentor teacher of the year for 2007-2008.

Baldree and colleague Shari Harris, fourth grade science teacher at Blooming Grove Elementary, revamped their science curriculum three years ago when the TAKS test was first implemented for fifth grade.

Four years ago, Blooming Grove Elementary had a 53 percent passing rate on its fifth grade TAKS scores. Baldree and Harris joined the Science Collaborative, and the metamorphosis began.

“We started doing hands-on, and totally revamped our program,” Baldree said. “We threw out the textbook, and took a more interactive approach.”

The students build and launch rockets, do CSI-type investigations with “crime scenes,” and last October, enjoyed participating in a brand-new program by the Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas Wildlife Association, called the L.A.N.D.S. (Learning Across New Dimensions in Science) Trinity River Stewardship Project.

In the first year, the science scores went from 53 percent to 69 percent passing. From there, the scores made a leap to 91 percent of fifth graders passing the TAKS science test.

“We’ve had school districts request Mrs. Baldree and Mrs. Harris come present their revamped science program at their schools, and they have presented at conferences, principal conferences, and we’ve had students from other schools come to our school,” said Blooming Grove Elementary principal David Brewer. “We’ve started calling it their ‘road show.’ Because of our scores, people see that and ask what we’re doing different. The presentations can range in length from one hour to half a day.”

In January and February 2008, Baldree, Harris and others went first to do a presentation in Austin at the Texas Association of School Administrators, then to Houston and NASA, where they made another presentation.

“We are excited about it,” Brewer said. “The good things they’re doing in our science program are bleeding over into other areas of curriculum, and we see other scores coming up, too. It’s a great deal.”

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Deanna Brown may be contacted via e-mail at deanna@corsicanadailysun.com

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