By Debbie Robinson
news@joplinglobe.com
JOPLIN, Mo. —
Against a backdrop of palm trees, dugout canoes and snakes, 200 students from West Central Elementary School in Joplin got the chance Tuesday to ride along with Indiana Jones on his latest adventures.
The students were tasked with solving the mystery of the Golden Gorilla, and they discovered a little science along the way.
Students from kindergarten through grade five participated in the learning experience, which included hands-on sessions with scenes from various Indiana Jones movies. The sessions had names such as the Ancient Ruin Decipher Machine, the Python Pass, the Mad Monkey Mine and the Mystery Maze.
The project was a joint venture involving the elementary school and technology education students from Pittsburg (Kan.) State University.
“I really think they are doing great,” said Joey Cartwright, a fourth-grader who joined in the fun.
“They taught us about friction, movement and gravity ... stuff I didn’t know.”
Mike Neden, associate professor of technology education at PSU, said the program not only benefits elementary pupils but helps his PSU students as well.
“I wanted them to have as many opportunities to interact with kids,” Neden said.
PSU students initially developed lesson plans for their force and motion topic, then created the setting.
“We want to make learning fun and put it in a real-life context,” Neden said.
One station — the Rotary Wheel — involved a large wooden wheel propelled by students’ hands and legs.
At each station, students received clues based on what they learned at the station. Clues were used at the final Mystery Maze to solve the mystery of the Golden Gorilla.
Justin Wehar, a physical education major at PSU with a minor in technology education, demonstrated gravity. Using a small ball and a basketball, he showed students that both fall at the same speed.
Wehar said that when he graduates, he hopes to teach middle school or high school students.
At the Mad Monkey Mine, students rode on tracks inside a car meant to simulate a mine car on rails, reminiscent of a scene from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” Snakes — the one fear of Indiana Jones — hung from the side of the mine.
Nine-year-old Abbey Hoegh wasn’t intimidated and said she enjoyed the learning experience, snakes and all.
“This makes school more fun,” she said.
Formal education
Indiana Jones studied archaeology at which school?
(A) Marshall University.
(B) University of Chicago.
(C) Harvard.
(D) Stanford.
Answer: (B).
