ALASKA ACADEMY: EXPLORING THE FASCINATING WORLD OF SCIENCE WITH KIDS

Today, the Project class of the Advanced Program at Alaska Preschool is filled with excitement:

Using materials like modeling clay, dry branches, water, and aluminum trays, the children are practicing building a dam to create a safe habitat for beavers—a species often referred to as nature’s “ecological engineers” due to their ability to construct very sturdy dams.

One child breaks branches, another kneads clay, while others gather materials and pour water; everyone works eagerly and skillfully in a coordinated effort to ensure that the dam can both hold back water and help the beavers thrive while protecting them from predators.

According to Dr. Nguyen Kim Nu Thao, Academic Director of Alaska’s English Program: In previous years, the Preschoolers at Alaska was introduced to science—but it primarily focused on theoretical concepts; starting from the 2023-2024 school year, the Preschool classes of the Advanced Program have officially started learning the Inspire Science curriculum through experiential and visual methods via highly applicable STEM projects and experiments.

For example, the project is to build a dam for beavers. Prior to this, the children were guided by experienced native teachers to explore how plants, animals, and humans change their environments through a series of lessons. Implementing the project helps the children gain a deeper understanding of the knowledge they have learned and allows them to apply that knowledge in a specific activity.

By incorporating Inspire Science daily for the Preschool Division, Alaska aims not only to foster the children’s curiosity, promote their dexterity, and develop teamwork skills but also to better prepare them for future learning in Inspire Science at the elementary level.