Rockdale Citizen

Students, donned in safety glasses, use the scales to compare the weight of rocks and a balloon. Pictured, from left, are prekindergarten students Tripp Davis, Madison Landis and EJ Finger.

CONYERS -- Younger Rockdale County students will now get more hands-on experience in science.

This year, Rockdale County Public Schools opened science labs at two elementary schools as a new initiative.

"Half the battle is making learning fun and engaging students," said Rich Autry, chief academic officer in the Office of Teaching & learning at RCPS.

To help introduce a more interactive science curriculum earlier to students, RCPS opened science labs at Hightower Trail Elementary School and Peek's Chapel Elementary School this semester.

Autry said the schools were chosen by looking at site-based focus and science implementation after having discussions with principals, as well as geography.

"I'm really looking forward to students being able to have these hands-on opportunities," said Peek's Chapel Principal Tiwon Toney, whose school plans to hold a ribbon cutting to open its lab on Friday. "It centralizes things so there's more continuity and the students will have more consistency."

At both schools, which collaborated on plans for the labs, students in prekindergarten through fifth grades will rotate through the labs every few days. Students will learn about lab safety, and they will have the opportunity to use microscopes, scales and other scientific tools to coincide with the curriculum.

"We're so excited to have this opportunity," said Hightower Trail Principal Laura Bates, whose school recently opened its lab to students. "It allows them to do more hands-on activities with science standards. It brings science to life."

Autry said he hopes that a bigger focus on science early on will help feed these students into the program at the Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology.

Each lab cost $15,000 for retrofitting and supplies, Autry said.

He hopes to add them to more schools in the future through funding or special grants.

"All of our elementary schools are asking that we look at science labs for all students," he said. "We're looking for science and engineering grants, but we haven't found any yet. We hope to replicate it in all elementary schools in the future."