WAIMEA — Waimea sixth through eighth graders attending any of the community’s public, public charter or private schools, and homeschoolers too, are invited to collect and photograph mosquitoes to help prevent the spread of disease.
Micro-photography of mosquitoes is just one of the exploratory activities offered in a Hands-On Science after-school class at Waimea Middle School (WMS). The project’s intention is to document mosquito presence by capturing and identifying specific species using a cellphone camera with a special magnifying lens attached to capture detailed pictures, and then posting the pictures and related data on the www.iNaturalist.org website.
“Students loved catching bugs and then taking pictures and doing the research. It was all very practical to help students and families know more about how to protect themselves,” said 21st Century Hands-On Science instructor Matt Binder, who added that student postings on the iNaturalist website will contribute to a California Academy of Sciences’ research project of Hawaii Island by Durrell Kapan, PhD.
All of the 21st Century after-school classes are about weaving together teaching of STEM curriculum: science, technology, engineering and math — in relevant ways and with a cultural perspective that’s meaningful to middle school students.
In addition to Hands-On Science, classes include Mini Mermaids — a girls’ running club to introduce healthy life choices, and build self-esteem and trusting friendships; Kane Kupono, Righteous Men — a boys’ class involving physical fitness activities, core values related to rites of passage and use of technology to document progress; Mahina Makers — a girls’ class involving scientific inquiry into what’s in a name and various symbols across cultures, an introduction to moon phases and natural rhythms and cycles of the environment, traditional Hawaiian bamboo stamps for printing kapa, creating personal journals and iPads to observe and document lessons learned; and Palani &Pacific Paheona — a cross-cultural Art Club delving into drawing, painting and cooking related to French and Polynesian culture.
In other classes they can learn about physiology, join a girls running club, explore the deeper meaning of names and what various symbols mean across cultures, or delve into art and food related to French and Polynesian cultures. Classes are from 3-4:25 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Oct. 25-Dec. 8.
There is a $20 per student supplies fee. Numerous scholarships are available. There’s still time to sign up. The application is available online, or can be picked up at the WMS office.
These classes are possible thanks to a partnership involving 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Friends of the Future and Waimea Middle School.
Info: https://sites.google.com/a/wmpccs.org/home/home/after-school-21st-century-exploration or call WMS office at 887-6090, extension 222