I signed up to volunteer for a STEM mini-med school activity today, to teach 6th graders about viruses. I myself had no idea what the activity was supposed to be about, and the coordinators only give us the material 20 minutes prior to the arrival of twenty 6th graders from a nearby elementary school.
E and I just winged it. We dug through the boxes of supplies, decided we would make an icosahedron virus craft from paper, and we would spray a glowing lotion on hands that would represent bacteria when visualized under UV.
Our introduction went like this:
Me: "My name is Connie and I'm a first year medical student here. I'm from San Francisco and went to college at UC Berkeley. Does anyone know where San Francisco is?"
Classroom: "No."
6th grader: "Do you like the 49ers?"
Me: "Yes. I love the 49ers." (so this is kind of a lie. I don't follow sports. At all.)
6th grader: "Gross."
Me: "Okay, moving on..."
6th grader: "Do you regret coming all the way out here for school?"
Me: "No, I like it here."
6th grader: "What about after the winter?"
Me: "You have a good point, kid. Moving on..."
Me: "Can anyone tell me what a virus is?"
6th grader: "Oh me! They are things that make you sick. But they can also be good."
Me: "Uhm, I'm not sure I know of any good viruses. You might be thinking of bacteria. We have lots of good bacteria in us.
6th grader: "No, I'm pretty sure there are good viruses."
Me: "Okay, moving on..."
Me: "Does anyone here want to be a doctor?"
Classroom: [a few hands raised in the air]
Me: "Would anyone like to shout out why?"
6th grader: "Money!"
Me: "Thanks for your honesty. Moving on...."
In the end we only had time to do the paper folding craft and nothing else. Kids are the best.
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