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SCIENCE
GRADES K-8
Science is a class where students are encouraged to question, explore and engage in the world around them. They will use prior knowledge to further engage in topics through experiments. Students in grades K-12 will generally study the same topics during the year, but activities are differentiated to meet skill levels of the students.
This upcoming school year we will start with an activity in each class where students work together to practice, review and strengthen their science skills and get to know their classmates. We will also spend time during those weeks learning about lab equipment and safety and/or reviewing the metric system.
This year in Kindergarten and 1st grade students will start the year learning about insects, their characteristics and why they are important to our ecosystems. We will spend a good part of the fall semester learning about our solar system and experience the star lab in our classroom! After winter break we will learn about owls (and dissect owl pellets) and spend the spring semester learning about systems of the human body (bones and muscles, our heart and lungs, and our digestive system) and how they work together to keep us healthy.
Grades 2-8 will start the year working on science team building activities and then move into a big unit on the solar system with an experience in the star lab to wrap it up. We will dissect after winter break and spend time in the spring on human body systems (bones/muscles, heart/lungs, digestive system and excretatory system).
Dissection topics this year:
Kinder/1st: Owl Pellets and crayfish care
2nd/3rd: Sea Stars
4th/5th: Grassfrogs
6th/7th: Bullfrogs
8th: Fetal Pigs
I am looking forward to a wonderful year with your children. My biggest wish is for them to enjoy science, ask endless questions about our topics and become more aware of science in their everyday lives.
MEET SARAH TROSPER
K-18 SCIENCE TEACHER
EDUCATION
I attended Drake University to receive my B.S. in Biology and Secondary Education. Then I went on to attend Iowa State University to receive my M.S. in Science Education.
EXPERIENCE
I taught middle school science and high school biology for the Des Moines Public Schools for 10 years. When our oldest daughter was born, I was able to stay home and continued substitute teaching part-time. I began teaching for the HSAP program in 2014.
FAMILY
Mom to Abby (senior at the University of Iowa), John (sophomore at The University of St. Thomas), Kate (senior at NW high school in Waukee) and our 2 dogs Wrigley (Golden Retriever) and Zena (Great Pyrenees mix).
INTERESTS
I enjoy traveling, spending time with extended family, going on long walks with my dogs and working in my yard. This past year I have learned to make sourdough and it has become a wonderful new hobby! John and Kate are both very involved in competitive swimming so I spend a lot of time attending swim meets (high school, club and now college) and love to visit Abby in Iowa City. Fall is my favorite time of the year with the beautiful colors, crisp weather and Hawkeye football!
WHY I LOVE TEACHING
I love sharing my love of science and nature with my students. Watching their eyes light up when they bring a science show and tell or share a "science experience" with me is one of my favorite moments as a teacher!
