Meridian Source - June 29, 2023

Hands-on-learning fits curriculum

FROM PAGE 8

“I talked to them afterwards, got some information, and decided it would be a good idea for our class.”

When it comes to renewable energy education, Donald said there’s no better way than learning by doing, especially when it’s in line with the provincial curriculum.

“In the Grade 9 curriculum, we learn about electricity, energy usage, alternative energy sources in Saskatchewan, and how that affects our daily life,” he said.

“So, learning about biodiesel as an alternative energy source fits right into our Grade 9 curriculum.”

One of his students, Tegen Cebuliak at Jack Kemp, has been learning the alto saxophone all year after a buddy gave it to him and was ready for the concert.

With this being the program’s last lab of the year, Donald noted it was great to finish with something fun.

cation budgets continuously getting slashed, Donald also pointed out how lucky he and his students feel to be able to do such labs.

the budgets just aren’t there.

“It’s nice to go out with, hopefully, not a bang,” he said with a laugh.

“Students are looking forward to it; we’ve been setting up for it for the past day and the students are really intrigued.”

With provincial edu -

“I would say I’ve progressed a lot because right at the start I could barely play some notes, like, that would just sound awful, but now they just sound good to me,” he said.

“With some of the structures with classes now and some of the challenges with funding, we don’t get to do as many experiments as we used to; the budgets just aren’t there, so grants like this allow us to do those really fun things that get students interested in and involved in sciences, math and the trades,” he said.

“Grants are very important, but also, doing labs and experiments is also important because it gets the students interested.”

He noted a friend gave him the saxophone along with some starter tips, “just the top three notes,” as he described it.

As for what he likes about the sax, he said: “Really, everything.”

BAND BLAST FROM PAGE 9

We don’t get to do as many experiments as we used to;