Awakening a Lively Interest

In probing the relationship between art and science, Tolstoy once said, “True science investigates and brings to human perception such truths and such knowledge as the people of a given time and society consider most important. Art transmits these truths from the region of perception.”

There is perhaps a common misconception that classical schools lay heavy emphasis on the arts and humanities, but are less concerned with scientific pursuits. This is indeed a misconception. One must first discover the truths to be transmitted, and in science, as in all subjects at AFA, the discovery process is thorough and in depth.

Whether teaching the humanities or sciences, we strive to awaken in the students a lively interest. The nature of each subject shows the way. In history or literature, the stories themselves engage the students’ minds. In science, Tolstoy was right: “True science investigates.” It is investigation that awakens interest and helps students to understand the processes involved. Consequently, investigation and demonstration play a major part each week in our science classes. They can be simple or complex, but investigations give factual content its significance and application to our lives.

When the fourth graders, while studying earth science, pushed a homemade “glacier” downhill, they saw the actual effects on the earth as the ice etched a path, gathering rocks and dirt along the way. They could imagine what a glacier weighing thousands of tons might do.

When the second graders devised their own “egg drop” experiment to see if they could nullify the effects of gravity and force, they carefully designed containers for their eggs, dropped them from the second story and then contemplated why certain designs protected their eggs while others did not.

Whether it is the first graders studying sedimentary rocks by “making” their own, or the fifth graders measuring acceleration with toy cars, tape and a stopwatch, our goal is that they engage in “true science,” that they investigate, think creatively, learn to solve problems, and thus grow in their appreciation of the intricacies of God’s creation.