Becky Peltonen

Peltonen's "Hold on Tight to Hands-On Science" project creates a lab space dedicated to scientific exploration for students in grades K-5. Through hands-on experiments, students learn to collect, question, compile and organize data. One project example is a partnership with local scientists to study a species of crawfish on the Florida threatened species list. Students research causes of the creature's habitat depletion and possible places in the county for redistribution. These exciting and intriguing scientific collaborations and discussions increase family involvement in education and encourage students to pursue careers in the areas of science, mathematics and engineering.