Suzanne Cassidy

Cassidy's "Water Drop Project" gives tenth-grade biology students opportunities to develop teaching units on microorganisms aimed at first through fourth graders. The high school students research the organisms, culturing basic protozoa and studying them under microscopes. As a culminating activity, they create a series of lessons and activities to be conducted at selected elementary schools, with special emphasis on inner-city schools. They also post the material on the high school's Web site so younger students can visit it and ask follow-up questions. The project lets tenth graders learn by teaching and helps them build relationships with other school communities.