In a collaboration with both high school and kindergarten teachers in Radford, Virginia Tech graduate students Esther Oyedele and Padmaja Mandadi piloted a program this spring that allowed high school students to gain firsthand experience in science teaching.

    Oyedele, an American Geophysical Union (AGU) Voices for Science Fellow and Ph.D. student in Virginia Tech's Department of Geosciences, had developed a lesson plan for kindergarten children that she delivered last year through the Center for Communicating Science's kindergarten science visits program at Eastern Elementary/Middle School. When Jamie Little, the public school/Virginia Tech liaison for Radford schools, asked CCS associate director Carrie Kroehler whether the program could be expanded to Radford schools, Oyedele was ready to step up.

    Mandadi, a Ph.D. student in biomedical and veterinary sciences and a 2024-2025 graduate assistant for the Center for Communicating Science, organizes the kindergarten science visits at Eastern and lent her expertise to the Radford pilot expansion project.

    Oyedele’s research focuses on identifying water levels in semi-arid regions of the U.S. using  satellite data. For kindergarten children, she created a poster illustrating the water cycle and led an activity in which  kindergarteners pinned water droplets onto the poster — an experience that left a lasting  impression. 

    Motivated by the positive interaction with young learners and supported by her fellowship, Oyedele collaborated with Little, who helped form a team that included Beverly Edwards from Radford High School and Blenna Patterson from McHarg Elementary School. They aimed not just to share science with kindergarteners but also to prepare high school students to teach science to young learners in fun and suitable ways for their age and  level.

    Oyedele, along with Mandadi and Erin Smith from the Center for Communicating Science, held an online session with five high school students who are a part of the “Teachers for Tomorrow” program. They then visited Radford High School to work with the students in person.

    Oyedele began by introducing herself to the high school students with the powerful  statements: “I am a scientist” and “I am a girl,” reinforcing the importance of representation  and encouragement for girls in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). She described how she had adapted her complex research for kindergarteners using visual aids and interactive activities. Oyedele also coached the students on how to manage curiosity-driven interruptions from children and how to redirect the conversation while keeping the focus on the topic. She demonstrated activities such as coloring sheets and asked students to reflect on their favorite parts of a lesson and explain why they enjoyed it.

Esther Oyedele led an interactive session with students from Radford High School, where she explained the water cycle and guided them in planning lessons to teach the concept to kindergarteners
Esther Oyedele led an interactive session with students from Radford High School. She explained the water cycle and helped the high schoolers plan to teach kindergarten students about it. Photo by Erin Smith for Virginia Tech.

    A week later, the entire team visited McHarg Elementary School, where the five high school students taught in six classrooms, each with approximately twenty young learners.

    Oyedele led the first session to model the lesson, after which the high schoolers took the lead. They adapted and enhanced the content creatively — boiling water on a portable stove to demonstrate  evaporation, using frozen water bottles to show condensation, and even composing a song  with gestures to teach vocabulary in a fun and memorable way.

To demonstrate condensation, the high schoolers distributed mirrors, allowing the kindergarteners to observe how their breath creates fog when moisture condenses on the surface.
The high schoolers handed out mirrors so that the kindergarteners could learn how their breath fogs the mirror when moisture condenses on the surface. Photo by Erin Smith for Virginia Tech.

    The high school students described the experience as thrilling and nerve-wracking at first but  ultimately empowering. They expressed a sense of accomplishment in being able to connect  with young children and make science understandable and exciting. Oyedele later shared that  she found it both meaningful and joyful to introduce children to the kind of work she does every day. 

    Oyedele especially wants to thank Carrie Kroehler for her encouragement every step of the way, as well as Beverly  Edwards and Blenna Patterson for helping make this happen. She also wants to thank the high  schoolers — Laekyn Arnold, Skylar Hinkley, McKenzie Leighton, Haley Linkous, and  Samara Woolwine — who showed courage and active participation.

The high school students guided the kindergarteners through an interactive song and dance illustrating the water cycle.
The high school students led kindergarteners in an interactive song and dance about the water cycle. Photo by Erin Smith for Virginia Tech.

    The Virginia Tech/Radford schools liaison was pleased with the outcome of the project. “I just want to say how WONDERFUL the lesson was that you all presented to the kindergarteners!” said Little in an email. “Thank you, Padmaja and Esther, for sharing your expertise with our future teachers as well as with our littles. I think it was a win-win for everyone!”

Esther Oyedele and Padmaja Mandadi presented participation certificates to the high school students.
Esther Oyedele (left) and Padmaja Mandadi distributed participation certificates to the high school students. Photo by Jamie Little for Virginia Tech.

By Padmaja Mandadi, Center for Communicating Science graduate assistant