“Get ‘em Hooked” with Grossology

By Meg Osterhoff | STEM Coach at York Elementary School

We have a saying at York Elementary School on the first day of school: “Get ‘em in. Get ‘em fed. Get ‘em home safely.” Since we transitioned to virtual learning, my mantra has changed. “Get ‘em in. Get ‘em hooked. Keep ‘em excited.”

When schools closed in mid-March, teachers immediately started working on ways to reach their students. Like every school, our main priority was maintaining relationships with families and keeping kids engaged in whatever way possible. One of the first things that came to my mind was a good ole’ fashion attention grabbing method I use regularly in my classroom.

Enter, Grossology.

For years, Grossology has always entertained my students. They cling to every word! Learning about the human body is always fascinating to kids and, oddly enough, is part of our K-5 science standards. Grossology knows know bounds and my students couldn’t get enough.

“Our STEM Coach, Meg Osterhoff mesmerized the students of York with her 3X weekly Grossology webinar. Students were “ooh”ing, “Aww”ing and loving being grossed out. It was a bit disgusting but gave them a chance to practice the skills they needed to participate in online learning. Today, I helped one of my students organize the assignments she had completed and submitted for Grossology in her Google Drive. These will become a part of her portfolio as we move forward. This webinar has been a valuable learning experience for my students”.

– Mrs. Greene, York Elementary School Teacher

“Grossology, from the very beginning, was a way in which my child was able to still feel connected to the school AND learn! Molly loves seeing the variety of friends from all grades and all the different teachers. It has been engaging and encouraging!”

– Casey Parvin, York Elementary School Parent

As their enthusiasm for this topic continued to grow, other teachers, students, and even my mom joined in! After each session, students were assigned homework to submit later. They continued to showcase all of the 4C’s, especially creativity, and their personalities! Businesses be warned – we are harvesting some amazing problem-solvers at York Elementary!

Nine glorious weeks later, Grossology is still going strong! Students are not only doing their classwork, but they are also going above and beyond to complete homework assignments and share them with their peers. In addition to live webinars, students in kindergarten through fifth grade have access to activities on Google Drive. Our little Grossology cadets (#lilengineers) are really #goingplaces and moving mountains. I’m so proud of the work they’ve devoted to this series! When it doubt, gross it out!