Prince William County Public Schools

When school transitioned to a virtual setting, the Fred Lynn Middle School eighth grade science team revamped their teaching plan. Without in-person, hands-on labs, the team knew that it may take even more visual components to engage students, so they thought "out-of-the-box," creating a puppet show, play, game show, and recently, a music video.

Heather Bolden, Danvy Chung, Scott Markley, and Robyn Moyer-Sacke became a teaching team this school year, bringing some prior experience with them.

"As the years went on, we [each] figured out what kinds of lessons worked best with the population and what we felt was exciting for us and the students," said Moyer-Sacke. "Now with more planning time, all four of us work extremely well to create exciting lesson components for the virtual learning environment."

Recently, for a unit on elements, compounds, and mixtures, the eighth-grade science team recorded a music video to the tune of "Come Together" by the Beatles. Complete with custom lyrics and costumes, the video taught students that compounds and mixtures exist when they "come together". Even more so, it demonstrated that virtual education can be fun and interesting.

From an acid base crime scene mystery to a game show on physical and chemical properties, the teachers have continuously found different ways to keep their students invested in the lessons.

"Students love to log in and see that we are dressed up as our 'characters' because they know something exciting and 'cringy' is coming this class period," shared Moyer-Sacke. "It's beneficial because it creates an online climate where [the students] are comfortable, energetic, and motivated."

Even when the students and teachers return to in-person learning, the team hopes to continue their risk-taking in lesson planning.

"We feel like for us, there is no going back to using the same, predictable lessons. The students and us as teachers are getting too much from it to not incorporate this style of teaching when we return in person."

WATCH: Fred Lynn Middle School Eighth Grade Science Teachers - Come Together music video