For teachers, returning to the classroom after summer break usually begins with, sigh, in-service days. East Penn’s Willow Lane Elementary School Principal, Dr. Anthony Moyer, assisted by teacher Julia Dweck, has turned those sighs into aahs.

During a recent in-service program, Willow Lane’s faculty was treated to a hands-on workshop conducted by members of Make Lehigh Valley, a representative from SoBeCoWorks and outreach specialists from the Da Vinci Science Center.

Jeff Minton, Danny Mardis, Lisa Glover and Jared Steckle of Make Lehigh Valley lent their expertise to guide teachers through activities ranging from building 3-D dinosaurs to creating structures with a motorized erector set.

Fethi Bendimerad presented courtesy of SoBeCoWorks in Bethlehem. Bendimerad, a native of Algeria, said he was pleased to share his knowledge of electronics with Willow Lane’s teachers.

Da Vinci Science Center’s Outreach Education Manager Steve McGorry and Outreach Coordinator Tyler Groft assisted participants in the creation of personalized greeting cards which included LED lights powered by paper circuits. McGorry and Groft also walked teachers through project-based learning activities that included lessons on electric current using a clay-like mixture to complete squishy circuits.

Engaged and entertained, teachers moved freely among the learning stations.

All the presenters are uniquely qualified to assist teachers in the development of original class projects. Make Lehigh Valley is comprised of creative individuals who spend much of their free time using the organization’s space to develop projects of personal interest. Mardis described the group as “...just kids pretending to be adults.”

SoBeCoWorks, a community co-working space run by founder and CoWorking host Santiago Rivera, is a local outpost of the CoWorking movement. CoWorking individuals work independently but share a collaborative workspace. Therefore, they obtain professional autonomy without sacrificing personal interaction.

McGorry and Groft of the Da Vinci Center specialize in working with teachers to bring science into the classroom. School personnel may arrange for the development of a classroom lab; for one week, either during or after school, Center representatives work with students on customized, hands-on science projects.

Teachers attending Willow Lane Elementary School’s in-service program gained exposure to fascinating, instructional tools. As they attempted the various projects, the faculty enthusiastically discussed feasible classroom applications, a fine way to begin the new school year.

More information about organizations who participated in this in-service presentation may be obtained by visiting the following websites: http://makelehighvalley.com, http://sobecoworks.com, and www.davincisciencecenter.org/outreach.