Woodland teacher uses ‘wow’ chemistry to engage students

WOODLAND — One science teacher at Woodland High School has taken a unique approach to involve students in a vivid lab experience despite learning from home. Teacher Stephanie Marshall installed multiple internet-connected video cameras as she conducted labs. “Labs are such a huge part of the chemistry curriculum that I didn’t want to have students miss out on during the pandemic,” Marshall said. While one camera focuses on her, another closely focuses on the experiments that use beakers and Bunsen burners, allowing real-time close-up shots and easy-to-see chemical reactions. She can also perform more advanced experiments since the students aren’t in the classroom. “I try to get some of that ‘wow’ chemistry,” she said. “In fact, my goal is to light something on fire in a science lab at least once each week; if I don’t, students will actually point out that I haven’t lit anything on fire in a while.”