Natural Science is everywhere in today’s world. It is part of our daily lives, from consumption of food, taking care of plants and animals, to salting duck eggs, to gardening, to sprouting of mungbeans, to experimenting, to dyeing of shirts, and to earth’s rotation and sun’s activity. Science are transforming our world at an unbelievable pace, and we should equip to that. There is the need to teach Science because being “science literate” will no longer be just an advantage but an absolute necessity, especially to those young adult students or dropped-out youths who are still striving hard to finish their education.
These are the ALS students who are coloring their Salted Duck Eggs with the assistance of Lady Peace Remaneses
The Adult Natural Science Learning Program (ANSLP) lessons were designed by the GFF HELPS Philippine Team, through the initiative of Miss Lady Peace Remaneses, the Local Representative, and Miss Ana Herco, the Local Volunteer, for the fifty (50) Alternative Learning System (ALS) Students in Banga, Aklan, Philippines. These ALS students were dropped-outs youths since they had skipped and/or failed in formal school for some personal and economic reasons. Their education had been delayed due to some unfavorable happenings in their lives. Because of these reasons, they had missed some Science learnings and opportunities that the regular students in formal education had enjoyed. Through this project, the ALS students had experienced learning the different topics from the different branches of Natural Science such as Astronomy, Biology and Chemistry. This project had involved the ALS Students in experiential learning, hands-on learning and conducting experiments that made them appreciate the beauty of Natural Science.
Under our Astronomy lessons, basic knowledge about the universe, earth, sun and eclipses were taught to these students. As some students were not totally familiar on how celestial bodies work, we had made sure to provide meaningful discussions, presentations and numerous video clips to help them understand our weekly lessons. Through constant exposure to what Astronomy was about, and the students’ adaptation to Science concepts, they had eventually learned the essential concept and ideas about Astronomy.
These are the ALS students together with their experiment, Mungbean Sprouts
Performing Biology and Chemistry experiments like Tie-dying shirts, Salting Duck Eggs and Sprouting Mungbeans were practical ways of applying Science concepts. With the constant peer-to-peer support, teamwork and patience, these students had successfully executed the experiments that we had prepared for them. The ideas that the participants had get during the experiments could be applied in their daily lives, in their tertiary education later or it could be transformed into a good source of income since the processes of such experiments requires little time and energy and the materials require low cost products and were all available in the market. This could earn something to support for their education. With proper application of these Science ideas and processes, every experiment adapted by the participants at home would be successful and fruitful provided that they will be prudent and patient in performing those experiments.
by Lady Peace R. Remaneses, Philippines Local Representative
