Heather Murtagh/Daily Journal Fifth grade students from Kathleen Talbot's class practice measuring tortoises by using rocks during a unique hands-on science experience at Portola Elementary School in San Bruno Wednesday morning.
	Heather Murtagh/Daily Journal Wolf skulls were one of the things students got to see close up during the lesson.

Apparently those hoping to provide a hands-on science experience for their children should consider howling.

That’s what the Kathleen Talbot’s fifth grade class at Portola Elementary School in San Bruno did as part of their entry into the Rocket21 STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Video Competition. The class won the fifth to eighth grade division of the national contest themed "Dream Big in the Wild” aimed at bringing together science, nature, Halloween and fun. As a result, the class was treated to a "howling” party. The learning celebration included wildlife biologists and researchers who helped the children in a variety of activities like creating molds of animal foot prints, figuring out how to measure the shell of a tortoise, finding radio transmitters used on animals and learning to work with wolves.

"Science should be done like this,” said Talbot, who had heard of the competition from a friend.

Talbot looked on as parent volunteers helped Val Asher and Chris Wiese, wildlife biologists with the Turner Endangered Species Fund in Montana which co-sponsored the contest, led activities connected to their real-life research in the field.

Asher, who works in Montana, has studied wolves for more than 20 years. Wiese, on the other hand, started out in a different type of science but now researches tortoises and the Mexican gray wolves. Inside the classroom, students were able to create their own plaster footprints — something the women would use in the field. Outside, students used rocks to simulate weighing and measuring a tortoise. Getting the orientation of the rock was a challenge for students who were struggling at first to understand which way would be the height, width or weight. Through working together, they measured and weighed their rocks. Findings were then put down on paper — because that’s what the women would do out in the field, said Asher.

On the grassy play area, children looked at bones to understand the look of wolves. Then, through role playing, they tried to gain a better understanding of how a wolf would choose its prey. While the hunt was on, other students tried their luck at using antennas to find radio transmitters hidden on the playground. These types of transmitters, Wiese explained, would normally be used to track animals in the wild.

Rocket21 President/COO Jodell Seagrave said that Rocket21, a youth social network connecting kids to real-life experts in a safe environment, often has such educational contests because they aim to connect experts with kids. Doing so, she said, could inspire children to understand possible jobs in science.

For more information about Rocket21 visit rocket21.com.

heather@smdailyjournal.com

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