SBAR Science in Arizona’s Classrooms

The Science Teacher Association has named Melissa Wilburn at Quail Run Elementary School one of two honorable mentions for Middle School Science Teacher of the Year in Arizona. This is Melissa’s second year as an SBAR teacher and she is paired with SBAR Fellow, Arisbeth Ibarra Nieblas. Dr. Corey Knox and Torran Anderson of the SBAR Education team visited Melissa at her school and asked about her SBAR experience.

• How do you use SBAR in your classroom?
  Using SBAR content is getting us to go outside of the classroom and look at ecosystems. We’re talking about water and how what we grow impacts water use. We’ve talked about guar and guayule and are going to start growing it. SBAR is helping us focus on our arid lands. I really love how I’m able to teach science now, making it hands on and real world.
• What is the impact of having an SBAR Fellow in the class?
  Arisbeth has really taken on a lead role in her second year as an SBAR Fellow. It’s great for the kids to see what they are learning in the classroom can be a career. Having a younger graduate student come in and share their passion about science is very beneficial. The students love seeing that there are real world applications beyond the classroom to what we’re discussing.

Thank you, Melissa! Congratulations on your award and ongoing success with SBAR.