Experiential Learning in the "Mystery of the Oxalis" Initiative

Maha, a science teacher and sixth-grade homeroom teacher at the Romema Nigunim School in Haifa, was looking for a way to expose her students to the scientific inquiry process in an experiential and hands-on way. The opportunity came through the “Mystery of the Oxalis” project, carried out in collaboration with the Haifa Biological Institute and guided by their instructors. In the first phase of the project, the students learned about the oxaliss in class through presentations, which laid the necessary foundation of knowledge. But the real excitement began when they went out to explore on their own in the school’s community garden. Armed with field notebooks and scientific tools, they searched for the plant, took measurements, and documented their findings. The students’ reactions were varied. Some were thrilled to be out in the field and became young researchers, conducting measurements and studies on their own, while others used the opportunity as a distraction. However, Maha recognized that experiential learning sparked much more interest than frontal instruction alone, and there were students who took the research a step further and applied it even outside of school hours, in their immediate surroundings. During her participation in the project, Maha realized that hands-on inquiry isn’t equally suited to all students, and she wanted to split the classes so that interested students would go out into the field with the instructors, while the other students would stay in the classroom and learn in other ways. She also felt that the project benefited her personally as a teacher, it enriched her knowledge and gave her new tools for teaching science in a more in-depth and engaging way. The “Mystery of the Oxalis” project was an opportunity for the sixth-grade students to dive into the world of citizen science, not only to learn about it but also to become active participants in it. With the right support, it succeeded in sparking interest and curiosity, and in creating meaningful learning that will stay with them even after the activity ends.