In the NC Museum of Natural Science genomic lab with Dr. Julia Stevens

My name is Taylar Flythe and I am a Science Teacher in Raleigh, NC. I have taught sixth grade science at Ligon GT Magnet Middle School for three years. While researching graduate school programs in Fall 2014, I came across the Kenan Fellows Program(KFP) offered through NC State University. After researching what the program entailed, I was intrigued by the ultimate goals of KFP. First,  the classroom teachers are placed in real-world situations during the summer where they can directly learn from STEM professionals, scientists and researchers throughout North Carolina and then create curriculum products and/or community engagement programs based on their summer experience. Second, teachers are expected to be leaders within their own school, districts, and throughout the state by sharing their fellowship experience and knowledge gained in a widespread way. I was very interested in KFP because I have had a hard time deciding whether I wanted to continue my education in the direction of Curriculum or Leadership. This program offers me experience with BOTH!

My specific project is a Students Discover project that aims at having students experience DOING science in the classroom. The project that I am working on is one of four that is housed in the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Along with an awesome postdoc (Dr. Julia Stevens) and two other fantastic Kenan Fellows (Courtney Millis and Jennifer Stalls), I will be taking a look at the diversity of microbes within soil and the symbiotic relationship with the plants around them. We will be looking at some beneficial microbes that have been recruited by dandelions to see if they can be recruited by other plants in similar patterns. One of the main goals we have, true of Students Discover project, is to create lesson plans that can be easily completed within any classroom setting so students can experience hands-on, minds-on science!