Two Rivers PreAp Science Students Spend the Day at U of M Campus!

Last Friday (April 21) nearly 70 Two Rivers ninth-graders visited the University of Minnesota to get a glimpse of college life and the scientific possibilities in their future! 

Students in Ms. Peterson’s PreAP Science classes were treated to a full day of science-focused college life at the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) on the U of M’s St. Paul Campus. The ninth-graders learned about research projects, participated in hand-on demonstrations and interacted with current college students in the lab — check out the photos below! 

This student-led field trip was planned by the CBS Student Advisory Committee to allow for high school students to get an authentic sense of what collegiate level science coursework and laboratory experiences look like. Spending an entire day exploring on campus and having lunch in the dining hall were all part of the field trip made possible through our partnership with CBS’s Outreach Department. 

We checked in with a few students about their field trip highlights and Quinn Tillander shared, “The best part of that day for me was going to their Conservatory and Botanical Collection. They had plants from all over the world as well as having plants that are only found one place on earth naturally, making some of their plants very rare. They were super diverse and interesting!”

Another student commented on the number of student clubs found on campus.  “I didn’t know people were that interested in clubs so it was pretty cool to see!”

Oliver Larmore, who plans to major in astronomy in college, found biological sciences and the campus experience fascinating, even noting the interesting architecture and art on the campus.

In general, the PreAP Science 9 course is designed for students seriously considering future Advanced Placement (AP) science courses. Students study essential elements of chemistry including atomic structure, electron configuration, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, and basic thermodynamics. In addition, students will develop analytical thinking skills necessary for success on essay portions of the AP exams. 

Many enrolled ninth-grade students will likely enroll in the AP Biology course as tenth- graders, and depending on their performance on the AP exam, they may be eligible for college credit.