<< Back

Graham Kelly, Education

The Franklin Institute Science Museum is one of those rare institutions that is just as much fun for adults as it is for children. Senior Graham Kelly can attest to that.

As part of his student teaching requirement in Drexel's Teacher Education program, Graham worked with 6- to 13-year-olds at the Franklin Institute's summer camp.

"Each week features a different topic," explains Graham. "We've studied astronauts, mummification, robots, and the science of rescue. For that last topic the kids learned how to make an accurate map of an area, conduct a search, and organize a recovery mission." To illustrate these points, Graham took his group outside for a mock rescue.

"One group was told to go hide in the playground outside the Franklin Institute. Another group had to create a map of the area, while another group had to conduct the search based on that map."

And what did the kids think of this? "When they found the 'lost' members of their group, you would have thought it was a real rescue!"

Topping off the science of rescue week, Graham took the 10- and 11-year-old members of the group to see Titanica at the Tuttleman IMAX Theater, an engrossing film about the search for and recovery of the Titanic.

The Franklin Institute summer camp was an invaluable experience for Graham, who wants to teach physics and mathematics at the high school level. "I've always been a math and science guy," he explains. "I enjoy introducing children to these topics and seeing them get excited by what they're learning. When we went to see Titanica, they could hardly contain themselves. I kept hearing them whisper, 'We learned about that!' whenever the narrator mentioned mapping or search party techniques. I know the people sitting around us in the theater were probably thinking, 'How do those kids know about that?'"

The Franklin Institute camp was Graham's second teaching experience through the School of Education. He's considering taking part in the camp again next summer. "I don’t need any more teaching credits to graduate," he says, "but I'm definitely considering coming back next summer. It's so much fun – for me and the kids."