Mrs. Karen Brown will be teaching “The Science Behind Forensics” in this years Middle School Summer Program. The Summer Program is organized by DPIE’s Academy–offering K-12 summer courses for students from all school districts. If you’ve been on the Fallon Middle School campus at all in the last eight years we are pretty sure you felt a power surge when you walked near the science classrooms. If you have experienced that burst of energy then you’ve bumped into one of the dynamic science teachers who works there. DPIE is happy to introduce Mrs. Karen Brown to the DPIE Middle School Summer Program this year where she will be teaching the “Science Behind Forensics.” Mrs. Brown is a very popular, dynamic and well-respected teacher at Fallon who is passionate about teaching science and possesses the spark needed to make learning fun. Fallon students and parents rave about her as a teacher and thoroughly enjoy being in her class. “We work hard in this class,” said one student in a recent classroom visit, “but Mrs. Brown makes learning science interesting and fun. I love all Mrs. Brown teaches us.”
2014 Teacher of the Year
The kids just love her class because she brings so much fun and energy to the classroom. Her Forensics class is the coolest class ever and it’s so amazing to see kids doing DNA research to solve mysteries. Ms. Karen Smith who serves as the principal’s secretary was there eight years ago
Listening to students, staff and parents speak about Mrs. Brown’s classroom, it’s not hard to imagine why the Dublin School District named her as their Teacher of the Year in 2014. Principal secretary, Ms. Karen Smith who was there eight years ago when Mrs. Brown taught her first class at Fallon said, “The kids just love her class because she brings so much fun and energy to the classroom. Her Forensics class is the coolest class ever and it’s so amazing to see kids doing DNA research to solve mysteries.” When asked why she developed the forensics class as a way of teaching the scientific method, Mrs. Brown lit up like a neon light and beamed, “Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Forensics involves so many STEM careers and is a great way to engage students in the fields of science and math. I developed the ‘Science Behind Forensics’ course so students can have fun while exploring science topics that aren’t covered in the regular school year.”
A Whirlwind of Activity
Recently DPIE had the opportunity to watch Mrs. Brown work with students in one of Fallon’s science labs while students conducted their assigned lab experiments. Being in her class is like watching a three ring circus of activity. Students were busy carrying out their lab assignments while Mrs. Brown circulated through the room asking and answering student questions and nothing escaped her purview. She was orchestrating the room with the ease of a ringmaster who knows exactly what she’s doing.
Passionate About The Magic of Teaching
When that light goes on, I know they are hooked on the magic of learning. Ms. Brown
When asked about her enthusiasm for teaching science Mrs. Brown said, “I Love Science and I’m passionate about sharing that passion with my students. I love it when kids have that moment of discovery where the light bulb turns and they are getting what you’re teaching them about. It’s the best feeling you can have as a teacher.” “When that light goes on,” said Karen, “I know they are hooked on the magic of learning. When I was younger my brother used to put on magic shows for the neighborhood and I was always amazed by his tricks and needed to know how they worked, so I became his assistant. That experience has definitely impacted the way I teach.”
Science is Fun
Mrs. Brown studied Environmental Toxicology as an undergrad at UC Davis then went on to study Pathology in grad school at UCLA where she did a lot of research with poisons and disease. “I always enjoyed mysteries and puzzles as a kid and spent my free time reading Agatha Christie books and doing jigsaw puzzles” said Mrs. Brown. “I guess I see science just about everywhere I look and in everything I do.” When asked how an academic class like science could be fun, Mrs. Brown exclaimed, “Science is FUN! It’s incredible to watch students work through a problem because they use logic and conduct experiments to get to the right answers. Most of the time the kids don’t even realize they are using science to problem solve. It’s the only way to learn.”
Join the Fun in Mrs. Brown’s Summer Class
If you’re interested in learning more about Mrs. Brown’s Summer class, “The Science Behind Forensics,” use the link below to read about her class. It’s open to students who will be entering 6th, 7th or 8th grade next Fall. Plus it’s open to students form all school districts. If you like what you read, enroll your child soon because the class is filling fast. You won’t be sorry and perhaps your child will have their own power surge of learning. One thing we are sure of, they will have fun while they learn. To learn more about Mrs. Brown’s “The Science Behind Forensics” and other summer courses, visit our Middle School Course Schedule – Learn More and Enroll Online
