[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 107 (Tuesday, September 5, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S8959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              MORRIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MORRIS, MINNESOTA

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Morris Elementary 
School, in Morris, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in 
Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating 
children.
  Morris Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. The 
award specifically recognizes the fifth-grade science program for three 
initiatives: Project Alpha, chick growing, and Tomato Fest, which all 
combine learning with hands-on application of scientific theory and 
research, and which also involve prominent scientists and parent 
volunteers.
  Project Alpha blends learning in science, math, language, and the 
arts. The children form an aerospace commission designed to study space 
flight, aerodynamics, weather, physics, and optics. As they accomplish 
each intelligence-gathering mission, they earn valuable ``cash'' for 
their company. They then use the knowledge they have acquired to build 
and launch model air-powered rockets. The children then make design 
modifications to their rockets, based on actual flight performance. To 
earn the privilege of launching their rockets, pupils must pass a tough 
physics test which covers concepts in energy, mass, light, sound, the 
earth's tilt, and Newton's laws of motion.
  Fifth-graders also participate in an experiment growing chicks, which 
includes gauging the effects of diet on growing chickens. The children 
write the experimental protocol, analyze weight gain, feed intake, and 
feed/gain conversion. They use math skills to compile data and perform 
measurements. The children meet with research scientists from the 
University of Minnesota's College of Agricultural, Food, and 
Environmental Sciences at the West Central Research and Outreach 
Center. The scientists talk with the children about research, how to 
write a scientific hypothesis, and how to conduct a research project 
that will either prove or disprove the hypothesis.
  Fifth-graders also conduct a plant-growing experiment, in partnership 
with the USDA Soils Lab, located in Morris. The children study how 
certain variables affect germination, growth, and reproduction in 
tomato plants. The children are required to take measurements, 
construct data tables, and present findings at the annual Tomato Fest. 
One-third of the seeds were flown aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 
1997; another third were sealed in a dry container and kept underwater 
at the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station in Key Largo, FL; and the 
rest were kept as a control group at Park Seed Company.
  During the fifth-graders' annual science fair, research scientists 
from the University join area high school students who excel in 
science. The scientists and high school students visit the fifth- grade 
classrooms for a ``meet the expert day,'' when they review the science 
projects, answer questions, and give feedback about the fifth-graders' 
projects.
  While the Award for Excellence in Education recognizes the Morris 
Elementary fifth-grade science curriculum, the school has also done 
very well in reading and math, receiving four stars in reading and five 
stars in math from the Minnesota Department of Education in 2005.
  Much of the credit for Morris Elementary School's success belongs to 
its principal, Brad Korn, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The 
pupils and staff at Morris Elementary School understand that, in order 
to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; 
it must also provide a nurturing environment where pupils can develop 
the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All 
of the faculty, staff, and pupils at Morris Elementary School should be 
very proud of their accomplishments.
  I congratulate Morris Elementary School in Morris for winning the 
Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions 
to education in Minnesota.

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