By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Teamwork begins at home for the faculty and staff of Union City Schools.
In search of an authority on magnets as part of a third-grade science study, UC Elementary School teacher Julie Morgan didn’t have to look far to find a capable helper.
Mrs. Morgan’s husband, Lance, the Principal at Union City Middle School, was recruited to present his vast knowledge of the topic gained when he taught science at UCHS before being named an administrator.
Mr. Morgan entertained and informed students with examples, demonstrations, and core knowledge of magnets, magnetic fields, and the relationship between the two recently during a session in the UCES multipurpose room.
He talked extensively and answered multiple questions from the group while also providing several hands-on demonstrations to aid his wife and her fellow teacher Randi Lynn Moore.
“I just told him I really needed him to do this,” Julie laughed when asked how she convinced her spouse to help with the lesson with juggling his duties at UCMS. “I knew he had extensive experience with the topic during his time as a teacher, and I thought the students were very attentive and really responded to his presentation.”
Students – who will be challenged in statewide science testing for the first time at the end of the year — learned how magnets work and how they relate to the real world as part of the study, Mrs. Morgan said.
The teacher claimed that magnets will be one of the integral standards among the 20 or so that third graders must know.
In a lab-type setting, each third grader was given a magnet and different materials to do their own personal experiments. They all excelled in the exercise, according to Morgan and Moore.
“I felt that work was really beneficial as they all aced their tests with flying colors after the lab,” Julie said.
Her husband deserves a well-earned assist.