Nancy Serlin works with
Zachary Kay on a science project.

Temple Israel science enrichment
teacher, Nancy Serlin. With a little
brainstorming together, their ideas
began to click. Matthew was able to
invite friends for an educational and
entertaining experience in science that
exploded into a day of fun.
Nancy Serlin has taught science
enrichment to youngsters 4-to-6-
years-old for 17 years. Described as
"a high-energy magnet to kids" by fel-
low teacher Barbara Weintraub, Serlin
has brought science alive for hundreds
of Temple Israel students. Serlin also
teaches parenting classes to parents of
gifted children through Farmington
Public Schools.
"My goal is to get kids involved in
science," Serlin says. "It's important to

make kids feel good about themselves
through learning. By sparking their
curiosity and encouraging critical
thinking, I get kids completely and
physically involved in my experiments.
"When explaining the solar system,
the class actually becomes the solar sys-
tem, to get a feel for what we are learn-
ing. On the floor, one child stands in
the middle and plays the part of the
sun. In an outer circle, children become
planets, turn on the axis, and become
comets, shooting stars and meteors.
"I teach with right brain, left brain
styles, so that I reach each individual
child at their level. It's important that
each child go home with at least one
new idea," she says. "As I look into a
group of astonished eyes, I love to

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