Friday, May 4th, 2007, Halifax, NS, 2nd graders pondered growth as the team of Meghan Serratore (BFA graduate ’07, NSCADU) and Carrie-Lee Trider (BSc, SMU) introduced the peptide Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH), which they explained causes growth.   To put us all in the mood, Meghan read the story of “Jack and the bean stalk” in which Jack eats one of the magic beans and becomes himself a giant, because the bean contained GHRH.  Jack experienced an increase in his growth hormone levels, which caused the tissues of his body to build up and grow in size.  Stimulation of the division and multiplication of his chondrocytes, cells responsible for long bone elongation, caused Jack to grow to giant size such that the giant and he become friends and his family and the giant’s settled down together and lived happily ever after.  Discussing the factors that control growth in plants and animals, the students knew about the importance of water, sunlight and nutrition for healthy growth.  Comparing the sizes of the tallest and shortest students with the heights of their parents, they recognized the effect on size of the genes that they inherit. Carrie-Lee seeded a discussion on crystal growth as she saturated a hot solution with salt and left it to stand with a nail suspended in the vessel; something to see what happens on Monday.   Moreover, the students made accordion folded books, which grow as one opens the pages and provide a journal to mark their growth from this wonderful Molecules of Life Project on GHRH.

Finishing our fourth MLP presentation in 2007, (11th total!!), team GHRH was thanked for keeping the MLP experience growing, and growing, and growing in 2nd grade in Halifax.

Team GHRH, Meghan Serratore (BFA graduate ’07, NSCADU) and Carrie-Lee Trider (BSc, SMU) in front of their poster on Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone

Crystal growth hidden among plant growth.

the joy of folding accordion journals.

and gluing on the covers