The heart of science

SANDPOINT — For Northside Elementary sixth-graders, Dr. Frazier King rules when it comes to science.

King, a local primary care physician, intrigued the students recently during two guest teaching sessions supporting their cardio/pulminary science unit in Jayne Sturms class.

On Feb. 16, King held a chat session regarding heart diseases, surgeries and healthy lifestyles using props of pacemakers, angiogram/angioplasty tools, and a homemade heart-and-lung machine to teach the kids about congestive heart failure.

The following day, King returned and along with five parent helpers, assisted the students in the annual sixth-grade pig heart dissection lab. Students worked in groups of three with one heart per group, donated by Wood's Meat Processing, which has been donating hearts since the first dissections in 1993. Wood's even includes a lung-heart sample so the instructor can blow up the lungs with an air compressor to model the mechanics of respiration. Microscopes used in the dissection lab were donated through a Panhandle Alliance for Education grant, written by Northside staff.

Following the dissection, King spent 30 minutes answering the numerous questions the students had.

"He is simply amazing in his interaction with the children and taught so much in the two visits during our cardiovascular unit," Sturm said.

Sturm said both of King's now college-age sons attended Northside Elementary.

Sturm has been teaching for 36 years, 26 years at Northside — "The little school with a big heart" — and retires this spring.

One of the highlights for Sturm with regard to this science unit and the support of local physicians is the peaked interest in students for entering a variety of fields in science, including her own daughter who is a family practice physician in Seattle.

"I certainly have a passion for science with sixth-graders," Sturm said. "Their excitement in dissections is contagious."