Lewis Middle School science teacher only Houston-area teacher chosen for Aramco Americas, Texas A&M’s Geology Camp

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While teachers across the country and Houston prepared for the 2020-21 school year, Lewis Middle School science teacher Michael Arratia went camping.

Lewis Middle School science teacher Michael Arratia recently participated virtually in a Geology Camp sponsored by Aramco Americas and Texas A&M University.

Well, not literally, but virtually as he participated on-line in Aramco America’s and Texas A&M’s Geology Camp (GCAMP).

Arratia was one of 31 teachers from 16 states chosen to participate in the camp and he was the only science teacher from Houston selected for the camp.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the camp was held virtually from June 25-July 14. The theme of the camp was “The Geology of North America through the National Park Experience.” Arratia and his fellow campers viewed Ken Burns’ documentary “Americas Best Ideas: The National Parks,” and National Geographic’s Geology of North America through the National Parks.”

Texas A&M has taken this regional geoscience program to a more national level with teachers at a critical level (middle school and high school) in generating excitement for science, technology, engineering, math and STEM subjects. Aramco Americas supported the program as part of its longstanding commitment to STEM education.

The camp focused on 18 National Parks with distinct geological features such as glaciers, sand dunes, and seashores.

Arratia, who just completed his first year at Lewis Middle School after teacher in Fort Bend ISD, had to submit an application and write an essay on why he should have been selected and how he would use his experience at the camp in his classroom.

Arratia said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learned so much more about this country’s National Parks.

“I learned that I can incorporate these beautiful national wonders of the park system to my students,” he said. “By showing them the geology, I can maybe show them these beautiful places that are actually ‘science labs.’ Also, by doing this virtual trip with GCAMP, I have learned different strategies that I can use with my students such as Virtual Reality learning. By working with other teachers from across the country, we have shared ideas and strategies for virtual learning. I hope to bring this to my students so that they can enjoy science.”

The GCAMP provided Arratia with some strategies and teaching styles he hopes to use this coming school year.

“I have learned how to prepare a Virtual Reality Lesson and actually put the student inside a volcano,” Arratia said. “VR is the next step in teaching because the teacher can actually put the student where he or she wants in order to learn about a certain topic. I was able to walk around the different National Parks without being there.

“In addition, I have gotten many ideas from the other teachers on how they teach a certain topic, or even discuss experiments that can be done with students for a certain geologic topic. I have also learned how geology and other sciences (Chemistry, Biology and Physics) go hand-in-hand.”

It took Arratia 10 years to apply for GCAMP and he said the wait was well worth it.

“It took 10 years for me to finally apply to GCAMP because I was working on other programs or I was doing research,” Arratia said. “It was a long journey, but I am now on this wonderful journey for the next two years (virtual this year and then in person in the summer of 2021),” he said.

And it appears, Arratia’s wait was well worth it for him and his students.