HuckleBerry
Center for Creative Learning
Christine Rains
Christine Rains, co-owner and instructor of Quest in Science, is an experienced teacher who brings
science to life for her students and creates a fun classroom atmosphere by promoting questions and
discussion. Christine earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics from Scripps College in Claremont, CA (where
she became life-long friends with fellow Physics student and Huckleberry teacher Debbie Walker!) and a
master’s degree in Geophysics from California State University, Northridge. She also has a bachelor’s
degree in Music Performance from CSUN. She has been teaching elementary through college for many
years, and currently teaches physics and astronomy at several local community colleges. She also spent
several years working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, on the REASON instrument
on the Europa Clipper spacecraft that is heading to Jupiter’s moon, Europa. She has been working with
Quest in Science since the early 2000’s teaching hands-on science to elementary school children
throughout Los Angeles and became co-owner in 2011. In 2018, she welcomed her good friend and
colleague Debbie Walker onto the Quest team as co-owner. At Quest in Science, we are passionate
about providing quality science education to young learners. Quest in Science lessons encourage
students to observe, measure, collect and analyze data, make hypotheses, and draw conclusions. Hands-
on science to us means teaching based on activities that engage a student’s mind and hands to make
science fun, interesting, exciting, and challenging. Christine Rains is excited to bring Quest in Science to
the students and families of Huckleberry Center for Creative Studies and looks forward to a great year!
Science Explorers: 2024 - 2025
Teacher: Christine Spangler
Age: 6-9
Homework: Occasional
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Type of Class: Students that attend this class and do the homework do not need to do additional learning outside of the class to learn this subject.
PreReqs: Should be able to read and write to be successful in this class. If your child is just learning these skills, please let us know so that we can provide accomodations.
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Science Explorers will study 9 different science topics over 3 years, so your student can remain in this hands-on science experience for 3 years, and then graduate into our Science Investigators class for another 9 science topics taught over 3 years!
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Fall: Light and Energy
In our class, Light and Energy, students will become energy experts by understanding that energy is responsible for all movement and change in our world. We will explore the many forms of energy: heat, mechanical, electrical, chemical, sound, solar, and light. We will concentrate the second half of the trimester on Light energy. We will study how it travels, reflects, and bends. Also, students will learn how the eye sees light by learning the various parts of the eye and their purpose. Some of the many projects the class will include are: creating roller coaster tracts to show change in potential and kinetic energy, racing solar cars to convert sun’s energy to mechanical energy, making pinhole cameras to demonstrate how light travels, building kaleidoscopes to show how light reflects and many more fun scientific experiments.
Winter: Weather Systems
This winter session, our student scientists will study the world’s weather in the Quest in Science course, Weather Watch! They will investigate winds, the four seasons, the water cycle, clouds, air pressure, greenhouse effects, and all the wild weather we experience around the world. Students will keep their own weather calendar. Our student scientists will learn about various weather situations with hands-on lessons including tornado tubes, season wheels, hydration evaporation plates, and many more. Throughout the quarter, students work together in small lab groups to perform experiments, test hypotheses, and gather and record data. They will keep a science folder for all their work related to our science studies that will go home with them each week and can be used for their evidence of science for your records!
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Spring: Animal Habitats & Classification
This spring session, our Science Explorers will study the animal kingdom in the Quest in Science course, Animal Habitats and Classification! They will investigate the many types of animal habitats on Earth, such as forests, deserts, the arctic, and the ocean, each with its own special environment. Each habitat provides shelter and food for animals that live there. The students will learn how scientists classify animals into mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and spiders. They will identify the physical and behavioral adaptations of animals to understand how each has adapted to their environments, even extreme environments. Some activities will include modeling bird beaks through similar shaped tools, designing their own fish by combining various physical characteristics, participating in a role play activity to demonstrate the musk oxen defense circle, and conducting an experiment to learn the importance of blubber for keeping some animals warm! Students will also learn how animals can work in groups to survive and how they compete for resources. Throughout the quarter, students work together in small lab groups to perform experiments, test hypotheses, and gather and record data. They will keep a science folder for all their work related to our science studies that will go home with them each week and can be used for their evidence of science for your records!
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Our Science Explorers Series has 3 cycles, with each series occurring every 3 years.
That means that kids can continue to take Science Explorers
for 3 years before they repeat a subject!
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Each year we offer a Physical, Earth and Life Science!
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Series 1 (2024-2025):
Fall: Light & Energy
Winter: Weather Systems
Spring: Animal Habitats & Classification
Series 2 (2025-2026):
Fall: Measure That Matter!,
Winter: Rock Hounds
Spring: Biomes, Ecosystems & Insects
Series 3 (202): 6-2027
Fall: Forces & Simple Machines
Winter: Astronomy
Spring: Our Green World
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Contact
Christine Rains