Jennifer Toth

Jennifer Toth has taught kindergarten at Maple Glen Elementary School
for 15 years. A self-described “nature and science geek,” she guides her young students through a year-long experience in which the wonders of the natural world come alive. In her unit on “The Five Senses,” children explore an undeveloped natural 
land area, where they watch insect s
up close, touch rocks with different textures, smell different parts of plants, sit in blinds to watch and listen for birds, and draw or write in their journals. Recycling, using scrap bins to avoid wasting supplies, and conserving water when washing hands are all regularly practiced in the classroom. She also infuses environmental awareness into non-science topics, such as using the life cycle of penguins as part of the Language Arts program. Her impact is felt not only in the classroom but also on the curriculum committees for both her school and district, on which she plays a leading role in creating science curricula for kindergarten and elementary grades.