Eisenhower Grade School third grade students are taking a trip through the human body and studying how the brain responds to stimuli.

In an experiment on Tuesday, the class tried five times to catch a cup that their partner dropped. At first they tried with their right hand five times, and then switched to the left.

"It helps them understand," when they do experiments hands-on, said teacher Josh Allman. They can see how reflexes register in the brain.

The data that the students recorded from the experiment will be compiled. They will conduct further tests when they drop the cups from a shorter height on Wednesday. They will also time their reactions.

The class has also examined owl pellets and discovered what owls eat as a part of the science class earlier in the year.

It is all part of Unified School District 428’s focus on science. "We have upped our focus and recharged our science program," said Principal Tricia Reiser. It is important for them to be prepared at each level, so they are ready for the next grade and middle school science, she said.

The school has worked on staff development and purchased new supplies and textbooks. They use FOSS textbooks which stand for Full Option Science System.

FOSS is a K-8 science program based on the proposition that all students learn science best by in-depth exposure to subject matter based upon their cognitive level.