Terry Connor, Sarasota County Superintendent, spent a recorded episode of "Trading Spaces" teaching a 7th-grade science class at Booker Middle School and used the visit to highlight the preparation that goes into classroom labs and to ask a teacher why she chose to work in Sarasota County Schools.

Connor opened the segment by describing the day's activity: "We're gonna do a little activity where you're going to actually build your own baby bug. This is all about taking what you know, all this knowledge about punnet squares, all of this about a male dominant and recessive, and we're gonna put it to action." The hands-on exercise involved students assembling model organisms to apply genetics concepts taught in class.

Karen Nieder, a 7th-grade science teacher at Booker Middle School, told Connor she chose teaching after starting college with broader science interests. "I knew I love science, and I wanted to do something in science, whether it was in medicine, environmental science, something. Halfway through college, I just decided, you know what? I think I'll teach. And I've been doing it for 26 years," Nieder said.

Both speakers discussed the amount of planning required for lab activities. Connor noted public perceptions that teaching is only a nine-month job, and Nieder responded with practical concerns: when planning labs, "we need to think about all the supplies we're going to need. How are the kids gonna handle the supplies? Are they going to be able to follow the instructions on whatever it is that I'm giving them to do?" She emphasized that organizing materials and anticipating student handling are part of prep that occurs outside classroom hours.

On recruitment and retention, Nieder said she had worked in several districts and returned to Sarasota because of colleagues and facilities: "The staff that I've been working with over the years has been fantastic, and we had the technology. We had the facilities that I was looking for." The segment closed with Connor thanking viewers and reflecting on the experience: "I appreciate the opportunities to get into the classroom. It's been fun, exhilarating, exhausting, all of it."