Life Lab Elementary Science Program: Curriculum Developmentand Field-Testing

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The activities of this project will build upon the nationally recognized Life Lab Elementary Science Program. Project Life Lab is a garden- based, experiential science program in which elementary students learn concepts in biology, chemistry, physics, nutrition, earth science and mathematics. In the Life Lab, students explore science through classroom exercises and practical activities in the garden laboratory, and work cooperatively in solving scientific problems and making decisions on the basis of the data they have collected. This program began in 1978 when Green Acres Elementary School in Santa Cruz, California, built a small greenhouse on its grounds. Though the greenhouse was intended for recreational purposes, teachers soon found that their students were learning science from their gardening work, and enjoying it thoroughly. Over the next five years, teachers, administrators and community members developed the greenhouse project into Project Life Lab, a multi-disciplinary science program. Life Lab lessons integrate concept learning and practical applications in ways that demonstrate to students that science relates to everyday life. This project will continue development of curricular materials, initiate development of assessment instruments, identify essential conditions for successful adoption of the program, and define an organizational framework for elementary science education.