Hands-On Science in Pasadena: Middle School Extension

詹姆斯·鲍尔博士是加州理工学院的一名生物学家，也是以探究为基础的实践科学教育的积极支持者。鲍尔博士设计了一个项目，该项目将由美国国家科学基金会支持的帕萨迪纳联合学区（PUSD）的小学教师提高工作扩展到中学水平。SEED项目（早期教育发展科学）得到了教师提升计划的四年奖的支持，该计划旨在在PUSD所有22所小学建立一个以探究为基础的实践教学计划。进入初中的学生们在科学课上遇到了传统的教科书+讲座形式，家长们开始要求将优秀的小学教育扩大到高年级（5所中学的3500名学生）。这个项目将培训教师如何使用动手处理科学包，建立一个材料支助系统以更新包，让社区的科学家参加教师讲习班和课堂活动，并鼓励通过额外的夏季研讨会将科学与其他课程科目相结合。该项目将为帕萨迪纳的公立学校创建一个全面和综合的K-8科学课程，并将为所有负责科学教学的中学教师提供示范学习经验做好准备。加州理工学院和帕萨迪纳联合学区之间的合作是一种富有成效的伙伴关系，该项目从小学扩展到中学是其他学区效仿的典范。由大学和学区分摊的费用占国家科学基金捐款的104%。

Dr. James Bower is a biologist on the faculty of the California Institute of Technology, and an active proponent of inquiry-based hands-on science education. Dr. Bower has designed a project that will an NSF-supported elementary teacher enhancement effort in the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) to the middle school level. Project SEED (Science for Early Educational Development) is being supported by a four-year award from the Teacher Enhancement Program to establish a hands on inquiry-based instructional program in all of the 22 elementary schools in PUSD. The students entering middle school are encountering a traditional textbook/lecture format in science class, and parents have begun to demand expansion of the outstanding elementary school instruction to the upper grades (3,500 students in 5 middle schools). This project will train teachers in the use of hands on science kits, establish a materials support system for refurbishment of kits, engage scientists from the community in teacher workshops and in classroom activities, and encourage integration of science with other curricular subjects through additional summer workshops. This project will create a comprehensive and integrated K-8 science curriculum for the public schools in Pasadena, and will prepare all middle school teachers responsible for science instruction to deliver exemplary learning experiences. The collaboration between Cal Tech and the Pasadena Unified School District has been a productive partnership, and the expansion of the project from elementary to middle schools is a model for other districts to follow. Cost sharing by the University and school district represents 104% of the NSF contribution.