Science, Parents and Literature: The Science Pals Project

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9353690 Shymansky This Project is the result of a partnership between the University of Iowa and the Iowa City Community School District, whose teachers and administrators recently completed a science self study and made a commitment to restructure their science program. The plan is to enhance all K-6 teachers in the district by immersing them in inservice activities which: require them to analyze the scientific basis of activities in the district's current science program; allow them to examine potential supplemental and/or replacement materials; and challenge them to refine and revise their science program to make science more meaningful to students. Through the summer component of the project three lead science teachers for each of the city's elementary schools will be identified and prepared to provide support and inservice opportunities for their colleagues. During the summer the lead teachers will have opportunities to expand their own science knowledge, develop insights into children's science reasoning, and improve their ability to use inquiry based instructional strategies. During the school year these lead teachers will be given opportunities to mentor their colleagues as they implement the school system's inquiry based science units. The Iowa City School District's stature as a leader in the Midwest will enable this project to serve as a model for other sites in the Midwest, to serve as an exemplary placement for preservice elementary teacher education and to provide leadership teams for future dissemination efforts. The cost sharing for the project will be 50% of the National Science Foundation support. ***