New, GK-12 Physical Processes in the Environment

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GRADUATE TEACHING FELLOWS IN K-12 EDUCATIONABSTRACTPROPOSAL #: 0638688PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Timothy HerbertINSTITUTION: Brown UniversityTITLE: New, GK-12 Physical Processes in the EnvironmentThis interdisciplinary program will involve graduate fellows from three of the physical science departments (Geological Sciences, Engineering, and Physics) at Brown University, who will immerse themselves in science pedagogy in two crucial pieces of the Providence Public School (PPS) system science pipeline: Elementary grades 3-6 and High School. Both levels of the PPS face significant challenges. All science specialist positions were eliminated across the system at the Elementary level four years ago, and the High School Science curriculum is moving toward a "Physics-First" sequence. In support of these changes, this program will be thematically broad, but with a focus relating STEM skills and concepts from the physical sciences to the environment and technology that surrounds the students. Graduate students at Brown and their teacher-partners will bring the excitement, stimulation, and modeling of science skills and modes of thought to students. Graduate students will bring creativity and insight from their own research to the classroom. This project also seeks to change the institution culture by demonstrating to science faculty that graduate student retention and communication skills increase through K-12 outreach activities, and by connecting faculty to a predominantly minority public school system.