Engaging families to enhance science learning and interest in STEM careers

描述（由申请人提供）：科学冒险实验室计划是由西雅图儿童研究所于2008年发起的，以解决改善华盛顿州学生获得高质量，动手科学教育的需要，并承认教育和健康之间的良好联系。自2009年9月以来，这个45英尺高的最先进的移动的科学实验室已经访问了85所不同学校的12，600多名学生。该计划专门服务于资源不足的农村和城市学校，为学生提供尖端的科学实验室经验，那里的资源和人员无法提供。这项名为“让家庭参与，提高科学学习和对STEM职业的兴趣”的拟议项目将利用科学冒险实验室团队在过去两年中开发的最佳实践和行之有效的方法，以及专门为此项目开发的新颖课程模块，并增加至关重要的，结构化的，以家庭为基础的活动，鼓励和支持学生学习和对STEM职业的兴趣。我们的假设是，在科学探险实验室上完成两个课程模块将导致学生知识的增加，对科学的兴趣增加和对STEM领域职业的认识，而结构化的家庭参与将放大这些收益。此外，学生和家庭预计将发展的研究和临床试验的重要性，以建立一个健康的社区增加的理解。 在该项目的每一年，华盛顿州10所资源不足的城市或农村学校的约700名四年级学生将在科学探险实验室上完成两个新颖的、基于探究的、动手的课程模块。参与学生的家庭将被邀请参加两个活动。在学校的“科学之夜”，家庭将与孩子一起完成科学探险实验室的活动，并获得资源，帮助他们鼓励和支持孩子对科学的兴趣。在学年结束时， 参加在西雅图儿童研究所举行的“科学日”活动，并在活动中完成后续的实践活动，以扩展在“科学之夜”期间发展的技能和知识，参观设施，与科学家互动，并了解科学研究和临床试验对建立健康社区的重要性。 实施这个项目将导致一个持续的，可持续的计划，以家庭为基础的活动，其中包括家庭科学之夜工具包，可以运到学校在美国任何地方的发展，以及在西雅图儿童研究所为家庭举办的定期活动。 公共卫生相关性（由申请人提供）：该项目将在科学冒险实验室（一个最先进的移动的科学实验室）上提供创新的动手科学教育，每年向小学约700名四年级学生提供，并增加至关重要的，结构化的，以家庭为基础的活动，鼓励和支持学生学习和对STEM职业的兴趣。由于这一项目，将建立一个持续的、可持续的家庭活动方案，其中包括可以运到学校的家庭科学之夜工具包，以及西雅图儿童研究所的家庭科学日。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Science Adventure Lab program was initiated by Seattle Children's Research Institute in 2008 to address the need for improved access of students in Washington state to high-quality, hands-on science education and in recognition of the well-established connection between education and health. This 45 foot, state-of-the-art mobile science laboratory has visited over 12,600 students at 85 different schools since September 2009. The program specifically serves under-resourced rural and urban schools by providing cutting-edge science laboratory experiences to students where resources and personnel to offer this are not available. This proposed project entitled "Engaging families to enhance science learning and interest in STEM careers" will utilize the best practices and proven approaches developed over the past two years by the Science Adventure Lab team together with novel curriculum modules developed specifically for this project, and add critically-important, structured, family-based activities that will encourage and support student learning and interest in STEM careers. Our hypothesis is that completing two curriculum modules onboard the Science Adventure Lab will result in gains in student knowledge, increased interest in science and awareness of careers in the STEM fields, and that structured family involvement will amplify those gains. Additionally, students and families are expected to develop an increased understanding of the importance of research and clinical trials for building a healthy community. Each year of the project, ~ 700 fourth-graders at ten under-resourced urban or rural schools in Washington state will complete two novel, inquiry-based, hands-on curriculum modules onboard the Science Adventure Lab. Families of participating students will be invited to attend two events. At "Science Night" at the school, families will complete an activity on the Science Adventure Lab together with their children and be provided with resources that will help them encourage and support their children's interest in science. At the end of the school year, families will attend "Science Day" at Seattle Children's Research Institute where they will complete a follow-up, hands-on activity that extends the skills and knowledge developed during "Science Night", tour the facility, interact with scientists and learn about the importance of scientific research and clinical trials for building a healthy community. Implementing this project will result in the development of an ongoing, sustainable program of family-based activities that includes Family Science Night kits that can be shipped to schools anywhere in the U.S., and regular events for families at Seattle Children's Research Institute. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (provided by applicant): This project will deliver innovative hands-on Science education on the Science Adventure Lab, a state-of-the-art mobile science laboratory, to ~700 fourth grade students annually at elementary schools, and add critically-important, structured, family-based activities that will encourage and support student learning and interest in STEM careers. As a result of this project, an ongoing, sustainable program of family-based activities will be established that includes Family Science Night kits that can be shipped to schools, and Family Science Days at Seattle Children's Research Institute.