Engaging families to enhance science learning and interest in STEM careers

描述(由申请者提供)：科学冒险实验室计划由西雅图儿童研究所于2008年发起，旨在满足华盛顿州学生更好地获得高质量、亲身实践的科学教育的需求，并认识到教育与健康之间已确立的联系。自2009年9月以来，这个45英尺高、最先进的移动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，为资源和人员不足的学生提供尖端的科学实验室体验。这项题为“鼓励家庭提高对STEM职业的科学学习和兴趣”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经过验证的方法，以及专门为该项目开发的新颖课程模块，并增加极其重要的、有组织的、以家庭为基础的活动，这些活动将鼓励和支持学生对STEM职业的学习和兴趣。我们的假设是，在科学探险实验室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，以及对STEM领域职业的认识，并且有组织的家庭参与将放大这些收获。此外，学生和家庭应加深对研究和临床试验对建立健康社区的重要性的理解。 在该项目的每一年，华盛顿州十所资源不足的城市或农村学校的大约700名四年级学生将在科学冒险实验室完成两个新颖的、基于探究的动手课程模块。参与活动的学生家庭将被邀请参加两个活动。在学校的“科学之夜”活动中，家长将与孩子一起在科学探险实验室完成一项活动，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，家庭 他们将在西雅图儿童研究所参加“科学日”，在那里他们将完成后续的动手活动，扩展在“科学之夜”期间培养的技能和知识，参观设施，与科学家互动，并了解科学研究和临床试验对建设健康社区的重要性。 实施这一项目将导致制定一个持续的家庭活动计划，其中包括可以运往美国任何地方的学校的家庭科学之夜工具包，以及西雅图儿童研究所为家庭举办的定期活动。 与公共卫生相关(由申请者提供)：该项目将在科学冒险实验室提供创新的动手科学教育，这是一个最先进的移动科学实验室，每年向大约700名小学四年级学生提供，并增加极其重要的、有组织的、以家庭为基础的活动，这些活动将鼓励和支持学生对STEM职业的学习和兴趣。作为这一项目的结果，将建立一个持续的以家庭为基础的活动计划，其中包括可以运往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.