Again I like to start with the big picture and narrow down to specifics.  I started with a list of key activities that would guide the study.  I wrote down:

1. Freezing and Melting Experiments
2. Evaporation Experiments
3. Stream Table Exploration
4. Water Use Data Collection
5. Global Water Issues Research Project.

Part of me scans the objectives of the unit for what can be engaging and can be turned into an exciting activity. I am also thinking about building concepts over time.  If I want the students to really understand the role of water on our earth they need to understand change of state and density.  That will be the first part of the unit.  I also specifically look for activities that can push their thinking and lead to deep experiences.  For example the freezing and melting experiments allow for open-ended inquiry because the students can formulate questions and conduct experiments on their own.  If I think it through ahead of time I can guide them to reach important conclusions that will be central to the unit.  I often use the sharing back portion of the experimental process to build theory tying the students findings to key scientific concepts.  This helps reinforce key ideas while supporting the idea that science is a process and not simply a set of facts.

The stream tables are a powerful way to allow students to understand how water shapes land and the nuances of the water cycle as well as how water gets polluted.  By keeping the big picture in my head at the start of the unit I can make informed decisions about how to lead the unit.  Student-centered  curriculum is important but equally important is the leadership of the teacher and keeping a focus on the big ideas outlined in stages one and two.  I try to avoid getting too detailed in my lesson plans at this point because it can make it harder to adapt the lessons to the needs of the students I am working with.  However by laying out the activities I can start to think about how the activities connect and plan for materials I might need.

For example I noticed there were no materials for stream tables in my classroom so I bought a set of under-bed bins from Amazon.  I also bought sand, soil, clay and gravel.  All of these materials are fairly inexpensive and I was sure that the students would enjoy mixing together their soil in bins while learning along the way.  I had to do some research and thinking to get the right materials but it can be a disaster if I don’t plan the materials way ahead of time.  Now that I have a general plan for the unit and the activities that will take place I a prepared and excited to launch the unit with the students.  Once the students ideas become part of the process a lot can change and adjust.  This is what makes teaching a constant adventure.

This two-day meeting is designed for professionals in the K-12 teacher-scientist partnership field and others interested in developing such partnerships. Participants will learn from each other while also deepening understanding of these partnerships and their role in science education. Workshops and discussions will include: different models of teacher-scientist partnerships, including how to establish, recruit partners, prepare teachers and scientists, and adjust for grade level, geographic settings, and type of partner; evaluation; funding and sustaining; and disseminating program information and results. Keynote talks, panels, workshops, poster presentations, and time for informal networking will offer learning opportunities for participants. For more information, contact bcalinge (at) aaas (dot) org. Organizers: Betty Calinger, AAAS Education and Human Resources Katherine Nielsen and Rebecca Smith, UCSF Science & Health Education Partnership

Betty Calinger, AAAS Education and Human Resources

There is a growing body of educational research that suggests that out-of-school-time experiences for youth may play a larger role in engaging, preparing, inspiring, and creating lifelong interest in science than previously recognized. Studies indicate that many professional scientists trace their initial passion for science to an after school club or extracurricular activity. Others suggest that afterschool settings may be particularly good at making science engaging and promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career paths. Just like scientific research, after school experiences have an “unreasonable effectiveness” in celebrating the joy of discovery and beauty of science while also providing practical benefits by inspiring the future STEM workforce. However, most scientists who engage in public education, outreach, and activities for broader impacts still largely focus on classroom experiences and classroom teachers. In this session, we will present the rationale, motivation, promising practices, and case studies of professional scientists and engineers partnering with after school organizations to provide high-quality activities and act as role models for youth. While these settings offer unique opportunities that are less time- and content-constrained than classroom settings, they also offer specific challenges. We will also spend time in small groups considering specific strategies for recruiting and supporting scientists to be successful in out-of-school-time learning settings.

Carol M. Tang, Coalition for Science After School
Scientists in After School Programs: Models, Lessons, and Measurable Outcomes

Education:

BS, Microbiology, North Carolina State University, 2006

BA, The Public Understanding of Science, North Carolina State University, 2006

MPhil, Genetics, Yale University, 2009

PhD, Genetics, Yale University, December 2012

Thesis:Tumor-Associated Mutations inO⁶-Methylguanine DNA-Methyltransferase (MGMT) Reduce DNA Repair Functionality

Current position:Postdoctoral Associate, Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, Cornell University

Area of research: Cancer genetics

Why did you decide to become a NeXXt Scholar Mentor (aka Fellow)?

As a first generation college student, I faced many uncertainties in my undergraduate experience that I had to figure out where to find information on how to navigate on my own. In interacting with Peruvian undergraduates over the past several winters, I have realized that many of these same challenges are faced by individuals coming from abroad, and I believe that women in science serving as role models could be an incredibly positive factor in the development of these women in science. I have been fortunate in the opportunities I have enjoyed in the course of my career development and want to pass along the mentoring and support I have received to others who are following similar paths.

Why do you think it’s important for young female scientists to have a Mentor?

When you have a mentor, you have someone who can give you advice on what to expect and how to prepare for the next steps of your career and life. When you encounter challenges, you know you are not alone in facing these challenges and have someone to give you suggestions on ways to overcome them. Women in science, in particular, need to hear that they are not alone and that other women have overcome similar challenges.

What advice do you have to give for young women interested in pursuing a career in science?

Explore as many science careers as you can by meeting people who work in these fields. Ask them what they do on a large level and what their day-to-day work is like. Many young people carry assumptions about what the life of a scientist is like, and it’s important to challenge those assumptions and learn about the variety of options early. Some scientists spend most of their time working at computers, some operating specialized equipment, others handling animals, and still others interacting with people. Where they work can be in an office, a lab, a clinic down the street, or a rain forest halfway around the world. Careers in science can have many different appearances, and it is freeing for young women to learn that.

I would suggest that all aspiring scientists obtain hands-on experience as soon as they can. This isn’t practical for all fields, but even touring a lab so it is a place that one can envision working is helpful. All scientists find math and statistics skills valuable and hands-on experience with math and statistics does not require specialized lab equipment or special connections. Computer programming skills are increasingly in demand for other fields outside of computer science, for everything from interpreting DNA sequences to improving how efficiently hospitals run. There are many resources out there to get young women programming, and programming teaches a lot of critical thinking and problem solving skills in addition to the programming itself.

Favorite science gift?

I adore brain-bending puzzles like tangoes and tanagrams – they introduced me to the thrill of the “a-ha!” moment early. My favorite kindergartener recently introduced me to a tanagram-like puzzle from a company called SmartGames. The goal is to arrange clear tiles in a square over a picture, but the clear tiles have markings on them and there are rules about what in the picture those markings must cover and cannot cover. She and I spent hours playing with it…and then I found myself pulling out the harder pictures for me after her bedtime.

In the first chapter Wiggins and McTighe talk about the “twin sins” of curriculum design.  When you just jump into curriculum without a purposeful process you might not accomplish anything in the classroom.  The first danger that is often so tempting for teachers is activity-focused teaching.  It is easy as a teacher to fall in the trap of looking for fun activities for the classroom.  These activities engage the students and make them excited to be in class.  The classroom can look active and dynamic.  However, if the activity just engages the students and is not tied to a learning outcome then what is really the point.  Was the students’ engagement really worth it? If you string a set of exciting activities together the students will be busy and maybe even enthusiastic.  But what have they learned?  How have they progressed?  It is important not to forget the importance of engaging activities in teaching concepts but the learning goals must always come first.  The learning goals are what drive the selection of activities and not the reverse.

The second sin addressed in chapter one is coverage.  This is a typical problem in science classes that are organized around a textbook.  The national standards have done a pretty good job of defining the scope of science learning that should take place K-12.  The coverage approach works to just make sure that all parts of the standards have been covered or addressed.  This would be great if the goal of schools was teaching.  Schools are not institutions of teaching; they are institutions of learning.  The coverage model does not look at what has been learned by the students.  In fact if teaching did not accomplish any student learning it would not have much purpose at all.  So our schools should be looking at the learning and viewing teaching simply as a vehicle to get there.

To this end the second stage of the template addresses how you know what the students have learned.  Performance tasks and other assessments must be determined before you start looking at what activities should be chosen.  The performance tasks should be grounded in the goals, understandings and questions defined in stage 1.  In my unit I included the following assessment

If you’re a teacher looking for more resources, check out her book and blog  “Making Things Move” .

The Initiative was first launched in December 2011 at the Academy’s “Celebrating Women in Science” event by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton via video address.

The first cohort of international NeXXt Scholars, who hail from Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Turkey, were nominated through the State Department’s EducationUSA program, which helps promote cross-cultural understanding via academic exchange and study programs for both American and international students. The NeXXt Scholars will be attending the following schools: Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Columbia College (SC), Douglass Residential College at Rutgers University, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Wellesley College, and Wilson College.

Representatives from the women’s colleges have nominated 12 American undergraduate peers to be the international scholars’ STEM-sisters; the women will benefit from each other’s friendship, support, and unique perspectives while pursuing an education in a STEM field and receiving the STEM-enrichment benefits provided by the Academy.

“Although there has been a push to recognize the importance of providing quality education to girls and women in STEM, gender disparities and challenges remain. As research has shown, undergraduate women still lack an adequate amount of role models and peers when they pursue STEM fields. Additionally, negative attitudes and lack of females in STEM fields contribute to a ‘chilly climate’ that can influence undergraduate women to leave their studies in STEM fields,” says Meghan Groome, executive director, Education and Public Programs, at the Academy.

The NeXXt Scholars, both American and international, will benefit from the guidance of a Fellow-a female working in a STEM profession who will mentor the Scholar as she navigates her undergraduate career. The Fellows range from a malaria specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund to a PhD in chemistry who also holds an MBA and started her own research company. The Scholars, who wish to pursue fields ranging from chemistry to environmental studies, will have one-on-one mentoring relationships with their Fellows, but will also be linked to a wider network of STEM professionals through online resources and 5-year sponsored Academy memberships.

“By receiving Academy memberships and becoming part of the Science Alliance-the Academy’s program for university students-NeXXt Scholars will become connected to a rich network of peers, as well as robust career development resources. Science Alliance consists of approximately 30 partner organizations and more than 8,000 students; such a support system can be invaluable to women pursing higher education in STEM fields,” says Monica Kerr, director, Science Alliance, at the Academy.

Throughout the first year, the NeXXt Scholars, under the guidance of their Fellows, will participate in a STEM-related project. They will work to produce a presentation on the project that they can take back to their home communities. In this way, the women will learn to communicate STEM across cultures; build networks and develop collaborative skills for international STEM projects; take on a real project during their first year of studies; and benefit from the support of a female in a STEM profession.

For more information on the NeXXt Scholars Initiative, visit www.nyas.org/NeXXtScholars.

While my reading was shaky with emotion and nerves, I think the written testimony captures my thoughts well.

Testimony Transcript:

Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to testify before the Committee on Youth Services. My name is Meghan Groome and I am the director of K12 Education and Science & the City at the New York Academy of Sciences. For nearly 200 years the New York Academy of Sciences (or the Academy) has brought together extraordinary people working at the frontiers of discovery and has promoted vital links between science and society. The Academy has a history of building new scientific communities, constructing innovative connections among an extensive scientific network, and driving path-breaking initiatives for scientific, social, and economic benefit.

Since the 1940s, the Academy has made investments in K-12 (Kindergarten through 12th grade) science education, with programs like the New York City Science & Engineering Fair, capacity-building programs to support outreach in other institutions, and mentoring programs for top performing students in New York City. As a result of these investments, the Academy has increased the City’s ability to nurture top scientific talent.

In recent years, the Academy has redoubled its efforts to bring New York’s wealth of scientific resources to bear on the needs of the City’s schools, with a focus on improving science education for all students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. The New York City Science Education Initiative has a simple mission:  to identify high-impact, scalable pathways for scientists to directly improve the number of children who are STEM-literate. Our theory of change relies heavily on the core competencies of the Academy – to serve as a connector between the well-resourced scientific community and the under-resourced education community (including high-need students and teachers).

In 2010, a group of Deans and Faculty affiliated with the City’s research and medical universities asked the Academy to create a program to provide their top young scientists with an opportunity to learn how to teach science/STEM.  At the same time, The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) approached the Academy to find a partnership opportunity to provide more STEM education in the OST and Beacon Programs.

Launched in Fall 2010, the Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program was designed to satisfy both requests by recruiting graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from the Academy’s Science Alliance[i] program to volunteer to teach in DYCD funded afterschool programs.  When hired, I myself had a hard time understanding why a young scientist, mathematician, or engineer would take an afternoon a week to volunteer to teach 4^th through 8^th graders, but it becomes easier to understand when you learn that this generation of young people believe it is their obligation to serve as role models and mentors. They have grown up in a culture of service learning. They also face a tough job market where teaching, interpersonal, and mentoring skills are at a premium and can result in increased job opportunities.

Now, as we begin our 6^th semester of mentors, we’ve worked with nearly 400 young scientists, 7,000 children, and delivered more than 80,000 hours of instruction in all 5 boroughs (Exhibit 1). In Fall 2011, we expanded to Newark, NJ, and recently received a $2.95 million grant from the National Science Foundation to scale this program through the State University of New York system which will serve close to 200 young scientists and 3,000 children.

For the students in the programs, the benefits are obvious. As one of our mentors recently wrote, “Learning comes pretty easily when people enjoy what you’re asking them to learn!” Moreover, our mentors deliver high quality, inquiry-based math, science, and robotics courses while serving as role models and demonstrating to the students that scientists aren’t at all stereotypes.

For example, all of the mentors do the same activity on the first day:  they ask the students to “draw a scientist”[ii]. It’s a research protocol that allows the mentors to understand that most kids hold the same misconception of a scientist; invariably the students almost all draw an older white man with crazy hair, a bowtie, and often an evil glint in his eye. It doesn’t take long after the students meet their mentors to understand that today’s scientists used to look just like them. This realization is the beginning of the development of a scientific identity. When students are again asked to draw a scientist on the last day of class, they often draw their mentors or themselves in a lab coat.

In addition to attitudinal changes, children in our program receive at least 12-15 hours of enrichment programming over the course of a semester. While this may not sound like a lot of time, consider that the average student receives 2.3 hours of science instruction a week[iii] and that many of our mentors report that they are the sole source of science in a child’s day.

We are often asked why we don’t work directly with schools and the answer is that we do – we have nearly 1,400 public school teachers engaged in programming designed for them.  However, through the STEM Mentoring Program we realized that we had a great opportunity to serve the need of our young scientists to learn in an environment where the children’s social, emotional, and educational well being were top priority while hewing to the hands-on, activity learning spirit of afterschool programs.

Afterschool programs typically offer smaller class sizes, freedom from state and local academic standards, reduced anxiety over tests and performance indicators, and more fluid uses of time free from the traditional school day structure. The Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program takes advantage of the existing infrastructure of OST programs, which include hundreds of community-based organizations charged with the safekeeping and, increasingly, the academic enrichment of the children in their care.

As science continues to be marginalized in formal classrooms, the role of afterschool programs is increasingly viewed as an important arena for academic enrichment[iv]. Expanding the school day through afterschool programs offers the opportunity to increase a student’s exposure to high-quality STEM education by providing three elements that lead to an individual’s persistence into a STEM career: engagement, continuity, and capacity[v]. While continuity and capacity are important factors, there is evidence that engagement is potentially more important than achievement or course enrollment[vi]. By infusing STEM into existing community-based afterschool programs with strong curriculum partners, the proposed program can bypass the constraints of the formal classroom structure by providing relevant, hands-on curriculum; opportunities to interact with young, diverse scientific role models; and additional content knowledge and resources[vii]. Afterschool programs reach large swaths of urban students and provide safe and structured informal learning environments that allow for creative and enriching STEM programming[viii].

As a result of the success we’ve had with the current Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program, the Academy will pilot this program with the State University of New York (SUNY) in six communities, including an expanded partnership with SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn. Additionally, we have a partnership with the Girl Scouts of the USA to scale this program through their council system. With the generous and sustained support of our funders and the Department of Youth and Community Development, we aim to deepen our commitment to the students of New York and create a model by which any region with an abundance of scientists and students with an enthusiasm for STEM can adopt this new model for delivering high quality STEM education via afterschool programs.

[i] www.nyas.org/sciencealliance

[ii] http://www.ecu.edu/ncspacegrant/docs/RESTEPdocs/DASTRatingRubric.pdf

[iii] http://www.csss-science.org/downloads/NAEPElemScienceData.pdf

[iv] http://afterschoolscience.org/pdf/coalition_publications/afterschool%20advantage.pdf

[v] http://www.smm.org/static/about/ecc_paper.pdf

[vi] Maltese, A. V. and Tai, R. H. (2011), Pipeline persistence: Examining the association of educational experiences with earned degrees in STEM among U.S. students. Science Education, 95: 877-907. doi: 10.1002/sce.20441

[vii] Coalition for Science After School. (2007). Science in after-school: A blueprint for Action. Retrieved from http://www.greatscienceforgirls.org/files/Science-in-Afterschool.pdf

[viii] Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education. (2010). Out of school time STEM: Building experiences, building bridges. B. Bevan, V. Michalchik, R. Bhanot, N. Rauch, J. Remold, R. Semper, & P. Shields (Eds.). San Francisco, CA: Exploratorium.