2008 Invitational Conference on
K-12 Outreach from University Science Departments

Abstracts of Posters and Presentations

Rural Schools Equipment Loan Program
Gina Barrier and Janet Bailey, The Science House, NCSU

Established in 1991, The Science House is an educational outreach program of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at NC State University with satellite offices across North Carolina. The poster focuses on the Rural Schools Equipment Loan Program of The Science House in which teachers in rural schools across NC are trained to use data-collection equipment that is then loaned to them throughout the school year.  The Science House’s programs, offered through the regional satellite offices, are described through a sustainable chemical reaction.

Professional   +      Students and        ->             Professional      +      Student
Development            Teachers                              Teachers            Development

This reaction involves developing quality professional development programs that meet the needs of hands-on inquiry-based learning techniques for teachers and students of science and mathematics. The reaction yields professionalism exhibited by teacher practice and shaped by educational research and the development of students' critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Kenan Fellows Program for Curriculum and Leadership Development
Valerie Brown-Schild and Susan Parry, the Kenan Fellows Program, NCSU

The Kenan Fellows Program for Curriculum and Leadership Development is a two year fellowship for public school teachers. The model is based on the premise that extended collaboration with researchers, coupled with highly focused professional development, intended to build curriculum design and organizational leadership skills, yields important results for schools challenged to meet the need for quality STEM education. Partnerships with scientists and engineers are structured to empower teachers and provide them with clearer perspective on their role in 21st Century student preparation, thus improving retention and engagement. Focus on the importance of leading in the design of quality lessons works to broadly energize instruction and build more positive student attitudes and performance in science, technology, engineering and math related fields.

Use of 3D Models to Show Structural Chemistry of DNA : For Sighted, Tactile, and Vib Learners
Susan Cady, North Carolina State University

Some students have difficulty visualizing flat text book figures in three dimensions. This is impossible for visually impaired and blind students. One solution is to provide an easy to construct three dimensional model. Several 3D models of symmetrical double helical DNA, made from beads and plastic canvas, are displayed at this poster. This model design shows many true chemical features of A-, B-, and Z-DNA, including left or right-handedness, number of base pairs per helix, and the direction of the anti-parallel strands using the gene sequence for the protein oxytocin. The features can be varied to adapt the level of chemical details to the appropriate grade level. These models are sturdy so blind and visually impaired students can feel the double helical shape, different beads representing nucleotides, and read the gene sequence on attached Braille letters. The teacher can display a DNA model in class while explaining the molecular features. Alternatively, students can make their own DNA model in several class periods or as an after school activity. "A 3D Model of Double Helical DNA Showing Variable Chemical Details", by Susan Cady in the Journal of Chemical Education, Vol. 82, January 2005, pp. 79-84.
 

Bringing Robotics into the Classroom
Jose D’Arruda, University of North Carolina Pembroke

As a teaching tool, robotics creates an environment that encourages students to: (1) Learn by inquiry and hands-on experimentation (2) Research and solve a real-world problem based on a Challenge (3) Learn how to write computer program which perform real-world tasks (4) Encouraging students to be designers and inventors (5) Build an autonomous robot using engineering concepts and (6) Present their research and solutions. We will discuss two programs which we are involved with using LEGO Mindstorm Robotic as a learning tool. One program involves over 300 middle school children who are actively learning science and the other involves a workshop for STEM teachers to be presented in June 2008. We believe that these activities could fundamentally change how students think about (and relate to) science, computers and computational ideas. Support for these programs comes from NSF and the North Carolina Space Grant Consortium.

Radio Astronomy at PARI: Real Science with Real Students
Elizabeth Snoke Harris, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI), a not-for-profit public foundation, was established in 1999 at the site of a former NASA facility southwest of Asheville, NC. PARI’s mission is to provide research and educational opportunities for a broad cross-section of users in radio and optical astronomy and STEM disciplines.

Through outreach programs such as the School of Galactic Radio Astronomy (SGRA), Robotics: Opportunities for Building Outstanding Talent in the Sciences (ROBOTS), Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP) Field Studies, Space Science Lab (SSL) and the StarLab portable planetarium, PARI has made radio astronomy accessible to middle and high school students and teachers across the country. Each of these programs introduces students to the basics of scientific inquiry while increasing their enthusiasm and motivation to pursue careers in STEM fields. www.pari.edu

The Imhotep Academy
Dr. Joyce Hilliard-Clark, The Science House, NC State University

Imhotep Academy, a pre-college program of The Science House, was started in the College of Physical and Mathematical Science at NC State University inOctober 1992.The mission of Imhotep Academy is to increase student awareness and enthusiasm for learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) using hands-on learning activities and educational technologies strategies. The program is designed to guide middle school students toward high school college preparatory courses in science and mathematics using the NC Standard Course of Study as a framework. The goals are to:

• Expose students to and promote enthusiasm for mathematics, science and technology
• Strengthen academic abilities and prepare students for matriculation in the university.
• Provide multicultural experiences and academic enrichment activities.
• Teach about contributions of scientists and inventors of under-represented groups.
• Build self-confidence and self-esteem.

Students participate in Chemistry, Computer Technology and Physics laboratories, Mathematics and Statistics Classes, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Communications, educational field trips, cultural awareness experiences, and Internet exploration in six-day sessions. Theme-based instruction focuses on careers in areas such as Engineering, Forensic Science, Flight, Aeronautics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Biotechnology, Energy, Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences.

The Algebra Program, started in June 2002, helps students and their parents recognize that mathematics is a powerful tool for making sense of the world by solving problems, modeling everyday numerical scenarios and to recognize that all students can learn Algebra. The program goals are to:

• Build skills and confidence in algebraic thinking and number reasoning.
• Discover the importance of mathematics and the connection to career choices.
• Solve algebra problems using games, math manipulative, computer technology and calculators.

Students develop a positive attitude for mathematics and sciences, improve their test scores, and learn real world applications from tours of various colleges on NC State's campus and local industries.

Students in grades 6-8 are enrolled in Imhotep Academy. The ethnic makeup of the students varies from session to session because students are registered on a first come first serve basis. There is an average of 64% African-American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Native American, 8% Asian/Pacific, 20% Caucasian, and 3% of the students describe themselves as 'other'. The students attending are generally 55% Female, and 45% Male, with the theme of each particular session impacting enrollment patterns.

Since 1998, we have enrolled nearly one thousand middle school students from across the state of North Carolina, with the majority of the student coming from Wake and the surrounding counties. Imhotep graduates are encouraged to participate in Photonics Xplorers, Photonics Leaders and other student programs offered at The Science House.

Photonics Leaders Program
Joyce Hilliard-Clark, Ph.D; David G. Haase, Ph.D; Pamela Gilchrist, M.Ed.
The Science House, North Carolina State University

Photonics Leaders is a year-round science and information technology program for tenth grade students from across North Carolina. The program goal is to guide and prepare minority students for success in STEM higher education programs and careers. Over three years, nearly 80 underrepresented students, including African-American, Hispanics and females, have participated in 300 hours of investigations and internships focused on electronics, optics, computer hardware and software at North Carolina State University and the Research Triangle Park. The program currently serves students from Durham, Guilford, Johnston, Harnett, Pitt, Robeson, and Wake County. The National Science Foundation funds the program.

(NSF Award # ESI-0523232 www.science-house.org/student/photonics/)

Photonics Xplorers
Joyce Hilliard-Clark, Ph.D, and Pamela Gilchrist, M.Ed.
The Science House, NC State University

Photonics Xplorers is a year-round science, mathematics and technology program for rising ninth grade students from 17 North Carolina counties. The program goals are to improve students’ competence and nurture their interest in science, research and related careers. In four years, 120 students underrepresented students, including African-American, Hispanic and females, have participated in 80 hours of hands-on learning focused on photonics (optics, electronics and laser technology), high school preparation, mathematics, scientific research, organizational, and presentational skills. The program is located at The Science House on Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University (NCSU) and is sponsored by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

Fun with Science
Dennis Johnson, Outreach Coordinator
The Science House, NC State University

The Fayetteville Satellite Office runs a K-12 math and science outreach program in Cumberland and the surrounding counties. The mission of the Fayetteville Satellite Office is to increase the use and effectiveness of hands-on learning strategies in math and science. With this mission in mind, the office provides support to elementary, middle, and high school’s technology, content, and pedagogical training. Through a generous donation from Dupont content and pedagogy training has been offered through hands-on workshops in Bladen and Cumberland Counties. The teachers who have attended these workshops have learned new chemistry and physics concepts and how to teach them in a hands-on Inquiry method. This poster session is designed to provide an overview of the two year program, its objectives, and accomplishments.

Bennett's Millpond Environmental Learning Project
Colleen Karl - The Science House - Northeast Satellite Office

The Northeast Regional Satellite Office of The Science House supports environmental education within the community to meet state curriculum goals. A Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant sponsors our work, which focuses on the development of teacher leadership, explores innovative educational technologies, and sustains student research projects. The Northeast coordinator conducts local and national workshops about community-based learning, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and inquiry teaching. Since 2002, we have developed and sustained The Bennett’s Millpond Project that brings together teams of local teachers and students to study the environment surrounding a historic millpond in Chowan County.

The Science House Jacksonville Office
Shawn Reintjes, The Science House, NCSU

The Jacksonville Outreach Office of The Science House at NC State University currently serves K-12 teachers and students in Onslow County and the surrounding counties of the southeastern region of North Carolina. The office provides professional development workshops for teachers in many areas including science laboratory safety, inquiry teaching and learning, and content specific workshops including meteorology, astronomy, and earth/environmental science. The office also offers workshop topics such as Infectious Diseases and Bioterrorism, Technological Design, Grant Writing and, Biology and the Internet. The Jacksonville office also participates in the Rural Schools Equipment Loan Program. The loan program provides laptop computers, graphing calculators, Vernier LabPro or Logger Lite software and various scientific probes for use in authentic data collection activities. This equipment is available for loan from the area outreach office to teachers within the service district at no cost to the participating schools. The Jacksonville office also works in partnership with area school districts on major grant projects. This satellite office of The Science House is currently partnering with Onslow County Schools and select NCSU faculty on a Math/Science Partnership Grant called E.N.V.I.S.I.O.N.S.

“What’s living in your world?” Teaching molecular biotechnology to high school students in a research context
John W. Stiller, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858

The science of biology often is viewed as a collection of important discoveries made by highly trained researchers, using nearly incomprehensible techniques. Recent and rapid advances in biotechnology only aggravate the problem by further distancing first-hand student experiences from the dominant methods employed by practicing researchers. Moreover, when molecular tools are introduced into basic biology classes, it tends to be in “canned” laboratories that do not provide a realistic understanding of the process of scientific inquiry. Given that many of the most common protocols in the modern molecular biologist’s toolkit are available in easy-to-use kits, which require minimal training, the problem now can be rectified. A model learning experience, entitled “What’s living in your world?”, was developed through collaboration between a university researcher and high school teacher. Students sampled and identified microbial diversity present in their immediate environment using the polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing, and bioinformatics database searches. In our second iteration of this exercise, bacterial identification also was incorporated into a pre-existing lab on soil diversity, further illustrating the potential to use molecular tools in a high school setting. Our experiences provide a model for introducing biotechnology to high school students within a research-based context, and bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and process in the learning environment.

Reality Math - A Case Study Approach
Dorothy Sulock, UNC Ashevillie

Reality Math is a way of teaching math using case-studies about relevant or interesting subjects and developing the math as needed within real contexts.  Reality Math is motivational, learner-driven, develops critical thinking, and  improves reading skills. Reality Math uses the Internet, includes questions of the authority of information, is timely, is socially responsible, is context-centered, is synthetic, and is practical.  Units range from Credit Cards, to March Madness, to Ecological Footprint, to Oil, to Nuclear Forces, and much more.

Optics Demonstrations for K-12 and Community Outreach
Kristin Walker and Choon How Gan
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Interdisciplinary applications in the optics field are continually being developed. Introduction of optics to the K-12 generation is necessary to sustain this growth. As student chapters of the OSA and SPIE professional optics organizations at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte we are in the process of developing optics demonstrations for K-12 and community outreach. Our focus is to educate the greater community about optics and to promote optics as a career choice for students of all ages. Our two outreach events thus far have been targeted at high school students and community members. At these events there were several table-top experiments demonstrating optical phenomena requiring roughly 5-10 minutes per experiment. We will present some simple and fairly inexpensive demonstrations covering reflection and refraction, polarization, and fiber optics that are appropriate for all ages and feasible for many types of outreach activities.

Students Making Another Science Success Story (SMASSS)
Sandra L. White, Director,
Center for Science, Math and Technology Education,
North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC

The Students Making Another Science Success Story (SMASSS) program, is a collaborative venture between Durham Public Schools and North Carolina Central University with a goal of increasing and sustaining the number of students who are interested and competitively prepared to pursue college studies in the STEM areas. To achieve this goal, we have developed a multifaceted program, with the uniqueness of focusing on the same cohort of students from eight through tenth grade. We aim to: 1) Stimulate a curiosity and bring focus to science while concurrently providing a foundation for understanding science and math in a select and diverse group of pre-8th grade students; and 2): Insure that these same cohort of students have the comprehension of content, analytical and critical thinking capabilities to succeed and excel in the upper level of high school, which will provide the skills for college success.SMASSS is a 3-year seamless program with an academic year component (Saturday Academy) and a summer camp component preceding 8th through 10th grade. The curriculum for each 3-week summer camp is inquiry-based, hands-on and emphasizes student learning by making connections between science and the daily lives of students. The first two summers students rotate through one week modules in life sciences, physical sciences and math/technology/computer science. The third year, a four week camp, allows the students to integrate the concepts they learn in biology, mathematics and chemistry by building an individual that can sustain itself in space. Curriculum materials integrate concepts across disciplines and conform to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. During the school year, weekly tutorials are provided in math, the ‘gatekeeper’ for the sciences. The Saturday Academies focus on field trips to varied science and research facilities as well as career awareness. Participants in the program represent more than twenty public and charter schools in the area, are equally divided between males and females and are approximately 92% African American, 4% Caucasian, 1.5 % Asian and 2.5% Other. Of significant note is that of the current 75 participants, 42% indicated at the beginning of the program, in a baseline survey, that they were moderately to very interested in science. After two years in the program that percentage is an amazing 92%. Seventy-five percent indicated that the program changed their feelings about learning science. Another objective parameter that is likely related to increased interest in science is the overall level of participation in science competitions. At the beginning of the program only 2.3% of the students had participated in a science competition other than a science fair and only 36% had participated in a science fair. The first year of the program we had 56% percent participate in the Eastern Region Science Decathlon (pilot events). As a result of this one exposure and five students placing in 1st , 2nd or 3rd place, the student’s interest level increased significantly and in 2008, SMASSS sent four teams (6 students/team) of students to the Eastern Region Science Decathlon Conference in Charleston, SC. This resulted in two teams placing in five events and qualifying to compete in the National Science Decathlon, which will be held in May. Parental involvement is an integral component of this program. SMASSS is funded by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund SSEP Program and The American Honda Foundation.

Including Diversity in the Math Modeling Experience at UC Davis
Dr. Sarah A. Williams
Carolina Center for Interdisciplinary Applied Mathematics
Department of Mathematics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Math Modeling Experience (MME) for undergraduates and high school students has operated for four years at the University of California, Davis. I launched the program as a graduate student in applied mathematics, and passed leadership of the program to other doctoral students when I graduated. The primary goal of the MME is to enrich students' interest in mathematics through challenging, hands-on problem-solving, culminating in the worldwide Mathematical Contest in Modeling.

Another goal of the MME is to host an inclusive mathematical community; in particular, we have encouraged participation of high school girls and students from under-served schools. By 2007, MME high school participants (35) were nearly 50% female and came from schools where free-or-reduced school lunch covers from 8% to 83% of the student body. This poster will give an overview of the MME, emphasizing successful strategies for recruiting and retaining girls and students from under-served high schools.