The Program
The Program provides K-8 Science Teachers with equipment and Virginia SOL-based content and activities — free of charge. It also aims to provide a vertical-support network between Elementary, Middle, and Secondary Science teachers.
The workshops
A typical workshop includes hands-on involvement from participants and presenters. Constructivist activities are used to present content as well as model lessons for K-8 teachers. All materials used in the workshops are given to the K-8 teachers in classroom sets when appropriate and possible. They include such equipment as sets of lenses, calipers, stopwatches, magnets and pen lasers. Creative uses for rubber bands, tinfoil, pvc pipe, paperclips, foam balls, and other affordable 'household' materials are commonly presented. Concepts are enriched through videos, powerpoints, and worksheets, also provided to all participants.
Sample workshop series
| Grade 5 | Session Topic | Materials & Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | The Atom | PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Session 2 | Waves | Slinkys, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Session 3 | Sound | Palm pipes, Pipe cutter, Doppler Balls, Resonance Boxes, Rubber Band Guitars, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Session 4 | Light: Reflection | Mirrors, Laser Pointers, Curved Mirrors, Light Boxes, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Session 5 | Light: Refraction | Lenses, Stands, Bulbs, Meter Sticks, Prisms, Flashlight, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Grade 4 | Session Topic | Materials & Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | Forces | Motion carts & tracks, mass sets, timers, meter sticks, wooden blocks, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Session 2 | Energy | Springs, Bouncy Balls, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Session 3 | Static Electricity | Tape, Balloons, Plastic & Glass Rods, Silk & Wool, Pivot Stands, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Session 4 | Current Electricity | Stringed Light Segments, Hand Crank Generators, Wire, Alligator Clips, Multimeters, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
| Session 5 | Magnetism | Permanent Magnets, Compasses, Batteries, Wire, PowerPoints, Worksheets |
Benefit to K-8 teachers
- New ideas to implement in the classroom
- A greater confidence that comes with broader and deeper content knowledge
- A forum to share your teaching strategy expertise
- Free materials to use in classroom experiments
- A small stipend
- Recertification points possible
- A horizontal and vertical network of science teachers
- Smarter, happier, more engaged students
Benefit to high school teachers
- An opportunity to 'shape your future' in terms of K-8 teachers' effect on science skills and attitudes of future students
- A forum to share your teacher strategy expertise
- A horizontal and vertical network of science teachers
- A small stipend
- Recertification points possible