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Family Science Nights Benefit Everyone!

Family Science Nights Benefit Everyone!. Joan Chadde Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics & Environmental Education Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI 49931 Email: jchadde@mtu.edu Website: http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/

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Family Science Nights Benefit Everyone!

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  1. Family Science Nights Benefit Everyone! Joan Chadde Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics & Environmental Education Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI 49931 Email: jchadde@mtu.edu Website: http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Financial support for this work was provided by the Wege Foundation and the Michigan Department of Education

  2. Geographic Area Served by the Programs of the Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education

  3. Why Family Science Nights? Value to Children: • Have “fun” doing science. • Bring scientific learning to family unit. • Encourage doing science at home with everyday materials. • Spark children’s scientific interest by allowing them to manipulate objects and participate actively.

  4. Value to Children: • Allows interaction with “practicing scientists.” • Provides forum for presenters to share information about careers in science. • Stimulates parents’ interest in science and their children’s science education. • Research shows direct link between parental attitudes and student achievement.

  5. Value to Children: • Builds connections between classroom science and the real world. • Demonstrates life-long learning amongst parents.

  6. Why Family Science Nights? Value to Parents: Provides an excellent opportunity for intellectual interaction with their children. Increases parents’ scientific interest and knowledge.

  7. Top 10 Reasons Why Parents Come to Family Nights !! 1. It helps the children learn! 2. The kids really enjoy it! 3. To do something together! 4. It’s interesting, educational, and fun! 5. Good interaction with my kids!

  8. Top 10 Reasons Why Parents Come to Family Nights !! 6. Gets us away from the TV and spending time as a family. 7. To have an opportunity to learn new things and spend time with my children! 8. The children enjoy showing what they can do! 9. I learn a lot and meet other parents! 10. It’s a fun, sharing, educational time for my child and me—and its free!

  9. Why Family Science Nights? Value to Math & Science Center • Enhances the scientific education of students that participate. • Provides role models in science and mathematics-related careers for children. • Highly visible program in community. • Creates community advocates for improved science education.

  10. Supports NSTA Position Statement on: Informal Science Education • Complements, supplements, deepens, and enhances classroom science studies. • Presents opportunity for mentors, professionals, and citizens to share time, effort, creativity and expertise with youngsters and adult learners. • Provides an effective means for parents to share intellectual curiosity with their children.

  11. Supports NSTA Position Statement on: Parent Involvement in Science Education • Parents play essential role in the success of students in schools. • By doing science together, parents demonstrate importance and enjoyment of learning science. • Parents can reinforce learning at home, and encourage students to see science everywhere.

  12. Ways to Deliver Family Science Nights 1) School Science Coordinator sets up “activity stations” for K-6 parents & students to rotate through. Contact: Okemos Schools (Michigan) Cost: $2.00/family

  13. Ways to Deliver Family Science Nights 2) Teachers set-up a self-explanatory hands-on activity for their grade level, in their classroom. Families visit class-rooms and do activities. Teachers available for questions. Contact: Beal City Elementary (MI) Dexter Middle School (MI)

  14. TELL = Teacher Education Through Leadership & Literacy 2) Provide training and packaged activities for Title I teachers in each school district to conduct family math, science, and technology programs. Provide with new activities each year. Contact:Tom Abramson (tabramson@dsisd.k12.mi.us) Northwoods Math & Science Center Delta Schoolcraft ISD 1-906-786-9300

  15. Ways to Deliver Family Science Nights 3)Contract with private company, nature center, or other organization to design “packaged stations.” School must provide 18+ volunteers to staff stations. Contact:Wonderama P.O. Box 132, E. Lansing (517) 371-5070 Cost: $600+ per night

  16. Ways to Deliver Family Science Nights 4)Send an administrator, teacher and parent to attend a Family Math & Science Leadership Workshop. Contact:Family Science Leadership Workshops Programs for Educational Opportunity University of Michigan - Ann Arbor TEL: (734) 763-9910 EMAIL: elinn@umich.edu

  17. Contact:Family Math Book (1986) Lawrence Hall of Science #5200 University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-5200 (510) 642-1823 (program) 800-897-5036 (books) Website:www.lhs.berkeley.edu/equals Email: eqs_pubs@uclink4.berkeley.edu

  18. Ways to Deliver Family Science Nights 5) A trained Family Science facilitator offers family science sessions as a “class” that parents & students attend weekly for 3-6 weeks.

  19. Ways to Deliver Family Science Nights 6)For more family program ideas - see October 1996 issue of NSTA’s Science & Children that’s devoted to ‘family science’ and describes a wide variety of possible programs: ~ Saturday Science ~ Super Science Sleep-Over ~ Family Nature Walks

  20. Ways to Deliver Family Science Nights 7)Family Scienceby David Heil Tel: 503-245-2102 Email:dheil@teleport.com Website:familyscience.org

  21. Ways to Deliver Family Science Nights 8)Collaborate with a university Education Dept. to have students deliver family science programs. ~ Recruit a student organization to conduct science nights. ~ Establish a special course to train students to be presenters.

  22. Communicating Science Course Course Credit 2 semester credits Course Schedule Meets 7:00-9:00 p.m., one night each week. (On family science nights, students are off-campus from 5:00-9:00 p.m.)

  23. Communicating Science Course Objectives • Prepare students for making classroom and community presentations. • Train students in presentation skills, effective teaching techniques, classroom management, and hands-on learning. • Introduce students to available educational resources: websites, curriculum/activity guides, university faculty, journals, area teachers.

  24. Communicating Science Course Course Requirements • Write a paper reflecting on their elementary science education. 2. Prepare lesson plans for two different 40-minute hands-on presentations. 3. Present at six Family Science Nights.

  25. Communicating Science Course Course Requirements 5. Instructors evaluate each presentation. 6. Write one-page self-critique of their presentation after each Science Night. 7. Prepare one-page summary reflecting on:"how this experience will benefit me academically and professionally."

  26. Lesson Plan • Introduction - self/major/future career • Attention-getter • Clear, measurable objectives • 25-30 minutes of activity • Summary • Take-home activities

  27. Why Family Science Nights? Value to the University • Benefits University students. • Brings University presence into local schools—promotes goodwill in local communities. • Will increase future enrollment?!?

  28. Why Family Science Nights? Value to University Students: • Rewarding experience • Enhanced employability • Encourages professional responsibility to help create scientifically-informed citizenry.

  29. Value to University Students: • Provides opportunity to enhance communication skills—essential for successful careers in science and engineering. • Provides opportunity for science, math, engineering & technology majors to discover pleasure of teaching K-12 students. • Provides real-world "service learning" experience that demonstrates rewards of community involvement.

  30. Wall Street JournalDecember 29, 1998 Ranked personal qualities of college graduates sought by employers (in a survey of 480 companies and public organizations). 1st - Ability to communicate 2nd - Work experience 3rd - Motivation 6th - Academic credentials

  31. Sample Comments from University Students in Course • I learned about the importance of flexibility and how adapting to your audience is imperative to effective communication. • This course taught me how to convey complicated ideas in a common, understandable way. • This course provided the opportunity to develop the communication skills essential to becoming successful in the workplace.

  32. Sample Comments from University Students in Course • This course sets us apart from our peers and instills in us a sense of community involvement and accomplishment. • I am now sure that I will someday have to find a way to incorporate students into my profession. • Working with multiple-age groups and varying populations helped me to improve my people skills and become perceptive to a wide range of interest levels.

  33. Family Science Night Logistics Center provides to Schools: • Family Science Night flyer. • Presenters to conduct activities. • All activity supplies • Nametags, sign-in forms, science night program, and parent evaluation form.

  34. Host School Provides: • Registration tally. • Sign-in table & greeters at door. • Refreshments and childcare (optional).

  35. Program Funding • Western Upper Peninsula Center (via MDE) funds .25 person to train university student presenters and coordinate delivery of 20 family science and forest nights. • Past National Science Foundation grant funded coordinator to teach “Communicating Science” course at Michigan Technological University. • Wege Foundation of Grand Rapids, MI

  36. Michigan Technological University Students Participating in Family Science Night Programs ~ Winter ’98 to Fall ’02 ~ Michigan Tech DepartmentNumber of Students Applied Math 10 Biomedical Engineering 8 Biological Sciences 35 Business Administration 7 Chemical Sciences & Chemical Engineering 23 Civil & Environmental Engineering 65 Computer Sciences 11 Education 2 Electrical Engineering 18 Forestry/Applied Ecology 43 Geological Sciences & Engineering 22 Mechanical Engineering 22 Other: 54 _ TOTAL 320

  37. Family Science Night Attendance 2001-02 School Year % Student Total School _____# Students Body_____Attendance 1. Baraga Elementary 35 40 % 65 2. Chassell Elementary 103 63 % 203 3. Dollar Bay Elementary 31 20 % 86 4. E.B. Holman School 56 40 % 90 5. Hancock Elementary 130 30 % 231 6. Houghton Elementary 82 17 % 192 7. Lake Linden Elementary 53 18 % 131 8. Sleight Elementary 86 41 % 164 9. Wakefield Elementary 59 49 % 109 10. Washington Elem (Bessemer) 83 36 % 151 TOTAL ATTENDING 1,286* 2,507* (All Schools)

  38. <Picture> Engineering Olympics

  39. Sean Sands(CEE) directs students in a demonstration of compression and tension forces.

  40. Amazing Water---helps K-2 students learn about surface runoff and water pollution.

  41. Surfin’ Surface Tension – physical properties of water

  42. Dirty Water Underground?

  43. Sinkers & Floaters

  44. Bird Adaptations

  45. What Do Owls Eat?

  46. Family Forest Nights Gall Hunt: Small Homes for Tiny Creatures

  47. Family Forest Nights Thicket Game

  48. Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education WEBSITEwupcenter.mtu.edu

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