This is a phase 1 proposal to develop a three-part program in health sciences for upper-level elementary and middle-school children (4th-8th graders) and their teachers. The program will consist of (1) a developmentally aligned intellectually exciting hands-on curriculum in the human health sciences designed to apply state-of-the-art technology to link modern concepts of cell and molecular biology and physiology to disease prevention (Body-works), (2) an engaging age-appropriate child- centered program in epidemiology (Disease Detectives), and (3) recruitment and training of Health Science Guides (HSGs) to work with school personnel to help introduce health-science concepts, assist with in-school, after-school, and summer enrichment activities, provide support for teachers, and serve as change facilitators. HSGs will be recruited from among students and faculty of the Medical, Public Health, and Nursing Schools of Emory University, the Morehouse School of Medicine, and the Centers for Disease Control, as well as qualified professionals from local hospitals and health-related corporate entities. HSGs will commit a minimum of six hours per month of training and service in local elementary and middle schools, including an initial orientation in inquiry-science pedagogical approaches as applied to the health sciences, a monthly 90-minute evening seminar, and a final two- hour session for analysis and evaluation. HSGs will be assigned individually or in teams to a school in one of the three metro-Atlanta school systems: Atlanta, DeKalb County, or Decatur City, to help organize and lead a variety of health science programs, including afterschool health science clubs, Saturday academies, classroom visits, summer camps, and staff development workshops. HSGs will also provide training and mentoring in health science for the undergraduate science- partners of the Elementary Science Education Partners program.
