Harpole ESI 97-31286 This is a three year project to involve teams of middle school students and teachers in research focused on the Mississippi Delta Management Systems Evaluation Area I (MESA) project. Each year 10 teachers from the Mississippi Delta and 20 of their high potential students will participate. They will spend three weeks working with MESA scientists during the summer in field and laboratory settings and one week at Mississippi State University working in a research laboratory. Teams attend four follow-up session during the academic year and use the Internet for ongoing communications. The academic year follow-up includes acquisition of new data as they update themselves on their research project. The remaining time is devoted to transfer of the research experience into the classroom and changed teaching practices. The project selects one teacher and two students from a school.
