The Scripps Classroom Connection (SCC) aims to systemically and simultaneously improve communication skills of Earth Science (ES) graduate students and K-12 ES education at the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). These goals are relevant because earth science literacy (ESL) is fundamental to the success of our society, which must practice much more effective stewardship of our very fragile planet. Society needs to understand how planet Earth works as an integrated chemical, physical and biological system to develop appropriate strategies for sustainable use of earth resources, disposal of waste products, effective mitigation of the impact of climate change, and natural disasters. Yet ES is amongst the most neglected STEM education disciplines.
The SCC is based on a close collaboration between Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a world-class research institute in Earth and ocean science, and the SDUSD, the 8th largest urban school district in the US, with the guidance of professionals from the UCSD education science department. Key efforts and outcomes of our project will include: (1) Development of an enduring, pedagogically robust curriculum in ES at the SDUSD through a collaboration between scientists, teacher-educators, teachers and graduate students; (2) Training of a new breed of graduate students that is equally comfortable communicating their science to their specialist peers and to lay audiences, (3) Effectively raising ESL in SDUSD schools laying a foundation for a public that becomes an effective steward of Planet Earth.
