This approximately two-year project targets primarily teachers of elementary schools in Texas, and would involve teachers of grades 4-6 during the first year and teachers of grades K-3 during the 2nd year. During each yearly cycle, 24 participants from across the state of Texas will come to Concordia Lutheran College, Austin, Texas, for a 4-week summer workshop involving classroom, laboratory, and field experiences. During the following school year, the Project Director and Senior Associate will conduct four Saturday workshops in each of four regions of the state to address the expressed needs and concerns of teachers in that region. They will also visit each participant's school and assist in the implementation of science concepts and methods learned during the summer. Teachers who have completed one year in the program will return the for several days during the following summer workshop to share their experiences with the new group of teachers, and to design school-specific plans to radically improve science education in their schools. On one of the workshop days, principals will join the teachers to collaborate with and support them in developing the plan for their schools. This project is appropriate for the Teacher Enhancement Program because it (1) is designed to enhance the science knowledge and teaching of teachers by utilizing the local environment and focusing on phenomena appropriate for elementary school science; (2) contains an amplification plan which will accommodate the limitations and idiosyncracies of individual schools while enhancing the teaching of science in all of the grades in each school; and (3) targets an under-represented (rural) group; Non-NSF cost sharing is approximately 8.5% of the amount requested from NSF.
