This two-year summer program, sponsored by the University of Northern Colorado, meets five weeks each summer to teach 40 pre-high school teachers (grades 6-8) chemistry fundamentals. The teachers are selected from a national pool of applicants. The program features: (1) chemistry content presentations and discussions, (2) laboratory activities, (3) laboratory safety sessions, (4) teaching sessions and (5) planning sessions on outreach activities. The content of the program will emphasize the core topics common to most middle school curricula, development of pedagogical techniques and the treatment of misconceptions. Emphasis will also be placed on learning about the relationship of chemistry to technology and the other sciences. Participants will also be able to work with middle school children enrolled in the summer Chemistry camp held at the University of Northern Colorado at the same time as the project. At the end of the program a collection of exemplary workshop teaching materials for pre-high school teachers will be prepared and disseminated. The ICE national center will support the project through publicity, evaluation of the program and preparation of the teaching materials. The NSF grant is being matched by institutional funds and ICE funds in the amount of more than 13%.
