9355728 Spooner The Cambridge Public school system is establishing a comprehensive elementary/middle school science program, through the implementation of systemic, district-side science staff development over four years reaching a total of 293 teachers. The activities will prepare all of the elementary and middle school teachers to teach hands-on, inquiry-based, thematic science units keyed to the Cambridge Science Framework. All secondary school teachers of grades 7-9 will learn the content and instructional strategies of a thematic, interdisciplinary middle grade science program linking the middle and high school curricula. The methods to be employed to bring about such change include: training five Science Staff Developers; development of 28 Lead Classroom Teachers in 14 elementary/middle schools; establishment of school based Science Action Teams; collaboration with MIT; and science awareness seminars for administrators. Staff development and technical assistance for the training activities will be provided by Education Development Center (EDC); Technical Education Research Center (TERC); and a Core Scientists Group representing local universities. ***
