The specific aims of The Cabeza de Vaca Project are to augment geoscience education among students from economically challenged public middle schools, provide geoscience training to public middle school science teachers, and increase community awareness of geoscience issues through public organizations and events. This program uses a state-of-the-art geoscience mobile laboratory and trained faculty and students from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC). The Cabeza de Vaca Earthmobile Program is supported by various organizations including The Texas State Aquarium, The Corpus Christi Science and History Museum as well as the Colleges of Education and Science and Technology at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Due to newly state-mandated science exams to be administered at the end of fifth grade, initial emphasis is placed on fifth and sixth grade students. The PIs collaborate with public school middle science teachers and other educators, to advance knowledge and understanding of physical science applications of geoscience by students. The PIs will develop appropriate GLOBE-based laboratory exercises for middle school students, and run workshops to help teachers enhance geoscience applications in their science courses. This approach advances understanding in the geosciences while promoting teaching, training and learning. At the end of each school year, schools in the program will take part in a poster session to share their findings with the public. Outreach efforts will continue while school is not in session, especially during the summer months, at community and state fairs as well as at other public events where local environmental geoscience issues will be addressed.
