SSC-9450302 Newburgh Enlarged City School Dist. Newburgh, NY Saturnelli, Annette "Summer Microscopy Institute For Middle School Students" This program is designed to provide 50 minority 7th grade students with the goal orientation needed for success. As individual aspires to reach a goal, only if he/she believes it can happen. The goal creates the appetite for learning. An environment (a uniquely designed high-technology, simulated research and development facility) has been created where students will engaged in problem-solving projects and provided with opportunities for sustained interaction with minority role models so that they may begin to imagine themselves in these roles, project themselves into the future, and visualize themselves as scientists, engineers, and science teachers. In addition, as science teaching/mentoring experience will be provided for 8 minority high school students, members of the New York State Science Honor Society and currently enrolled in higher level science courses. An inservice course will be conducted that will enable teachers to acquire appropriate strategies for teaching science in a multi-cultural setting to minority students and to develop and implement intervention strategies for a awakening interest in and increasing participation of minority students in science. The program also includes activities for the parents of the students. The proposal focuses on teams of students, equipped with advanced technology, who are engaged in integrated science and math problem-solving research appropriate for students entering the 7th grade. The approach takes advantage of and encourages the students' imagination and natural curiosity with the world. At the core of this learning environment are two scanning electron microscopes, a scanning tunneling microscope, and a transmission electron microscope (already donated by, or on loan from, our industry/higher education partners). The interactiveness of the microscopes emphasiz es visual and kinesthetic learning and addresses the need for a mode of learning congruent with the student's perception of what science education should be like today.
