SSC-9450438 Cal State U Sacramento Sacramento, CA Harold, James "MESA/Summer Science Camp" The California State University-Sacramento MESA program proposes to conduct a 6-week commuter Summer Science Camp enrichment program (MESA/Summer Science Camp) for sixty students each year in the summers of 1994-96. In addition to enrollment in core academic enrichment courses (math, science, and language arts), the students will become familiar with laboratory facilities, learn research methodology, participate in laboratory projects, and interact with computer hardware on a variety of software such as CADCAM, Word Perfect, and the NASA Supercomputing Network located at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. Abstract reasoning and problen- solving skills will be emphasized. The students will also have a wide variety of real work exposure through job showing, site visits, and industry sponsorship of meaninful hands-on research projects. During the school year there will be a number of follow- up activities, such as Saturday Science Academy and Mathematics/ Science Fairs, to ensure that the Summer Science Camp participants continue to develop an interest in mathematics and science thereby making progress toward a scientific major option. In addition to the academic core/research methodology phase of the project, the 6-week 1994 summer session will provide the participants with training in scientific inquiry methods, PSAT test preparation, introduction to scientific careers, and leadership/public speaking training. Participating students will be selected from feeder junior high/middle schools in the nine school districts comprising the Capitol Center MESA network. Qualified/qualifiable students will be selected by the MESA Summer Science Camp staff and MESA school-site advisors. The pool of applicants will be enrolled in courses leading to college preparatory mathematics and science courses and/or have potential as shown by science/math teachers recommendations; hav e an interest in exploring science careers; and are eager to participate in exciting hands-on science, math, and research projects. The sixty students will be grouped into two sections by grade level to facilitate instruction and use of small group instruction made possible by coordination with a MESA Math/Science Teacher Institute with the same calendar dates as the MESA/Summer Science Camp. In addition to the NSF funding, extensive resources have been committed by industry, school districts, and the Capitol Center MESA university sponsors, the University of California, Davis, College of Engineering and the CSU-Sacramento School of Engineering & Computer Science. The small core-groups of student participants will be made possible by the use of the teacher participants in a Dwight D. Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Teacher Training Grant.
