The purpose of this project is to enhance science education within the schools of the Central Savannah River Area. Two workshops will be offered by the Science Education Center, a cooperative effort of the University of South Carolina at Aiken, E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Savannah River Laboratory and the Aiken County School District. The programs offered by the Center as its initial offering will focus on grades 5-8. Twenty participants will attend a four week Summer Science Institute. During this workshop the participants will prepare modules and teaching units to be used and tested during the fifth week of the summer. During this period ten selected teachers will implement the units during a Center sponsored Student Science Day Camp. An academic year Institute in the Life Sciences will be held on ten Saturdays during each of the Fall 1987 and Spring 1988 semesters. The original twenty teachers will continue as participants during the academic year program. One Saturday each semester will be devoted to physical science projects. Scientists from DuPont and other local industries supporting the Science Education Center will participate in the Institutes on a daily basis. These scientists will serve as resource persons and in addition will make presentations on current issues and on the practical applications of science in industry. The funding of this proposal is predicated on the success of the PI in fulfilling the following specific program requirements: The approach can be used by other communities; the project encourages joint activities between business/industry, school system, and an university; the partnership has analyzed the needs of the community, developed strategies to assist and have begun specific activities; the project bridges the gap between practicing scientists and educators; and the level of activity will be increased as a result of NSF funding.
