The Tulsa Public Schools will expand a successful pilot program to bring hands-on science experiments into elementary and middle school classrooms. The objective is to expand interest in and appreciation for science by all students, thereby contributing broadly to the enhancement of science literacy. Scientists (one a former college chemistry professor) with Amoco Production Company's Tulsa Technical Center developed appropriate physical and biological science experiments and prepared kits of the necessary materials for them. Volunteers from the Junior League, the American Chemical Society, Amoco, Cities Service Co., and parent groups were trained, jointly with teachers, in the use of these kits and then each went biweekly into the classrooms to support students working in 2-4 student groups in carrying out the experiments. The program was tested first in fourth and fifth grade classes, expanded to middle school, and will now be applied more broadly throughout the system in those grades. Cost sharing by the partners will total more than 200% of the NSF funding.
