HR: 0800h
AN: ED21A-0056    [Abstracts]
TI: Educating About Global Climate Change With A Cultural Perspective
AU: * Valdez, C
EM: cev@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, EES-6, D462, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AU: Fessenden, J
EM: julianna@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, EES-6, D462, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AU: Kanjorski, N
EM: nkanjors@scieds.com
AF: Science Education Solutions, 4200 West Jemez Rd., Suite 301, Los Alamos, NM 87544 United States
AU: Hall, M K
EM: hall@scieds.com
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, EES-6, D462, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AB: Predominantly minority populated schools in Northern New Mexico are plagued by low standardized test scores and high drop-out rates. The school system is currently failing students, and success in science is reliant on self-motivation among students. In order for students to gain momentum in a system where exposure to science is not prevalent, it is important for them to get outside support that catalyzes their interest. Collaboration between Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Science Education Solutions (SES), and local schools has been established to identify student needs and provide them with the opportunity to engage in science through hands-on experience with world-class scientists. Students are being introduced to the prospects of a scientific career while getting the unique chance to explore different aspects of several LANL scientists' research. This initiative also incorporates cultural awareness efforts to promote parent and community involvement. In the past year, two pilot projects were carried out to test the concepts, goals, and methods of the collaboration. One pilot project used plant growth studies in predominantly Hispanic fifth-grade classrooms to stimulate student interest. Students explored tree ring cores and tested water-use efficiency with sponges. The other pilot project included a two-day workshop for Native American students from Jemez Pueblo focusing on global climate change. This project combined a class component and hands-on field research. Samples were taken from LANL research sites with in-field lessons from scientists who monitor the sites. In addition, Jemez Pueblo officials were able to tie the sites to the student's lives with a historical and cultural overview. The most successful elements from these pilot projects are being used to develop a long-term project that will pique student interest in the science disciplines. Field activities garnered the most enthusiastic response from students, while in-class lessons were less well received. To address this we are integrating long-term global climate change experiments in the middle school curriculum at local schools. This will prepare students to do age appropriate research in the summer field experience. Plans for a long-term project include an intensive summer field experience in the Valles Caldera. Planning has already begun on a program for the 2004-2006 school year with the Riverside Charter School in Jemez Pueblo. In this presentation, we will discuss our activities and lessons learned in this collaboration.
DE: 6600 PUBLIC ISSUES
DE: 6605 Education
DE: 6630 Workforce
DE: 1600 GLOBAL CHANGE (New category)
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting