GK12 at New Mexico State University

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Summary

The NMSU GK12 program integrates middle school science teachers and students in southern New Mexico with NMSU science graduate fellows and faculty to create an environment of inquiry-based learning in the public schools.  With the guidance of the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park (CDNP), fellows will work with teachers to design and teach hands-on experiments that weave the disciplines of geology, biology, chemistry, and physics through the theme of environmental science. 

NMSU's GK12 program has seven goals:

1) Create an inquiry-based learning environment in each of the eleven middle schools of south-central New Mexico by forging partnerships between middle school teachers and NMSU graduate students in the departments of biology, chemistry and biochemistry, and geological sciences.

2) Create successful mentoring relationships between science graduate students and middle school students, thereby enhancing students' interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

3) Enhance the content knowledge and experience in inquiry-based learning of middle school teachers through partnerships with NMSU graduate students.

4) Enhance teaching skills, communication skills, understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of scientific processes, and knowledge of teaching and learning methods of NMSU graduate students, and build a life-long commitment to serve as a resource in the schools.

5) Increase the interaction between NMSU science graduate students and faculty with the public school systems in south-central New Mexico.

6) Install weather station software in each middle school and CDNP as a permanent tool for interaction.

7) Implement inquiry-based learning modules developed by the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park that explore local environmental issues that are built from low-cost available supplies and develop additional modules that integrate geology, biology, chemistry, and weather data.  The modules will adhere to NM and national science education standards.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DGE-0231857.

LINK to MAT Science Web Page

PEOPLE SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS PHOTOS  LESSONS
CHIHUAHUAN DESERT NATURE PARK  TOSHIBA AMERICA FOUNDATION
GK12 IN THE NEWS RELATED PROGRAMS HOME