2008 Grant Proposal Details

More Science Kits   District 4J

Total: $5832

Description:  The kits were created by 4J teachers twelve years ago, thanks to a National Science Foundation grant. The project continues to be a partnership between elementary schools, district services, and the Eugene Water and Electric Board. Most teachers use three kits during the school year: one each of physical, earth and life science. A teacher uses a kit for one term, then sends it back it back to the restocking center. Live materials needed for several of the life science kits, including guppies, moss and pill bugs, are cultured at a central location and delivered to teachers as needed. Grant support keeps this program going, and it speeds our efforts to design new kits. For example, we seek new ways to help students investigate the nature of waves, light, power and heat – and their global implications.

Why is this important?  As schools work toward meeting the needs of all students maintaining the consortium assumes even greater importance. Research conducted over the last 25 years indicate that students who participated in hands-on science showed greater science achievement gains than those using traditional textbooks. Two recent studies in Michigan and rural southern California focused on students traditionally underrepresented in science and math: ethnic minorities, students from low socioeconomic households, and English Language Learners. These studies provide evidence that hands-on science is an effective approach in meeting the needs of Eugene’s increasingly diverse student population.

Who will be served?  The kits are used by 6,725 students (and 250 teachers!) in 4J’s 28 elementary schools.

How will this be evaluated?  The project coordinator uses a variety of data sources: Feedback from teachers via e-mail and ‘Comment Sheet’ with every kit Feedback forms from kit in-service workshops Feedback from principals Student scores on Oregon’s 5th grade multiple choice science test Student ‘Inquiry’ work samples

Does this build on existing programs?  All of the elementary schools involved in the Science Consortium are implementing a comprehensive hands-on science program. In addition, the science kits fill the need that elementary schools have for providing students with learning opportunities for the 3rd and 5th grade science benchmarks and 4th and 5th grade inquiry work samples.

Budget:  EEF’s portion is used as follows: $5,832 for salary/benefits of kit restockers, $3,000 for maintaining organisms and restocking kits, $302 to deliver live materials to schools. If extra funds are received, it will speed up development of experiments and the training of teachers in use of all kits. The total budget for currently existing kits is $37,000 per year. Last year’s EEF support of $9,135 amounted to 25% of the total, with the remainder supplied by EWEB and per-kit fees paid by schools ($20 per kit per classroom).

Proposal #:  122