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Examples of Recent Workshops
We conducted a two-day workshop for industrial, academic, and government scientists as well as elementary teachers, science coordinators, home educators, and museum and library program coordinators at The Hawthorn Suites in Wadsworth, IL north of Chicago on June 13 and 14. The workshop was sponsored in part by BASF Corporation in Gurnee, IL. Jim Shaw, BASF Corp, 3938 Porett Dr, Gurnee, IL 60031, 847-244-3410, email: shawjm@basf-corp.com, deserves a great deal of thanks for organizing and coordinating that workshop. This workshop covered topics such as how to use various hands-on science activities to spark interest, generate excitement, and stimulate further discussion of science; how to develop a network of initial school contacts through friends, relatives, teachers, and others; how to plan with school coordinators for the most efficient use of time in schools; how to make successful classroom presentations of hands-on science activities; how to create a good rapport with elementary school children, teachers, and parents; how to buy supplies cost effectively; how to conduct a Family Science Night in which children and parents can work together on hands-on science activities; and how to locate the best book sources of hands-on science activities. Each participant performed some of the activities and received a handbook of hands-on activities and how to conduct a Family Science Night, a packet of special supplies, and a very extensive book of additional hands-on activities. We conducted a Family Science Night for children of workshop participants and others on Friday evening. This workshop was funded primarily by a grant to Union College from the National Science Foundation as an Award for Integration of Research and Education (AIRE) that has a component for outreach and was used for previous workshops. Once again, the most exciting thing about this workshop was having participants with a great variety of backgrounds so that they could share their very different experiences with each other. A second reason for excitement is that there are now people in the area north of Chicago and also in south central Michigan who are ready and willing to teach hands-on science activities in elementary schools and other places. If you are interested in having one or more of the following participants come to your school, please contact the appropriate person directly from the list of Other Trained Presenters. Several past participants illustrate the value of these workshops with their comments. Jerry Lanese writes from Kansas City, KS, "One of the schools that I have made presentations in has just been presented an award in the Kansas Award for Excellence program. I also happen to be a judge in that program. These two facts are coincidental. I had nothing to do with the preparation or review of their application. Although the award is based on implementation of quality systems, not quality of education, I believe that there is a correlation between these, as well as a willingness to avoid the NIH syndrome and use outside resources." JerryÌs staying power is fantastic; he was one of our first workshop participants about five years ago! Sue Rokos, Assistant Director
and Youth Service Library Consultant for the Mohawk Valley Library Association,
based at 858 Duanesburg Road, Schenectady, NY 12306-1095, was a workshop
participant several years ago and had the opportunity for considerable
networking at that workshop. She recently wrote in a note of thanks
to Jim Norton, a retired General Electric physicist, a member of the ELFUN
Society, and also a workshop participant, regarding the Science in the
Summer program. "I am amazed and pleased with the passion of all
the senior ELFUNS who teach our programs. . . We had 150 children in grades
1 through 6 (70 girls and 80 boys) participate in the program. This
year's favorite experiment was the Cartesian Diver experiment, with the
electricity board a close second." In addition, she included several
parent comments. "I was glad that I, as a parent, was allowed to
stay too." "Thanks for introducing my child to the mysterious world
of science. She had lots of fun learning concepts behind the experiments."
"I think the program was great! I wish they could accommodate more
kids so everyone who wanted to be in the class could." "Please keep
the great programs running." This shows what a good team can accomplish,
even in the summer when kids are "on vacation."
QUEENS BOROUGH CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS On April 17, 2001, Priscilla and I conducted
a hands-on science workshop for 70-75 children's librarians and library
program coordinators in the Queens Borough Public Library System.
It was held at the Queens Borough Public Library at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard,
Jamaica, NY 11432. This was a mini-version of our two-day workshops
as described above. The participants had an opportunity to try many
of the activities and also received a copy of The Best of WonderScience,
volume 2, reviewed under Book
Reviews. Many of the participants will especially have activities
that they can use directly this summer. Kathy Degyanski, who participated
in a two-day workshop at Union College in March, 1999, coordinated the
workshop. Kathy can be reached at kdegyansky@queenslibrary.org
or at 718-990-0887.
ACSI; SYRACUSE, NY; NUTLEY, NJ; STURBRIDGE, MA; DAYTON, OH; AND ARLINGTON, VA One or two three- or four-hour workshops on teaching hands-on science activities and/or one two- or four-hour workshop on conducting a Family Science Night were presented at the 2002 Syracuse, NY; Nutley, NJ; Sturbridge, MA; Dayton, OH; and Arlington, VA Conventions of the Association of Christian Schools International. Contact persons are Alan Graustein, alan_graustein@acsi.org, or Joan Graustein, Convention Secretary, ACSI, Northeast Region, Village West, 25 Country Club Road, #203, Gilford, NH 03249-6972; 603-524-5227; acsine@acsi.org. In both workshops a number of age-appropriate
hands-on science activities that use simple materials, mainly from the
grocery store, were presented. The second workshop also provided
much "How To" on conducting a Family Science Night. Participants
engaged in most of the activities so that they became comfortable with
this mode of teaching. Sample supplies and a book of more than 200
activities (The Best of WonderScience, volume 1 or 2, reviewed under Book
Reviews) were provided to all participants.
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