Project Science Literacy

The Midland Section has been involved in science education for many years, but by far the most wide-reaching, successful program has been Project Science Literacy. In 1995, the Midland Section was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Education Division of the ACS to develop "Science Demonstration Workshops for Elementary and Middle School Classrooms." Soon after, the Section received a grant from Dow Corning Corporation for $20,000. Five years and five Phoenix awards later, this teacher education program has reached over 1283 teachers in 42 counties in Michigan.

The objective of Project Science Literacy is to work with K-12 teachers and improve their comfort level and working knowledge of science through a hands-on approach. The entire program is based on the cooperative efforts of local industry, higher education institutions, local intermediate school districts, the American Chemical Society, and local science museums. In other words, everyone gets into the act and everyone benefits. Ultimately, though, it’s the students who benefit the most. If their teachers are exposed to the latest in basic science information and resources and are stimulated to bring the students exciting experiences in science, the students can’t help but respond. The result: more students interested in science and ultimately a better educated general public.

Project Science Literacy relies on three tools: a hands-on science workshop for classroom teachers, a kit of "chemical" supplies that are inexpensive and easy for teachers to replenish, and a "classroom-tested" demonstration workbook. In just the first two years of the program, over 400 teachers participated in 16 workshops at no cost to the teachers or the school district. Response to the program has been very enthusiastic. John Blizzard, one of the authors of the original grant proposal, remembers one school administrator who scoffed at the idea that his district’s teachers would actually take a Saturday to attend a science workshop. According to John, "He was a bit surprised when more teachers showed up on one Saturday morning than we could handle."

Marvin Tegen, also involved with the program since its beginnings, relates an incident that at first dismayed the trainers during one workshop. "One teacher got up and walked out in the middle of a session," says Marvin, "and we were disappointed to think someone was unhappy with the workshop." But the teacher returned a short time later with her superintendent in tow, making it clear that Project Science Literacy was the type of program the teachers needed.

Many sources are quick to point to the teacher as the main problem in science education, but elementary teachers are not required to take more than a semester of science, and they seldom choose chemistry. Yet the state of Michigan mandates that they teach hands-on chemistry activities. Despite these difficulties, "teachers are eager to embrace new ideas that will assist them in teaching what they perceive as a difficult but important subject," says Gretchen Kohl, a Project Science Literacy trainer and organizer. "In addition, Project Science Literacy is not just concerned with developing competence in teaching science, it also strives to increase teachers’ confidence." Education is at best a complex process. It becomes even more complex for science education because science is a dynamic subject. To become a masterful teacher of science requires ever-increasing capabilities and understanding.

Another challenge for teachers is the problem of insufficient funds for the purchase of chemicals for classroom experiments and demonstrations. Using Project Science Literacy kits and the workbook, teachers find that "everything is a chemical or a combination of chemicals." Using household and other easily available chemical products saves money and eliminates the trouble of ordering from specialized supply houses. Using household chemicals also encourages students to read the labels on products that they use every day. Recognizing the everyday uses of chemicals helps students become "chemically literate."

The workbook "Bringing Science to Life in the Classroom" covers 16 science experiments and has been crucial to the success of the program. The experiments involve subjects such as pH, density, chromatography, osmosis, and sublimation. Each experiment begins with a basic question, such as "What common materials contain starch, and how can we test for its presence?" and then goes on to give background discussion, the chemistry involved, detailed materials lists and experimental procedure, and follow-up discussion and evaluation. The teachers take these experiments back to their classrooms fortified with additional knowledge and confidence.

What’s happening with Project Science Literacy now? This year our Project Science Literacy program has expanded to include a "How To" guide and an advanced (second year) workshop designed around the environment and polymer chemistry. The following table summarizes the training sessions: