CHED 465 |
| Both students and teachers face significant challenges today in K-12 science education. Teachers are faced with educating children using strict guidelines or “frameworks” in order to prepare students for standardized exams. These guidelines, while important for setting standards for the content of student learning, do not leave much room for topics not included in the frameworks. Students are often faced with a confused view and can be turned off to science at a very early age. At the Center for Green Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, we use Green Chemistry to teach basic science and math concepts in a K-12 environment. Green Chemistry gives K-12 students a better understanding and a purpose for learning science. The students are generally excited and can grasp concepts when put in a “green chemistry” context. Graduate and undergraduate students from the Center for Green Chemistry help towards developing curriculum for K-12 science classes; they participate in outreach activities and visit the K-12 schools. Both the college students and the K-12 students benefit greatly from this shared experience. This presentation will outline some examples of the K-12 outreach activities that are being used and being developed at the Center for Green Chemistry. |
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Green Chemistry: State-of-the-Art Symposium for Chemical Educators
1:30 PM-4:55 PM, Wednesday, 13 September 2006 San Francisco Marriott -- Salon 6, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |