Graduate Student Fellowships with GK-12

2008-2009 Fellow Application - Deadline: March 17, 2008

The proposed program will build partnerships between scientists and the K-12 community by focusing on interdisciplinary environmental and watershed sciences. It will develop a solid framework for interdisciplinary teaching about water in the physical and human environments, making creative links between math, science, social science, and technology. Unique learning activities will integrate math, science, and GIS technology in the classroom with field experiences in order to address important societal issues in inland and coastal watersheds.

Eight graduate Fellows, 16 classrooms, at least 16 teachers per year, in the Austin, Flour Bluff, and Port Aransas school districts. The program targets grades 5-8. The schools draw students from a spectrum of urban to rural settings. NSF disciplines include marine science, geological sciences, physics, chemistry, environmental science, biology, geography, and mathematics.

Highlights of our program include:

• Fellow-led field and classroom learning experiences for K-12 students
• Joint summer teacher and Fellow training in partnership with a nationally recognized pre-service training program
• A new course on pedagogy for Fellows
• Dissemination of activities and lesson plans developed by teacher-fellow teams via comprehensive websites, workshops, and publications
• Innovative outreach lectures and workshops
• 8-year sustainability for GK-12 activities
• A GK-12 associates program to involve larger populations of graduate students

2008-2009 Fellow Application - Deadline: March 17, 2008