From: Denise LeBlanc (denise_leblanc@hotmail.com)
Date: Fri Dec 10 1999 - 06:56:18 PST
Message-ID: <19991210145618.82155.qmail@hotmail.com> From: "Denise LeBlanc" <denise_leblanc@hotmail.com> Subject: Inquiry for 7th grade girls Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1999 06:56:18 PST
To fellow IFIers,
I'm writing to get some ideas from those of you who have worked with middle
school girls. We have some ideas for workshops, materials, and activities,
but I would like to draw from everyone else's experiences to make the best
choices!
Here's the project in a nutshell: The Science Discovery Museum has a
partnership with the Tufts University School of Engineering to work with
middle school girls. The pilot project, 2 years ago, had teams of girls (5
per team from 5 different schools) design and build interactive exhibits for
the Museum. It was very successful and 4 of the original 5 exhibits are
still in the Museum. For that project the time that the girls spent on the
project was very compressed (about 5 weeks!). As a result they had very
little time to explore the science concepts in an open way. They also had a
very short time to design and test their ideas and make prototypes.
Our new project adds an after school component that begins 5 months before
they build their final exhibit at Tufts. The girls will meet with their
teacher twice a month to explore topics that interests them. They will
chose a concept to focus on, and then develop hands-on activities and
prototypes that will help them in the design their final exhibit.
This project differs from the first grant because we are honoring and giving
the girls much more time to mess about, conduct their own inquiries, and
test out their ideas.
We will be doing a full day workshop in late January to kick off the
project, and then they and their teachers will begin their after school
clubs (about 1 hour time slots). If you have any suggestions for workshop
topics, intriguing and captivating materials, or ways to excite the girls
about physical science in an informal setting, please let me know!
Thank you,
Denise
Denise LeBlanc
IFI'97 Explore & Discover, Uxbridge,MA and
Education Director
Science Discovery Museum
177 Main Street
Acton, MA 01742
978-264-4201
www.ultranet.com/~discover/
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