The South Carolina Department of Education releases Eisenhower funds to schools via competitive grants. These funds are used to support professional development and enhance science programs and the implementation of the science assessment standards throughout the state. If you apply for state Eisenhower funds to support the Scientist In Residence Program, here are some suggestions of key ideas you may wish to include in your grant application:

You should indicate that your school has identified improvement of its science program as a priority; you are interested in: 

The Scientist in Residence Program is a dynamic experience for teachers and students that utilizes hands-on activities, multiple intelligences teaching skills and an interdisciplinary curriculum as vehicles for science learning. Over the course of a week, teachers observe and participate with their students doing various hands-on activities, and attend a workshop covering methods and techniques. They also have opportunities for one-on-one peer coaching on how to extend these models into individual classroom instructional programs.

The SIR multidisciplinary approach incorporates math, poetry, story telling, journaling, cultural interaction and understanding, music, art, movement and cooperative strategies with the basic science objectives outlined in the original South Carolina Science Framework as outlined below.

Teacher Workshop (a two hour program conducted on school premises) includes the following topics:

These activities will meet the Science Standards objectives by providing the following:

Teachers will directly visualize and participate in hand-on activities similar to those provided with the newly adopted textbooks. They will also have the opportunity to see how the activities are set up and conducted in the classroom. This will give first hand knowledge to see how the following learning objectives can be attained.

Student Learning of Science

You must develop a plan to assess the affect of the SIR program in your school. No one will give you any money unless you have a way to assess whether or not the program was beneficial. Below are some ideas for developing your assessment instrument.

Have teachers assess their understanding of techniques presented in the program by formulating objectives and questions to be raised for their class science program. Survey at a later date to find out if these have been implemented in the classroom.

 

Do a pre and post program survey of attitudes toward and understanding of the new state Science Assessment Standards. How will you apply this framework to your overall school program?

 

Design a realistic personal development plan using the Professional Development section of the Science Framework as a guide.

 

The SIR program includes a Teacher Workshop and up to 5 classes/day for one week @ $1000

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