06-01-04

IOWA STATE SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM AWARDED $600,000 GRANT TO IMPROVE EARLY ELEMENTARY SCIENCE LEARNING

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University's Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education has received a$600,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Education. The grant is for a three-year study on the application of writingand language to complement science education in grades kindergarten through sixth in school districts in western andcentral Iowa. The center is in the College of Education.

The new study will complete the education spectrum on student performance using Science Writing Heuristic (writing andlanguage in science education). One study followed the performance of 7th to 12th grade science students and the secondfocused on teaching freshman chemistry at Iowa State.

Brian Hand, director of the Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education, said the new research seeks toimprove student performance in both science and language arts on standardized tests by linking science inquiryactivities to reading/writing programs within elementary schools using the Science Writing Heuristic method.

"We will create a curriculum that replicates authentic science activities -- experiments, evidence and reflection forexample -- by building on students' critical thinking and problem solving skills," Hand said. "Instead of thetraditional laboratory format, the Science Writing Heuristic method asks students to write statements about theirresearch questions, followed by the process of making claims and framing evidence from their investigations." Theearlier studies both showed that the new science education program appears to eliminate the gap between male and femalestudents in science courses and improves student achievement at all levels of science comprehension and skill. Inaddition, students also showed marked improvement in language and reading scores.

This summer, the new grant will allow 32 kindergarten through sixth grade teachers to participate in the first of threeworkshops, Hand said. Seminar instructors will be provided a science content update, critical reading skills andscience inquiry teaching strategies.

"Teachers in the workshop will learn by using the same science inquiry/language arts-based strategies they will teachin the classroom," Hand said. "They also will study age-appropriate science content for each grade level in the studyand receive intensive training on how to engage students using the Science Writing Heuristic approach and how to bridgescience and language arts."

For example, Hand said kindergarten and first grade students will use more oral language-based activities, with visualdisplays accompanied by a sentence of explanation. However, sixth grade students will be required to read the contentmaterial and complete all associated writing activities.

"The principle benefits of the Science Writing Heuristic approach are that it significantly narrows the gender gap andhelps low-achieving students gain success in chemistry," Hand said. "In addition, the 7th to 12th grade study alsoshows benefits gained for reading and comprehension scores on standardized tests."

Jointly working with Hand is Lori Norton-Meier, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at Iowa State.

Other groups working on the Science Writing Heuristic grant are the departments of curriculum and instruction,chemistry and biology at Iowa State; the Iowa Space Grant Consortium; Heartland AEA11, Johnston; Loess Hills AEA13,Council Bluffs; and eight Iowa school districts.

-30-