DISCOVERY DAYS: A MODEL FOR INFORMAL K-8 SCIENCE EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT

Discovery Days (originally called Museum Days) is a program of hands-on informal science education offered twice a year by Oregon State University’s College of Science (COS). The event was begun with the objective of enhancing the science curriculum at local K-8 schools by providing access to resources not generally available to classrooms. School groups, consisting of 10 to 30 K-8 students accompanied by teachers and parents, visit exhibits staffed by COS faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate science majors. Most groups schedule about an hour to interact with volunteers at the displays. The event is open to the general public, and many home-school groups also attend. Participating departments and programs include botany, chemistry, chemical engineering, fisheries & wildlife, geosciences, microbiology, zoology, and the Hatfield Marine Science Center. The program has existed for over 10 years; in general about 2000 students from rural communities and small towns attend each event.

The Geosciences Department recently became involved in the Discovery Days program with the goals of stimulating student interest in the earth sciences as well as in geoscience careers, and increasing earth science literacy among the general public. In order to reach these goals, we developed hands-on activities around the theme of how earth systems relate to students’ everyday lives. For example, students used geographic information systems (GIS) software to locate their schools and explore surrounding landforms. A rock and mineral display consisted of diverse samples that showed students how these resources are used. Students explored groundwater resources and consequences of contamination using a 3-d groundwater model. Finally, computer simulations and 3-d models introduced students to volcanic and earthquake hazards in Oregon, and the relationship between such processes and plate tectonics.

Although we did not conduct a formal assessment, our experiences during the most recent event suggest that we successfully engaged student interest in the earth sciences. In future events, we plan to make our theme(s) more explicit, and to introduce activities geared towards younger students (K-2). Discovery Days could serve as a model for other geoscience departments or universities interested in outreach to their local K-12 communities.