ELEMENTARY GEOSCIENCE CURRICULUM CONDUCTED BY A MUSEUM-UNIVERSITY-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

GeoKids LINKS (Learning Involving Neighborhoods, Kids, and Science) is a collaboration between the Wagner Free Institute of Science, Saint Joseph's University, and four North Philadelphia elementary schools. This program has become a model for how expertise, initiative and creativity can make natural science accessible in an urban environment. Through funding from a GK-12 grant from the National Science Foundation, graduate students and faculty from the Saint Joseph's University's Department of Biology work with elementary educators from the Wagner Free Institute of Science and elementary teachers from the School District of Philadelphia to develop and implement hands-on natural science curricula that are aligned with national, state and local standards.

Within the first and third grade geoscience units, students gain early experiences that contribute to their understanding of geosciences. Graduate students and classroom teachers lead elementary students on neighborhood walks to help them observe the diversity, compare the properties, and investigate the everyday uses of different types of rocks. In the classroom, students examine the origins of these different types of rocks and practice sorting rocks according to different physical characteristics. During museum visits, students explore the museum collection and learn the difference between rocks and minerals. In addition, faculty guest speakers teach students about the many learning opportunities that rocks, minerals, and soil yield to scientists.

This poster will present examples of how our unique museum-university-school partnership successfully presents geosciences to elementary school children.