DEVELOPING A SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE K-12 GEOSCIENCE OUTREACH PROGRAM

While large-scale K-12 outreach programs can be highly effective in engaging students in geoscience education, many institutions lack the necessary budget and/or personnel to develop and manage large-scale programs. The UC Riverside Department of Earth Sciences has developed a method of supporting small-scale and/or short-term K-12 outreach projects that has successfully created and maintained connections between the university and K-12 schools. Our method relies on building personal relationships with teachers and science educators in local school districts, so that the resources of our department are easily available for the unique needs of individual teachers or students. Examples of projects include high school science fair mentoring, middle school capstone project mentoring, classroom visits, field trips to the UCR campus, and hosting booths at school fairs or public events. While most projects are one-time events, we have the flexibility to work closely with individual teachers or students on year-long projects. The flexibility of this style of outreach program also allows our department to engage with a high volume of K-12 students each year (over 2000 students). The UCR Department of Earth Sciences outreach program relies on a manager for scheduling, recruitment and organization, and several undergraduate and graduate student volunteers.