| Since August of 2001, math and science students from the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln have been making a difference in elementary and
middle schools in Lincoln. Project Fulcrum, started by Dr. Diandra
Leslie-Pelecky and Dr. Gayle Buck from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
in partnership with Suzanne Kirby, a fourth-grade teacher at Clinton
Elementary School, has been helping these students, Project Fulcrum
Fellows, make an impact in the education of others. The students assist
the teachers they are working with in various tasks such as: putting
together lesson plans, researching topics, lab demonstrations, and
giving mini-lectures to small groups of students or classes.
The goal of this program is to improve the opportunities for all
Lincoln-area elementary and middle school students to study science
and math. As the students encounter the Project Fulcrum Fellows
they learn about how a scientist thinks, and what the Fellows are
doing with their lives. The Project Fulcrum Fellows act as role
models for the elementary and middle school kids, as well as help
the teachers bring current science and math issues to the students.
" The program is set up so that ideally, everyone involved
benefits. Scientists in academia gain understanding of the challenges
in K-12 science education, teachers and other educators learn more
about science and scientists and gain contacts, and Fellows get
teaching experience, learn about K-12 education, and see how non-scientists
view scientists" says Andrea Bair, Project Fulcrum Fellow.
This increase in contact with future scientists and educators will
help foster scientific thought in young people.
Project Fulcrum is funded by the National Science Foundation for
three years. Project Fulcrum will expand from the current four schools
to thirteen in the 2002-2003 school year. If you are interested
in being a part of this program, please visit www.physics.edu/~fulcrum,
or send an e-mail to fulcrum@unl.edu. |
