Amaterials engineer's approach toexplaining scientific problems in an 8th grade classroom: A case study

Abstract

The Des Moines public school system has partnered with Iowa State University to develop innovative and engaging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities for middle school students through NSF's GK12 program. Iowa State's GK12 program, Symbi, pairs a senior graduate student (i.e., GK12 Fellow) with a middle school science teacher and classroom for the duration of an academic year. These GK12 Fellows engage the students by providing inquiry-based learning experiences and authentic demonstrations, which bring relevance by relating the science curriculum to real world challenges. Each Fellow's research background provides a unique backdrop for enhancing the classroom curricula. Here we present a case study showcasing the activities and interactions of one Symbi GK12 Fellow in the classroom who uses alternative ways to approach the science curriculum by addressing complex problems through the lens of a materials science engineer. In this case study, the primary research focus of the author, a GK12 Fellow, is on materials science and engineering, specifically polymers, a field completely absent from middle school curricula. By providing hands-on demonstrations and reliable scientific expertise, 8 th grade students have the opportunity to experience science not as a collection of discreet units unrelated to each other but instead focus on how science and scientific thought is woven into everything around us. As a result, students expressed their enthusiasm and interest in the exciting concepts being brought to the classroom by the GK12 Fellow. These results suggest that middle school students benefit from taking an integrated approach to science using materials science engineering as the scaffolding for its implementation. © American Society of Engeneering Education, 2013.