FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 6, 2004

CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119, (515) 202-1773, lisa.lacher@drake.edu

DRAKE STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO LEAD SUMMER SCIENCE CAMP, HELP ELEMENTARY STUDENTS CREATE A TORNADO IN THE CLASSROOM

Drake University students and faculty members hope to turn a flock of local grade school kids into savvy consumers of science during the weeklong Des Moines Science Pioneers Camp next week at Cattell Elementary School, 3101 E. 12th St.

On Monday, Aug. 9, Drake students will work with 45 Cattell students to create a tornado in the classroom by using dry ice, water and multiple fans to create vortices. The tornado activity will take place between 12:10 and 2:20 p.m.

The tornado is part of a week-long, interactive inquiry-based lesson developed by Drake students this past spring as part of their elementary science methods class at Drake. The students have written up the lesson plan and experience and submitted it to a national science teachers' journal for possible publication.

Des Moines Science Pioneers Camp is designed to improve student interest in science, improve leadership skills through a peer mentoring program, enhance elementary teachers' abilities to teach inquiry-based science, help participating teachers become mentors and provide learning opportunities for the students.

"We're trying to get the idea across to students that science is as much an inquiry process as it is factual information," said Jack Gerlovich, professor of science education at Drake. "It is also a lot more fun to experience in this format. Ideally, the camp will also enable the students to become better consumers of science."

Also participating in the camp are Drake faculty members Lisa Martin-Hansen, assistant professor of education, and LaRhee Henderson, associate professor of chemistry. They are teaming up with the Science Center of Iowa, Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. and Cattell teachers and administrators.

The camp will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 9-12 at Cattell Elementary School. The camp will conclude on Friday, Aug. 13, with a tour of Pioneer Hi-Bred's facilities and test plots, where campers will be able see some of their science lessons applied to the real world.

The Drake University School of Education received a $20,000 grant from Pioneer to fund the camp as part of the Des Moines Science Pioneers project. The project will be reviewed annually for possible continued funding. The goal of the project is to follow a large number of Cattell students from third grade through high school graduation to assess the impact of learning science through inquiry.

Collaboration between Drake and Cattell begins its 13th year this fall, and Gerlovich said the experience has been valuable and productive for both Drake students and Cattell students. A great deal of credit must go to the Cattell administration and teachers for allowing Drake students to create "real" experiences through which Cattell students can learn science and enjoy science, Gerlovich said.

"Our relationship with Cattell and the Des Moines schools is growing and improving each year," Gerlovich added. "We anticipate expanding the program to include students in grades 3-12 as we can demonstrate success to Pioneer Hi-Bred and, ideally, obtain the company's continued funding support."