GK-12: Ocean and Coastal Interdisciplinary Science (OACIS) Program

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

GRADUATE TEACHING FELLOWS IN K-12 EDUCATION ABSTRACT PROPOSAL #: 0742559 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kenneth Sebens INSTITUTION: University of Washington TITLE: Ocean and Coastal Interdisciplinary Science (OACIS) Program This award provides funding for a new GK-12 program that will involve 8-10 Fellows and 16-20 high school teachers in two counties (one urban and one rural) each year for five years. The program will take an interdisciplinary approach to teach basic science (biology, chemistry, physics) and mathematics, while taking advantage of the Washington coastal environments and increasing ocean literacy. Graduate students will be recruited from four UW departments and a marine lab, including the Biology Department which has over 20 faculty conducting research in the marine environment; the College of Ocean and Fishery Science (COFS) which has over 200 such faculty in three departments; the University's Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL), now its second century, hosts over 200 researchers per year, including graduate students and undergraduates. FHL offers easy access to marine habitats and organisms and is an excellent venue for teacher workshops, and for field trips from any of the area schools. The school systems selected are in Seattle (King County) and in the San Juan Islands (San Juan County), inner city to rural, with a substantial diversity of students.