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"Our program builds on the natural curiosity our children have for their immediate surroundings and supports exploration of their ever unfolding world" ... Lansdowne Friends School "To facilitate the broad conversations, involving scientists and non-scientists as well as academics and non-academics, which are essential to continuing explorations of ... the natural world and humanity's place in it" ... Center for Science in Society In the winter of 2006, the Center for Science in Society at Bryn Mawr College and Lansdowne Friends School in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania agreed to work together on a project to develop a new elementary science curriculum. A record of the evolving collaboration is provided here. For additional information, contact Susan Stone, Head of Lansdowne Friends School, or Paul Grobstein, director of the Center for Science in Society.

Starting points for a collaboration All people are born "scientists". The aim of science and mathematics education should be to nurture and enhance the innate exploratory capabilities of children rather than to discourage or constrain them. Science/mathematics involve observation, story telling that motivates additional observation, and story revision in an unending cycle Science and mathematics education should encourage and further develop this way of relating to the world by creating appropriate playgrounds for its exercise. Content should be chosen to facilitate process, to correspond to the kinds of questions students have at given ages, and to build on prior explorations. Assessment should be integrated with and further the process rather than being distinct from it, and should be done so as to measure progressive skill development.

Meetings Elementary Science Education: Starting Points for a Collaboration? , 11 January 2006 presentation An Elementary Science Education Curriculum: The Brain as a Scientist and Science as Story Telling, 17 February 2005 in-service day Continuing the Conversation, 19 April 2006 Meeting Notes, 3 May 2006 Meeting Notes, 17 May 2006 Meeting Notes, 31 May 2006

Additional reflections Will Franklin, SciSoc, 5 May 2006 Deb Hazen, Lansdowne, 17 May 2006 Alice Lesnick, SciSoc, 17 May 2006 On educational technology (Hazen, Dixon, Lesnick, Dalke, Grobstein), 6 June 2006 ON-LINE FORUM

| Elementary Science Education Collaboration | On-line Forum |