Overview
MySci, funded by the Monsanto Fund, is a collaborative effort of
Washington University in St. Louis, the
St. Louis Science Center, the
Missouri Botanical Garden and the
Saint Louis Zoo. MySci’s mission is to enhance a sense of wonder and interest in science for children and their teachers. The MySci program gives early elementary students throughout the St. Louis area the chance to study science through inquiry. It provides curriculum books and classroom kits on plants, animals and the earth. It also includes a visit from one of the newly designed
Investigation Stations, roving vehicles of innovative exhibits and specimens which makes learning through climbing, crawling, seeing, hearing and smelling more exciting than ever. MySci is getting an early start on recruiting the next generation of scientists.
Eligibility and Cost
All schools in the St. Louis area are eligible for the MySci program. One of the program’s goals is to help close the achievement/preparation gap. Therefore, two-thirds of MySci’s visits will be made to schools with underserved and/or low achieving student populations. The program is provided free of charge to all schools.
Reach
Since its inception, the MySci program has touched more than 20,000 people including more than 9,000 students in 461 classrooms of kindergarten through second graders. In response to the high demand of the program, MySci launched a second Investigation Station in January 2007.
Program Components
- Inquiry-based science curriculum with units about plants, animals and the earth.
- Professional development for teachers, focusing on inquiry-based learning for plants, animals or earth units.
- Materials warehouse that provides each teacher a loaner kit of hands-on materials that includes literacy, math and notebooking resources.
- A multi-day visit to each school by the Investigation Station with a unique, interactive experience for all K-2 students. During this visit, the school has an opportunity to host a community event on the Investigation Station.
- Web-based support for teachers, which is currently in development.
MySci Curriculum
The MySci curriculum is designed to supplement – not supplant – a district’s existing science curriculum. Three topics of study have been identified: plants, animals and the earth. Curriculum is aligned with the Missouri Grade Level Expectations, kindergarten through second grade. Each unit consists of pre-visit activities, activities conducted on the Investigation Station and post-visit activities. By the time the Investigation Station comes to the school, students will be ready to do an extension of the activities they did in class. The unit for plants has been developed by educators at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The unit for animals has been developed by educators at the Saint Louis Zoo. The unit for earth was developed by earth science educators at the Saint Louis Zoo. These educators were assisted by the MySci staff along with staff from the Visual Communications Research Studio (VCRS) at Washington University.
MySci Professional Development
The kindergarten through grade two teachers from each school served by MySci will participate in a one-day professional development workshop designed to:
- Introduce inquiry teaching methods;
- Provide experience with the kit materials in the context of the curricular activities;
- Highlight inquiry-based curriculum that is commercially available; and
- Disseminate information about high-quality professional development programs and other inquiry-friendly teacher resources available in or to the St. Louis area.
MySci Materials Warehouse
- Supplies each MySci teacher with a kit of hands-on materials for use in the classroom;
- Stocks the Investigation Station with materials for use in the interactive experiences with students during the school visit; and
- Provides materials for use in professional development.
Investigation Station Visit
Each school will receive a multi-day visit from the Investigation Station. During those days, every student in the school has the opportunity to walk through and explore the vehicle. Each
K-2 student will also participate in a one-hour interactive experience on board the vehicle. The student visits will be guided by an experienced MySci teacher, trained in inquiry science methods and tailoring each experience to the topic the teacher chooses. Each student will experience the innovative elements in the three zones of the Investigation Station:
- Zone 1 – the Missouri Woodland area is anchored by a floor-to-ceiling sculpted tree and mural. Students can explore flora and fauna of a typical woodland scene, by matching the corresponding animals (magnets) to their habitat. Also in Zone 1 is a mural of Missouri underground complete with attachable animals. Younger students interact with our vast assortment of naturalistic puppets, learning about physical and behavioral characteristics of animals.
- Zone 2 – in the Laboratory Room students can study live and preserved plant, rock and animal specimens. This room includes drawers of plant, earth and animal specimens, projected microscopes, computer programs and DVD presentations, as well as several display cases filled with engaging materials. The students sit on crafted tree stumps and wooden tables for their investigations.
- Zone 3 – a replica of a Missouri Limestone Cave, where students crawl through and explore the stalactites, stalagmites, animals, insects and rocks that make up a limestone cave. The students also examine a spelunkers’ backpack to further understand cave exploration and ecological protection of this precious resource.
To schedule a visit from the Investigation Station and participation in the MySci program, educators should contact Diane Pilla, program coordinator at 314.289.1448 or
dpilla@slsc.org.