Science Literacy Project for Middle School Teachers

The proposed Science Literacy Project for Middle School Teachers will present teachers opportunities to learn content related to current issues in life, Earth and environmental sciences along with 21st century literacy skills for learning and teaching that content (Leu, et aI., 2005; P21, 2006) from faculty and staff at the University of Kentucky (UK) and the University of Louisville (U of L). The target population for this project includes ten teams composed of two middle school teachers from the content areas of science and literacy from West Point Independent, Jefferson County, and Fayette County schools. The program involves: 1) a two-day summer professional development and planning workshop for teachers to learn new, Internetbased literacy strategies contextualized in current science issues using a train the trainer model; 2) a year-long series of science literacy seminars for teachers and administrators lead by UK and U of L staff and faculty; 3) long-term, job-embedded professional development for teachers, including visits to schools, on-line professional connections and assignments, and school-based mentoring facilitated by UK and U of L staff and faculty; 4) school-based professional development provided by teams of teachers trained during the summer workshop; and 5) development and sharing of standards-based units of study in the life, Earth, and environmental Sciences.