Across the College of Arts and Sciences, individuals and departments have developed an astonishing array of programs for K-12 students. Here are some recent offerings:
Live from Earth and Mars brings science to life for Washington's K-12 students through educational modules that use data captured from Earth-orbiting satellites and planetary spacecraft. Funded through a NASA grant, the program involves the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, the Space Grant Program, and the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
The Writers-in-the-Schools Program, a joint project of the UW Creative Writing Program and the Puget Sound Writing Program, places a UW graduate student in a Puget Sound primary or secondary school each quarter. Participants, who complete 24 hours of classroom teaching, conduct a variety of writing activities in the schools.
Creating a Community of Mathematics Learners is a five-year program involving approximately 600 middle and high school teachers from six school districts in the greater Seattle area who are working with UW faculty and graduate students to enhance mathematics education in their schools.
Rural Girls in Science is a two-week summer program on campus for rural female high school students, to provide hands-on experiences in the sciences. Through the program, offered by the Northwest Center for Research on Women, the students also meet women working in science careers, who serve as role models.
Math Day, presented by the Department of Mathematics, is an annual event that includes hands-on presentations and workshops targeted to high school students interested in mathematics.
Through the Science Outreach Program, sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and the ECSEL Program, undergraduates give presentations on topics of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics at K-12 schools throughout the state. The program also sponsors Science Day, which brings high school students and teachers to campus for hands-on activities and tours of UW research facilities.
World Languages Day, offered for the first time this year, was inspired by Math Day.
Meany Hall plans special performances for school groups whenever possible. Recently, during a visit from Dance Theatre of Harlem, Meany organized an event that brought more than 1,150 schoolchildren and their teachers to campus for a memorable performance.
Since the Burke Museum's reopening in November, more than 20,000 K-12 students have visited. The museum also offers travelling study collections, packed with scientific specimens, artifacts, and related curriculum materials. More than 80 kits are available for loan; this year they reached more than 100,000 students.
In addition to these offerings, many A&S departments offer programs for K-12 teachers, ranging from workshops to summer institutes. Some programs keep teachers current on topics covered in their classes; others explore the use of new technology or innovative curricula in instruction.