Prairie Flowers Program

FUNDED BY: Howard Hughes Medical Institute

OVERVIEW:Hosted by the Schools of Life Sciencesat the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), this program introduces inquiry-based, hands-on science education to elementary and middle school teachers in central Illinois through a series of curriculum development workshops and teacher-developed science kits for the classroom.  Each of these kits incorporates key points identified by Project 2061 to improve science education: coherent learning goals, and curriculum materials and assessments aligned with Illinois Learning Standards.  An electronic network of participating teachers also aids in this educational effort. The project chose its name to convey the image of science blooming on the prairie.

STRATEGIES: The project gets teachers involved with curriculum planning.

At annual  summer workshops,  new teachers are introduced to hands-on aspects of the science kits and receive instruction in the use of computers in the classroom.  For continuing teachers, a separate two week workshop is designed to extend their knowledge base in science, learn best practice techniques to use in their classroom, and to hone and update their computer skills.

Each science kit includes a sequential series of hands-on experiments, descriptions of how each experiment meets the state science learning standards, and suggested supplemental reading. Throughout the development process, participants discuss and explore hands-on teaching strategies, the state and national science learning standards, technology use, and assessment issues. After the kits are field tested, participants borrow them during the academic year. Thirty-one kits have been developed to date on:

Semiannual one-day meetings held in the Fall and Spring serve to increase teachers' knowledge and skills, and to promote collegial relationships among all teacher participants and University administrative staff. A semiannual hard-copy newsletter also contributes to this "atmosphere of family".

IMPACT: Over 100 teachers from 56 schools have participated to date; they earn graduate credit or CPDU's for each workshop.  An ongoing evaluation of the program by University faculty that includes observations, questionnaires, and interviews indicates that the project has created a successful network in which participants communicate with each other and teachers nationwide. Reports from participants and their administrators indicate that the program has changed the way teachers approach the learning and teaching of science. Several of the participants' principals have purchased new science equipment. Several participants have won grants to purchase equipment first introduced in the program.


For more information on this program contact:

UIUC Howard Hughes Program |Prairie Flowers
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last updated 08.12.04