WSSPC Awards in Excellence 1998

Award Recipients

Awarded Category: Outreach to Schools

Program Name "Earthquakes and Volcanoes" Hands-On Science kit

Administering Agency Center for Hands-On Learning

Contact Person (Name/Title)

Lynn Nordstrom, Co-Director

Susan Bilyeu Crisler, Co-Director

Address 26A Frontage Road, Rio Rancho, NM 87124

Telephone Number 505-896-1122

Fax Number 505-892-6375

1.	How long has this program been operational?5 years
2.	What are the major purposes of this program? What problem(s) or issue(s) was it designed to address?
	The Earthquakes and Volcanoes "hands-on" science kit delivers eight weeks of effective, rich curriculum on earthquakes to elementary school teachers. The kit is contained in a large bin and contains all the necessary supplies (consumable and nonconsumable) for a class of thirty students. Even though most educators agree that effective science is taught through an activity- based approach, many teachers do not or can not teach science this way. Three reasons for this are:
	Elementary teachers often need more content background information to feel confident in teaching the subject. The many materials required to teach in an activity based curriculum are time consuming to gather. The many materials required to teach in an activity-based curriculum are expensive to gather. This kit solves these three problems.
3.	Describe the specific activities and operations of the program.
	This "hands-on" science kit incorporates the Center for Hands-On Learning’s earthquakes and volcanoes curriculum with the Tremor Troop curriculum from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Additional media such as magazines, a National Geographic magazine, numerous maps, seismographs, and children’s books are included to enrich and extend the teaching of this kit. Other important additions to the kit are the New Mexico Highway Geological map and information on earthquakes and volcanoes in New Mexico. This New Mexico information makes the unit more personally relevant to the children and teachers using it. (Please see attached list of the inventory included in this kit.) Recently, this kit was customized for use in Fort Worth, Texas area schools. All the new Mexico information was replaced with information appropriate for Texas in their kits.
4.	Does this program take a new and creative approach or method? If yes, please describe.
	The "new and creative approach" is supplying the school and the teacher with both the Teacher’s Guide and all the supplies necessary to teach the curriculum. Typically, a school buys one kit and enough refills packets to restock the kit for each teacher who uses the kit. This is a very cost-effective way for schools to implement activity based science teaching.
5.	What were the program’s start-up costs and source(s) of funding?
	Schools are purchasing the Earthquakes and Volcanoes kit for $450. The refill packet costs $120.
	What are the program’s annual operational costs and source(s) of funding?
	After a school has purchased the kit, it can continue to use the kit year after year for the cost of the refill, which supplies all consumables for a class of thirty students for eight weeks.
6.	How many employees (full-time equivalent) work(ed) with this program? 2 FTE
7.	To the best of your knowledge, did this program originate in your state?Yes
	Are you aware of similar programs in other states? No
8.	Has the program been fully implemented? Yes and No
	If No, what actions remain to be taken?
	The kit is being used in schools all over the state of New Mexico and in the Fort Worth, Texas area.
	More New Mexico schools need to be teaching Earthquakes with this activity based approach. The kit is currently under consideration for adoption to the New Mexico List of Instructional Materials, which will make it fiscally easier for schools to purchase the kit with their textbook monies.
9.	Is there evidence that the program has been effective in achieving its stated purpose(s)? Briefly summarize evaluations (pro and con) of how well the program has addressed the defined problem(s) or issue(s).
	The Earthquakes and Volcanoes kit is receiving "rave" reviews from New Mexico’s teachers because it helps them do a better and more thorough job of teaching the subject matter School administrators support the kit because it can be used over and over, by several teachers, making it a good use of school funds. Everyone involved with this kit likes it because it combines the best efforts of many agencies into one effective curriculum, and delivers all the supplies to support that curriculum
10.	How has the program changed since its inception? What limitations or obstacles might other states expect to encounter if they attempt to adopt this program?
	Over the past five years, the Earthquakes and Volcanoes kit has evolved into a rich resource because of the numerous materials added to the kit. The kit will continue to improve as new resources come available. If other states purchase the Earthquakes and Volcanoes kit from the Center for Hands-On Learning (or develop their own kit), the kit should be customized by including local information on earthquakes and earthquake safety.
11.	Additional comments:
	The Center for Hands-On Learning would like to recognize and thank the New Mexico Department of Public Safety for its assistance, encouragement and support of the Earthquakes and Volcanoes kit.