Overview Education in the United States has tended to downplay the importance of science in recent years. Fewer and fewer US citizens graduate from college with degrees in science, and those that do are tempted to go overseas where there are more jobs in science related fields. Science Bus views this problem as systemic in the way our education system is structured. From an early age, students are not given the encouragement they need to pursue an interest in science, which just exacerbates the condition of science education in this country. We have seen that the ability to inspire students is much more pronounced at an early age, and hence we believe that it is even more important to present science as a vibrant, creative process before they have the chance to develop a dislike for the subject. Especially in groups which have traditionally been underrepresented in scientific fields, making science seem fun and alive is the best way to keep a student's mind open so later when they encounter science in a more rigorous framework, they will not be afraid of getting their hands dirty. In addition to a lack of interest in science, students today are largely missing the presentation of science as a way of thinking. Regardless of what career a student pursues, they will need to approach problems from a logical perspective, collecting evidence to make decisions and disregarding evidence which does not stand up to careful scrutiny. Science Bus also hopes to foster this kind of critical thinking in the students it works with, because a strong foundation in this method of "scientific inquiry" (for a lack of a better term) will serve all students well in their later pursuits. Our Mission It is the goal of Science Bus to help inspire elementary school students while developing leaders in the community. The organization is completely student-run, and draws on the enthusiasm and expertise of students from the Claremont Colleges who share a passion for education and science. Hopefully, with enough hard work, we will be able to change the course of students' lives by helping them realize they can become anything if they put their minds to it. Lessons The core of Science Bus are the hands-on science lessons. These lessons focus on the idea of scientific inquiry, incorporating a short demonstration and exposition to pique the students' interest and then an in-depth investigation period where the students get to do real science. Each lesson is scheduled to last one hour, and is prepared by Science Bus volunteers who take time out of their busy schedules to write lessons and find supplies in addition to spending time in the actual classroom. While each lesson teaches a concept, the overarching focus is to build positive associations with science and encourage students to approach problems from a scientific perspective. For more information on how to get your school involved or how to become involved as a college student, click here. |
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