Union College is seeking funding to develop a new physical science course, which will meet the needs of its prospective elementary school teachers. The project will form a unique partnership of science professors, science educators, experts in elementary education, exemplary elementary teachers, and undergraduates who will focus on improving the teaching of introductory science courses. Funded release time will enable development teams to meet regularly during one semester to develop a new physical science course, covering the physical and earth/space science topics found in the Kentucky Plan of Studies. It will be developed, taught during the subsequent semester, revised, and then taught a second time.

The writers of this proposal plan to form course development teams to collaborate on five goals:

1. Provide a professional dialogue in which the development teams engage in practical inquiry about teaching;
2. Explore the content needs of prospective teachers;
3. Develop a set of authentic assessments and corresponding instructional activities;
4. Explore innovative approaches of teaching appropriate for prospective teachers; and
5. Provide a multi-faceted professional development experience for all project participants.

The teams will then develop an instructional and assessment module for each topic. These modules will contain the following components:

• integration of science disciplines;
• interdisciplinary approach with other nonscience disciplines;
• science content that specifically addresses the needs of a K-8 teacher;
• inquiry-based, constructivist learning;
• use of authentic assessments;
• adaptation to the diversity of the student population within the class; and
• models of instruction appropriate for K-8 teachers.

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