Outreach (K-12)
| Focus on Science | Physics on the Road PEARLS: Demo's Hands-on | ScienceScape |
Physics Educational Assistance, Resources and Learning Strategies (PEARLS)
Purdue's Department of Physics has developed a highly successful outreach program, PEARLS, that brings the excitement of physical science to many students who would not otherwise be exposed to physics. It also encourages teachers and parents to motivate students to pursue careers in science, engineering, and technology. Purdue brings PEARLS of Science wisdom to your school.
A full-time coordinator creates, directs, and implements PEARLS outreach efforts. Physics Outreach offers several learning opportunities for various educational needs.
The need for the PEARLS Outreach program is clearly demonstrated by its enthusiastic reception and favorable impact on precollege science education in the Midwest. Purdue's PEARLS program can serve as a model, which can be adopted by other Universities, to advance science education throughout the United States. Some of the outreach activities are outlined below.
Focus on Science
Focus on Science is a full week of hands-on science activities in elementary and middle schools. The program seeks to excite and enlighten students about the importance of science in their daily lives. It exposes teachers to classroom activities that combine excitement, cooperative learning, and participatory activites with real-world relevance. Highlights of the week include a convocation on science demonstrations, grade-level hands-on science activites for each day, and an evening parent-student hands-on acitivity. Teacher in service programs are also available.
Physics on the Road
The primary departmental outreach effort is the school visitation program, Physics On The Road. The Assistant Outreach Coordinator and other department staff travel to schools to present Physics Funfests, entertaining and motivating science demonstrations. To extend the impact of a Funfest visit, the Physics Department has just begun distribution of a Physics on the Road Teacher's Guide.
If you have any questions regarding the demo's, please call Roger Boyce (765) 496-2213. View our current schedule.
During the first year of operation, Physics Funfests were presented at over 70 schools for 15,000 students. For the past several years, the Traveling Physics Funfest has impacted approximately 30,000 students per year.
Young Scientists provides a forum for K-12 students to share their work.
ScienceScape
A summer residence camp, ScienceScape has been established to encourage young women to pursue science degrees. It is geared toward students about to enter 7th, 8th, or 9th grades. Camp activities include demonstrations, hands-on experiments, laboratory work, research lab visits, and work with computer simulation and interfacing. The students are expected to keep a diary of their camp activities and follow-up scientific activities throughout their high school careers.
Other Outreach Programs in the College of Science
The College of Science at Purdue also sponsors Outreach Programs in the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, and Mathematics. You may access their home pages or use the contact information below to obtain further information on any of their programs. Visit the College of Science K-12 Outreach page for more information.
If you have any questions regarding the Purdue Physics Outreach Program, please write to us.
