Goals. BEAMS has four goals:
- to strengthen the motivation and academic
preparation of upper elementary and middle school
students, so that they go on to graduate from
high school as scientifically literate citizens
ready for further education and worthwhile
careers
- to redress the loss of minorities and females
from the career pipelines in science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology long
before high school graduation
- to enhance the preparation and prestige of
teachers
- to give parents an opportunity to be actively
involved in their children's education
Scope. Since 1991, the BEAMS program has
involved over 6,000 students and 250 teachers from four
local school districts in the Newport News, VA, vicinity
and more than 300 members of the Jefferson Lab's
technical staff. In a typical year, the program brings 50
classes to the Jefferson Lab and enlists the services of
about 100 technical staff members (25% of the lab's
total). The first BEAMS students are now in the 11th
grade, which has made possible some studies of long-term
as well as short-term impact.
The History. The BEAMS concept of an intensive
school week at the Jefferson Lab was developed by Dr.
Beverly Karplus Hartline, the Project Director, and Dr.
Hermann Grunder, the Lab Director, in cooperation with
leaders in the Newport News (VA) City Public Schools
(NNCPS).
The BEAMS partnership began officially in March of
1991 with seven 5th- and 6th-grade classes from the
NNCPS. That fall, three other neighboring school
districts (Hampton, Williamsburg/James City County, and
York County) were added to the partnership, and 52
classes spent a week at the Jefferson Lab. The activities
and accompanying materials were developed jointly by the
lab and school personnel. The lab-schools partnership has
remained a close one.
Instructional
Program. Fifth
and sixth grade classes are brought to the Jefferson Lab
from the elementary and middle schools of four
neighboring school districts. Over the course of a week,
the classes are led through 13-15 hours of hands-on,
inquiry-centered activities developed primarily at the
lab by members of the technical staff. Throughout the
experience, students are thoroughly immersed in the
research environment of the lab. There is detailed
preparation for both teachers and technical staff members
and a follow-up Family Night for students and their
parents. Plans are underway to extend this program to
five days each year for three years--the 5th, 6th, and
7th grade years--to schools with the highest numbers of
at-risk students.
Details
The Scientists Involved with
BEAMS. A wide variety of
volunteering technical staff members lead the activity
sessions, arrange other events for the students' five-day
visit, and have also been involved in the development of
the activities and the accompanying instructional
materials.
Details
A Typical Activity
Session. In
the hour-long activity sessions, under the leadership of
a technical-staff volunteer, the students interview the
volunteer, engage in a discovery discussion about the
lab, do a hands-on, inquiry-centered activity, and in a
wrap-up, present and analyze their results, examine the
skills they've developed, and discuss how they can apply
what they've learned to "real life."
Details
Instructional Activities and
Materials. About
20 age-appropriate activities, mostly in the physical
sciences (corresponding to the scientific focus of the
lab), have been developed and tested at the lab and are
the basis for the inquiry-centered classes led by the
technical staff members. Accompanying these activities
are activity sheets for the students and a teacher's
guide for teachers who wish to teach the activities in
their own schools. Plans are now underway to develop
life-science activities for 7th grade classes and physics
activities for 8th grade classes.
Details
Impact. Attitudinal studies of students
(pre- and post-tests), indicate that the BEAMS program
has a significant impact on student attitudes about
science and understanding of what scientists do,
awareness that scientists can be women, and so on.
Similar studies of teachers and parents also yield
positive results. Studies of students four years after
the BEAMS experience also show some positive attitudinal
effects. At least one nearby industrial laboratory is
starting a program modeled on the BEAMS program.
Details
Organizational Information, Funding,
and Contacts. A description of the Thomas
Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, the history and
present source of BEAMS funding, and various contacts are
provided here.
Details
