Highlights of Highlights of Project FOCUS at Georgia Project FOCUS at Georgia Perimeter CollegePerimeter College

Pamela J. W. Gore

Georgia Perimeter Georgia Perimeter CollegeCollege

Largest 2-year institution in Largest 2-year institution in GeorgiaGeorgia

24,656 students Fall 200924,656 students Fall 2009 3rd largest institution in the 3rd largest institution in the

University System of GAUniversity System of GA ( (USGUSG)) GA’s largest freshman class -GA’s largest freshman class -

13,424 in Spring 200913,424 in Spring 2009

Geology at Georgia Geology at Georgia Perimeter CollegePerimeter College

Five locations + Five locations + onlineonline

15 Geology faculty15 Geology faculty 9 full-time9 full-time 6 adjunct6 adjunct

Geology Students at GPCGeology Students at GPC 700-800 students700-800 students 33 Geology majors33 Geology majors 3 Geology A.A. 3 Geology A.A.

grads/yeargrads/year

University University System of System of Georgia Georgia STEM* STEM*

InitiativeInitiative

*Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

USG STEM InitiativeUSG STEM Initiative

1.1. Increase the success of STEM majors Increase the success of STEM majors in college.in college.

2.2. Influence K-12 student preparation Influence K-12 student preparation for and interest in majoring in STEM for and interest in majoring in STEM in college.in college.

3.3. Produce more and better science Produce more and better science and mathematics teachers for the and mathematics teachers for the schools (which will lead to better schools (which will lead to better preparation of K-12 students for preparation of K-12 students for science and mathematics in college)science and mathematics in college)

Project FOCUS is part of the Project FOCUS is part of the STEM InitiativeSTEM Initiative

Goal: Get college science students Goal: Get college science students to work with K-12 students to spark to work with K-12 students to spark an interest in teaching.an interest in teaching.

Outdoor education with high school Outdoor education with high school studentsstudents

Teaching in the Schools projectTeaching in the Schools project

Outdoor Education with Outdoor Education with High School StudentsHigh School Students

Stone Mountain geology field tripStone Mountain geology field trip

http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/geo101/stnmtn.htmgeo101/stnmtn.htm

GPC has a partnership with GPC has a partnership with the Stone Mountain the Stone Mountain Memorial AssociationMemorial Association

GPC President is very interested in GPC President is very interested in our doing Service Learning at Stone our doing Service Learning at Stone Mountain ParkMountain Park

Step 1 – GPC Geology and Teacher Ed Step 1 – GPC Geology and Teacher Ed students take field trip to Stone Mountainstudents take field trip to Stone Mountain

First Time in the Field

GPC students learn about GPC students learn about the Geology of Stone the Geology of Stone

MountainMountain

GPC students gradually get more GPC students gradually get more involved with the rocksinvolved with the rocks

Step 2 – The following week – The Step 2 – The following week – The High School Students ArriveHigh School Students Arrive

GPC students pair up to lead the same GPC students pair up to lead the same field trip they did the previous week, field trip they did the previous week,

working with small groups of high working with small groups of high school students school students

Field Trip ParticipantsField Trip Participants 12 GPC science students12 GPC science students 15 AP Environmental Science High school 15 AP Environmental Science High school

students from 4 private high schoolsstudents from 4 private high schools 4 high school teachers4 high school teachers

Students on Stone Mountain Students on Stone Mountain field trip volunteer for trash field trip volunteer for trash

pick-uppick-up

Teaching in the Schools Teaching in the Schools ProjectProject

GPC Students develop and present a GPC Students develop and present a standards-based lesson to K-12 studentsstandards-based lesson to K-12 students

Teaching in the Schools Teaching in the Schools ProjectProject

Teaching in the Schools Project Teaching in the Schools Project Checklist Checklist http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/ISCI/Teaching_Project_Checklist_RevSp09.doc

General Task Template (for lesson General Task Template (for lesson plan) plan) http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/ISCI/General%20Tasks%20Template%20Revised%20Sp09.doc

Teaching in the Schools Teaching in the Schools ProjectProject

Implemented in Integrated Science Implemented in Integrated Science classes for Teacher Ed studentsclasses for Teacher Ed students

An option for Geology students who An option for Geology students who want to explore teachingwant to explore teaching

25 students participated in Spring 25 students participated in Spring 2009 in DeKalb, Gwinnett, Walton, 2009 in DeKalb, Gwinnett, Walton, Fulton Counties and City Schools of Fulton Counties and City Schools of DecaturDecatur

Future activitiesFuture activities Partnership with new environmental-Partnership with new environmental-

themed Arabia Mountain High School to do themed Arabia Mountain High School to do field research at Arabia Mountain Parkfield research at Arabia Mountain Park Study of soils, water, plants, ecology of Study of soils, water, plants, ecology of

granite outcropsgranite outcrops

College support of Service College support of Service LearningLearning

GPC is opening the Atlanta Center for GPC is opening the Atlanta Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Civic Engagement and Service-Learning on Feb 15, with President Learning on Feb 15, with President Jimmy Carter and his wife in Jimmy Carter and his wife in attendanceattendance

I will be inducted as a Member of the I will be inducted as a Member of the newService Learning Faculty newService Learning Faculty AcademyAcademy

Our hope is to get students interested in geologic research and science teaching