"The wealth of statistical evidence must convince even the most skeptical that gender bias in our schools is shortchanging girls -- and compromising our country."
 Alice McKee,
President AAUW Educational Foundation

• What is Careers and Curiosity
• Goals
• Background and References
• How to Organize a Careers and Curiosity in Your Community
• How to Organize a Careers and Curiosity for Middle School Students
• Photos of Careers and Curiosity
• Thank you notes from kids
• Other sites about Science and Math for Students

 

The inspiration for Careers and Curiosity is to foster interest of girls in science and math.  Careers and Curiosity, provides an interactive scientific experience guided by adult women scientists and high-school age aspiring scientists.  This activity is offered to all children, boys and girls at all grade levels in an elementary school.   The project requires  AAUW coordinating with community female scientists and with a local elementary school.  The organizers hope to encourage curiosity in young girls and to demonstrate that math and science lead to interesting, challenging work.
 

"Without a strong sense of self, girls will enter adulthood at a deficit: they will be less able to fulfill their potential, less willing to take on challenges, less willing to defy tradition in their career choices, which means sacrificing economic equity."

Peggy Orenstein,
in School Girls, Doubleday. 1994

• To stimulate interest in learning science and mathematics for teachers and all students.
• To raise teacher's awareness of gender equity issues as relates to math and science education.
• To expose elementary students to career opportunities in science and mathematics.
• To foster self-esteem, ambition, and math and science interest in female students.
• To provide positive female science and math role models for students.

In February 1992, the American Association of University Women released the study, How Schools Shortchange Girls, which confirmed that American girls do not receive the same education as their brothers.  Girls often reject science and math as early as 4th grade, thus affecting their future career opportunities.  Additionally, there is a circular relationship among liking math and science, self- esteem levels and career aspirations.  Girls and boys who like math and science have higher self-esteem, greater career aspirations, and are more likely to hold onto their dreams.  The study also finds that despite popular belief, adult institutions such as family and schools have a greater impact on adolescents' development than peers.
 

"Girls are being steered away from the very courses required for their productive participation in the future of America."

 Alice McKee,
President AAUW Educational Foundation
 
 

Overview
The Steps to Organize Careers and Curiosity in your Community

• AAUW Member
• Scientist (Recruiter)
• Teacher (School Contact)

AAUW tasks:

•  Set date and contact all involved institutions.
•  Work with school and presenter facilitators where needed.
•  Publicity.
•  Evaluations.

 Follow-up for extentions as requested.

Scientist related tasks:

•  Recruit presenters ( 12-18 activity centers per school).
•  Prepare presenter packets.
•  Train presenters.
•  Ascertain presenter space and equipment needs - communicate these needs to the schools

 

• Contact all teachers and administrators - solicit commitment for participation.
•  Prepare student and teacher packets.
•  Prepare lessons for classroom presentation prior to C&C.
•  Identify space and prepare map.
•  Recruit parent volunteers.

1. We begin with the commitment of two or three people.  Careers and Curiosity in Math and Science was first organized an implemented by two AAUW members in Los Alamos, NM: one school teacher and one scientist.
2. Set a date for your Careers and Curiosity.  You need to consider the school and vacation calendars.
3. Select a local school.  It is best to have a school with at least one interested teacher.  As an alternative to a teacher, the school contact person might be a PTO parent or the school principal.  Talk to the principal and confirm date with the school.
4. Prepare student and teacher handouts to explain the project and to set the focus for the day.  We've done this with Who-What-Where-Why.  These materials are useful when talking with school personnel and when recruiting career presenters.
5. Solicit commitment for participation from a core of interested teachers and administrators.
6. Review the lesson for classroom students.  This short lesson is presented to each participating classroom to engage interest one week prior to C&C.  We have presented these lessons with the enrichment teacher visiting each classroom.  We have also used trained AAUW volunteers to present the classroom lessons.
7. Recruit local women professionals who use mathematics and science in their careers.  Begin with the working mothers in the hosting school.  Brainstorm in your AAUW branch for ideas on whom to contact.  Prepare a letter to be used in recruiting.
8. Keep a list of all confirmed presenters, include presenter's name, the title of the presentation, profession, home and work phone numbers, e-mail addresses.  Ask if the presenter will need any special equipment (e.g. access to electricity, water).
9. Identify space to be used in the school.  We have found it best to avoid large spaces such as gyms because of the effects of noise on concentration.  If possible use hallways, library, music room and whatever smaller spaces are available.  It is best to spread out the tables - remember there will often be 10-12 children at a station.  The logistics will have to adjusted for each school.
10. Prepare a map of the school and assign presenters to the identified spaces.
11. Recruit parent volunteers.  Their tasks include: moving and setting up tables before the event; preparing signs with the presenter's name and the title of the presentation to be attached to the presenter's table; meeting the presenters at the door, guiding them to their locations, helping carrying in and setting up equipment; traffic control during the event; supplying water to the presenter's; helping the the breakdown and clean-up.
12. Schedule the event; figure 10 students per presenter.  For example, if you have 18 presenters you could handle 180 students.  If the school population is 500 students you should break the population into three groups.  The event could run for 3 hours and each group of students would be allowed one hour to sample the presentations.  Other methods of dividing the student body; younger students could be allocated less time and older students longer,  groups could be scheduled on the half hour.  If you remember the estimate of 10 students per presenter, you will be able to devise a schedule that will work for your school.
13. Prepare a handout for the presenter that describes the project. Also give the presenters a copy of the Who-What-Where-Why  and the list of questions that might be asked. Schedule a training session for presenters.  It is best to have a face to face training session, but this has been done using the phone and e-mail.  Since all students will be attending the C&C event, it is important to stress that girls must be given equal opportunity to participate in the presentation.   A video tape made of the very first C&C shows boys at the front of the tables taking most of the presenter's attention.
14. Contact the media for publicity.  This event provides wonderful photo ops and is a wonderful opportunity to publicize AAUW.
15. Setup a registration table for presenters; they can pick up name tags and maps here.  This table should be staffed during the event to guide visitors and to answer questions.
16. Prepare an evaluation sheet and distribute it to the presenters, students, school personnel, and to visitors.

Write thank you notes to presenters and to others such as school staff who assisted with this year's C&C.

LESSON PLAN   CAREERS AND CURIOSITY

MATERIAL:
1 Brown Lunch Sack filled with items relating to math and science professions:
         feather, bone, computer chip, stem of piñon, pot shard, calculator.

2  Paper Hat with '?'

3  Handouts for each classroom:         wwwww sheet and questions for students

INTRODUCTION:
My name is _________.  I'm here in your classroom for a few minutes today to tell you about a special event we're organizing for your school students on_______(date & time.)

WARM UP:
This project is all about curiosity.  We hope that you are curious and want to know more.  Curiosity is a feeling I have when I want to know something.  It's the feeling I get when I want to ask a question or when I want to know what is inside a box or bag.

I'll begin with the items in this sack.
Pull out one item at a time and place on a desk or on a spot in the center of
the room where most students can observe.  Ask the students what all the items have in common.  There most likely will be several correct responses.  They all fit into a bag.  They all are smaller than your hand.  They are all the color brown.

After several responses tell the students that you put these together because each is symbolic of a job relating to math and science.  Name a career for each symbol.

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE:
Read through the Who What When Where and Why  sheet

Give teacher a packet for classroom:  File folder or large construction paper folded.
        one WWWWW sheet
        a classroom set of questions

WHO  ?

        For the students at _____________school.
                AND
        THOSE WHO USE MATH AND SCIENCE  ON THE J0B

WHEN  ?
                        DATE:____________________TIME:_________________

CAREERS AND CURIOSITY:    WHAT DO YOU DO ALL DAY ?

WHAT  ?

A WALK THROUGH THE DISPLAY AREA TO VISIT WITH THE SCIENTISTS AND OTHER WHO USE
MATH AND SCIENCE ...VISIT  AT THEIR DISPLAYS.

        ï  OBSERVE , THINK , AND GET ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
        ï  DISCOVER JUST  WHAT  DO THEY DO ALL DAY .
        ï WHAT  FACETS OF  MATH  AND SCIENCE DO THEY USE?

WHY  ?

WE THINK IT WILL BE INTERESTING AND CHALLENGING.

WE THINK IT WILL BE A TIME OF LEARNING ABOUT MATH AND
                        SCIENCE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

TO HAVE A TIME  FULL OF CURIOSITY AND COURTEOUS ACTIVITY.

As part of a celebration of Womenís History Month Chamisa and Mountain Elementary will participate in the 3rd annual  program sponsored by American Association of University Women in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory and Los Alamos Public Schools.

We are inviting women scientists to participate in a career awareness program on Friday afternoon, April 8, 1994.  They will have displays showing aspects of their jobs.  Students will walk through, examine the displays, and ask the scientists prepared questions.

Recent research findings show that girls still lag in mathematics and science scores, and even those who do well in those subjects tend not to choose math and science careers.  Studies of girls who continued to study science after high school showed that encouragement of teachers was crucial in their decisions.  We hope that this pilot program will encourage our young students to think of their many possibilities.
 

The objectives are:
    - to stimulate interest in learning science and mathematics
    - to expose young students to career opportunities in science and mathematics
    - to foster self esteem, ambition,  math and science interest in female students
 

Contacts:
  Edi Klingner  983-8104
  Denise George   667-6248

1. WHAT IS FUN AT YOUR JOB?
2. WHAT CHANGES WILL OCCUR IN YOUR JOB OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS?
3. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
4. DO YOU HAVE TO BE A MATH WHIZ TO DO YOUR JOB?
5. WHAT PER CENT OF YOUR WORK DAY IS ROUTINE WORK -- WORK THAT IS NOT MUCH FUN?
6. DOES YOUR JOB INVOLVE HAZARDS FOR YOU OR FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT?
7. DO YOU USE MORE MATH OR MORE SCIENCE IN YOUR JOB?
8. WHICH FAMOUS WOMAN SCIENTIST DO YOU ADMIRE?  WHY?

We have held Careers and Curiosity in Math and Science day at all elementary schools in Los Alamos over the past several years .  The reception by students and staff has been so positive that we have been asked to repeat.  Wednesday morning, May 1, 1996 at Pinon School has been chosen, and the laboratory has again agreed to be a co-sponsor.  We will be offering training sessions for presenters in April.  We especially need you and your colleagues to join with women professionals from outside the laboratory.  Please fill out the attached form and return it to Denise as soon as possible.

We expect to improve upon a very successful pilot project and to expose more of our young Los Alamos children to women in non-traditional careers.  The original spark came from the AAUW study that demonstrated that American girls do not receive the same education as their brothers and that girls often reject science and math as early as 4th or 5th grade, thus affecting their future career opportunities.  The organizers of the project hope to counteract this tendency by acquainting all young students with women who are excited about their careers. This exposure might plant the seed of curiosity in the minds of some of our young girls by demonstrating that math and science lead to interesting and fulfilling careers.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name_________________ MS_________ Phone______________

e-mail_________________

Yes count on me for 96_______
No, I can't make it         _______

YOU MAY EXPECT:
 

• Many eager students wanting to see and touch and question
• Empty  tables in the hall space, library, computer and art rooms for your display
• Classrooms of students coming through ---approximately 100 per hour

1.  Students will have had an orientation on what to expect.  They may  come with an assignment to get answers to their questions.  Their attention span is short.  An answer of two or three sentences may be sufficient.  If the interest remains there will be another question.

2.  HANDS ON  ...  Kids learn through all their senses.  Bring items kids can pick up, feel and manipulate.  Consider bringing any ìtools of your tradeî such as actual tools, models,  or items that may be a part of your work.  Remember Safety.

3.  HELPERS  ...  There will be several adults wearing paper hats or badges.  Their purpose is to help you in whatever way possible.  Call on them if you need something or if there is a particular problem. They know the school and the children will be glad to assist in whatever way they can.

4.   VISUALS  ...   Think of posters, pictures or photos that may be bright and colorful.  Do you have anything amazing or intriguing to arouse curiosity?  Perhaps attach a question to stimulate thinking.

5.  MACHINES  ...   If you use recordings we recommend you use sounds that will be effective at a low noise level.  We have a computer room and Macs available,  but they may be best for display purposes rather than interactive exercises.

6.  TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS... Whenever possible mention the personality and character traits that are important in your work.  Do you have to tolerate failures and keep on trying?  What about curiosity, imagination, and hard work.  Many of these are also experienced by our students.

7.  PURPOSE  ...   Our purpose is to intrigue, capture wonder and interest  in the many possibilities that lie ahead for a life of working and learning.
 

8.  ENJOY  ...  and let us know your thoughts on  the evaluation sheet.

______________________________________________________________________________

      A LOT        LITTLE
1  THERE WAS ENTHUSIASM FOR LEARNING.
      4  3  2   1

______________________________________________________________________________

      A LOT        LITTLE
2  THERE WAS INVOLVEMENT WITH
 THE CAREER DISPLAYS.  4  3  2  1

______________________________________________________________________________

      A LOT        LITTLE
3  THIS AFTERNOON WAS A VALUABLE
 LEARNING EXPERIENCE.  4  3  2  1
______________________________________________________________________________

4   LIST THE WAYS YOU FOUND THIS VALUABLE.         WHAT HAS BECOME CLEARER TO YOU?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
 

5  COMMENTS AND  SUGGESTIONS

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
 

This evaluation was completed by:
___Presenter    ___Teacher     ___Student    ___Parent    ___Administrator    ___Other

Thank you for so generously giving of your time and efffort to support the Careers and Curiosity in Math and Science Program at Pinon Elementary School.  The collaboration among teachers, students, scientists, volunteers, AAUW, LANL, and the Schools produced an exciting afternoon of learning and discovery.  The careful preparation by the scientists resulted in excellent displays.  It was wonderful that the students had the chance to interact with scientists.   We know that the students will remain excited about math and science because of such opportunities.  The scientists are all superb role models for our girls!

You helped make our pilot career awareness program such an outstanding success.