For Immediate Release
Contact: John
M. Martino
Phone Number: (215) 895-1186
Date: 05/10/00
USP Helping
Grade School Teachers To Teach Science in a Creative and
Fun Manner
If science is taught through amusing and
interesting activities such as making ice cream in baggies
to teach physical change, then grade school students will
be excited to learn about the world of science. This is
the belief of a program called OPPS (Operation Primary Physical
Science). The program is funded in part by the National
Science Foundation and organized by Louisiana State University,
which developed the materials and trained 36 national teams.
On May 12 and 13, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Philadelphia team
will host 20 kindergarten through fourth-grade teachers
during an educational workshop at University of the Sciences
in Philadelphia (USP), located at 600 South 43rd
Street. The workshop will focus on helping teachers learn
the principles and concepts of physical science. Teachers
will become more confident in their knowledge of physical
science, thus impacting their students learning of science.
"The OPPS program takes a ‘constructivist’
approach to science education," said Lois Peck, associate
professor of biology and director of the science teacher
certification program at USP. Students build on their own
experiences, with the teachers serving as coaches and mentors.
"These workshops will build teachers’
confidence, increase their understanding of scientific concepts
and demonstrate a variety of effective science teaching
strategies for young students," added Peck, who directs
the Philadelphia-area OPPS leadership team.
The participants, teachers from the Philadelphia
and surrounding school districts, will receive plenty of
on-going support from the OPPS leaders.
"If a teacher is having difficulty
getting a concept across, they can call one of us, and we
will happily provide assistance," said Peck.
Peck noted that the excitement of some local
children to the activities OPPS has demonstrated shows the
effectiveness of the program. "In an experiment on
air pressure, a small boy was only holding a string but
he was happy to be participating," recalled Peck. "When
I asked him if he wanted me to take over, he said, ‘No,
this is fun. I didn’t know science could be so much
fun … like playing.’"
If you would like more information on the
OPPS program, call Lois Peck at (215) 596-8922.
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
is a private, coeducational institution founded in 1821
as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first college of
pharmacy in North America. USP specializes in educating
students for rewarding health and science careers through
its ten bachelor's, ten master's and four doctoral degree
programs in the health and related sciences.
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