Louisiana State University
2006 National GK-12 Conference
This GK-12 program (Track 1, 2005-08) is a joint effort of the Office of Strategic Initiatives and the
Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Basic Sciences, and Engineering at LSU. It is coordinated by LSU’s
Gordon A. Cain Center which currently manages or collaborates in over $8M in grant and contract
funding for a variety of education, research, and outreach programs. The GK-12 program profits in
many ways by the vast opportunities to network, share, and collaborate with other major education
initiatives like LSU’s (a) content department based “Concentrations in Secondary Education,” (b)
Broadmoor High School
Belaire High School
Molecular Formula
• C6H12O6 - tells us there are 6 carbon atoms,
12 hydrogen atoms, 6 oxygen atoms in 1
sugar molecule
• Molecular formula-simplest whole # ratio of
atoms making up a molecule (cov bonds)
Field trip to the Louisiana Laser
Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory
Undergraduate student tutors
students.
Is C6H12O6 the
correct molecular
formula for sugar?
glucose (sugar)
Program Objectives
Compounds must have a net 0 charge
•
Implement an AP physics course and upgrade the regular
physics to honors.
• Raise the level of interest in STEM disciplines.
• Link undergraduate science and math to the secondary level.
Our Program
• A graduate candidate from LSU is working as a liaison
between the math and physics courses.
• Lab activities that include inquiry and technology are being
designed and implemented.
• Lab manuals are being prepared which include detailed
documentation for teachers and students.
• Higher level mathematics concepts are introduced in selected
physics lectures/demonstrations.
• Alignment of advanced math, calculus and physics curricula.
Accomplishments
• The students are adjusting remarkably well to the transition
from honors to AP level physics.
• An AP physics class will be offered in 2006-2007.
• The possibility of offering Algebra I and physical science to 7th
graders & geometry and conceptual physics to 8th graders is
being explored.
• The GK-12 team supports the school’s new math lab, which
has 32 new computers as well as probes for data collection and
analysis. The GK-12 undergraduate fellow has been
instrumental in the activities of the new lab, tutoring students
and developing an efficient scheduling procedure.
• the algebraic sum of all the ox#’s of all
atoms
• in a molecule or compound must equal 0
• ex. NaCl, NaOH, Al2O3
•NaCl – Na+1 and Cl-1 so (+1) + (-1) = 0
•NaOH – try this one
•Al2O3 – Al2+3 and O3-2 so 2 (+3) + 3 (-2) = 0
The majority of
Belaire high school
students feel that
chemistry is often
presented in an
abstract manner.
Thus, it is
sometimes difficult
to effectively
convey chemistry
concepts using
conventional
blackboard-style
lectures. In fact, a
significant number
of students tend to
lose attention at
critical points during
instruction making it
difficult for them to
build the
prerequisite
knowledge needed
for college.
Students use manipulatives to
study physics.
Mathematics graduate
student Karli Morris
helps students in the
Kenilworth Middle
School math lab.
(Left) Science teacher Sue Johnson joins with GK-12 undergraduate
fellow Ashleigh Cullen and students during the demonstrations using
chemicals to make “silly puddy”. The demonstration was used to
illustrate how important fractions and percents are to chemistry.
(Right) Students display their projects with the GK-12 fellows.
Multimedia Chemistry Lectures
Individualizing Math Instruction and
raising test scores.
Program Objectives
Algebra in the 8th grade
Program Objectives
•Algebra students in 8th grade will be adequately prepared for high
school mathematics.
•Students will participate in tutoring that is offered during school
and after school which prepares the students for standardized tests.
•To raise the interest in the fields of Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics.
•To improving standardized test scores using tutoring during
school, after school, and on Saturdays.
•Utilizing the Leap Test scores to identify high achieving
students for enrichment activities.
•To increase teacher collaboration and cross curricular
activities.
Our Program
•Karli Morris, a GK-12 graduate student in the math
department at Louisiana State University, enriches instruction
by tutoring high achieving students in small groups.
•Danika Robinson, an undergraduate student, prepares students
for state testing.
•The students in each group have been identified by analyzing
data from previous standardized tests.
•Produce supplemental instruction material for existing honors
chemistry class and non-honors classes.
•Provide material support for chemistry lab demonstrations.
•Utilize multimedia-based lectures.
•Build infrastructure for an AP chemistry course and bridge high
school level chemistry with college freshmen level chemistry.
Our Program
•An LSU chemistry Ph.D. candidate is working with a veteran high
school chemistry teacher to augment the existing chemistry
curriculum.
•Conventional chemistry lecture notes and related instruction
materials are being converted into electronic notes.
Kenilworth Middle
School
Capitol Middle School
Program Objectives
•Use Microsoft™ PowerPoint to present chemistry lectures in a more
attractive and exciting way.
•Color code text to help students to mentally link terminology with
concepts.
•Color code numbers and equations to help students better
understand mathematical operations related to instruction.
•Use animation to introduce complex concepts in a stepwise manner.
Graduate student Karim ElKohly
demonstrates a physics lab
Math and Science Partnerships, and (c) Advanced Placement Initiative. The GK-12 activities address
the educational needs of the school systems in the greater Baton Rouge area. All activities are
designed to directly impact student achievement in the participating classrooms and, equally
important, to lay the foundation for systemic and sustainable links between our university and K-12.
The project supports nine school teams per year consisting of one graduate fellow, two teachers, and
one undergraduate fellow. Below, four of the nine teams present their GK-12 projects in more detail.
Accomplishments
Capitol Middle students join
other students to see a
demonstration by ExxonMobil.
Capitol Middle students join other
students to see a demonstration
using liquid nitrogen.
Our Program
•Engineering graduate student Kevin Tubbs teaches high school level
algebra to 8th grade students along side an experienced math teacher.
•Ashleigh Cullen, an undergraduate student at Louisiana State
University operates the math lab, which provides tutoring during and
after school.
•GK-12 team members analyze test data to identify advanced students
to be steered toward Algebra I.
Accomplishments
•The development of a math elective course which aims to make use
of the school’s existing video production lab to develop math tutoring
video lessons for the school.
•The tutoring program will expand and incorporate peer tutoring.
•LSU’s GK-12 program and American Chemical Society collaborate
to provide both in class demonstrations and field trips to the
chemistry department’s Super Saturday Science day on LSU campus.
•Raised interest in mathematics and math related fields.
•Collaboration of team members and math teachers has made it
easier to identify high achievers and direct them toward
advanced placement courses such as calculus.
•The project affords graduate and undergraduate students
valuable teaching experience in their field.
•Teachers from Kenilworth Middle School are participating in
staff development along side the Louisiana State University
students.
•A Saturday tutoring program has been developed that prepares
8th graders for standardized tests.
Undergraduate student
Danica Robinson tutors
sixth graders with
Stanine scores of 3 or
less.