ACS FOCUS
Prehigh School Education Committed to promoting excellence in chemical education at all levels, ACS, in 1986, expanded its efforts to include prehigh school programs and, this year, set up the Office of Prehigh School Science. This office focuses on programs and materials designed to benefit elementary and middle school students, parents, teachers, and the community. It promotes hands-on physical science in and outside the classroom. The prehigh school office has much in the works and more on the drawing board. It administers ACS's PACTS (Parents & Children for Terrific Science) program, which provides funding for projects that encourage hands-on science workshops for adult/child teams. Typical PACTS workshop activities include explorations to discover why grape juice turns green when baking soda is added to it; what makes slime slimy; and how nonfat milk, vinegar, and baking soda can form glue. PACTS provides minigrants in amounts up to $1000 for model projects that are likely to continue after ACS support has been withdrawn. Thirteen such projects were funded nationwide in the 1988-89 school year out of about 40 submitted. Grant recipients include elementary and high schools, colleges, ACS local sections, museums, and church groups. "PACTS FACTS"— a booklet that describes the program, topics that have been funded, and eligibility requirements—is available from the ACS prehigh school office. The society's Campaign for Chemistry includes funds of $600,000 to expand the PACTS program significantly. Separate from ACS's minigrant program, the Cleveland area is receiving $20,000 over five years for PACTS activities through a specifically designated contribution to the Campaign for Chemistry. The office is providing staff support and developing instructional materials and hands-on activities books for this program. It developed hands-on workshops on food chemistry, light, airplane design, and electric-
be published in partnership with the American Institute of Physics, which PRIMARY PURPOSES also will provide financial, editorial, To interest and involve and promotional support. As a result elementary and middle school of the ACS/AIP collaboration, the magstudents in chemistry and other azine will double its number of issues sciences To develop instructional to eight yearly. A teacher's guide that materials for hands-on science lists topics in advance will be availactivities suitable for schools and able with the October issue. Current homes circulation of WonderScience is about 20,000, with most being purchased by HOW FUNDED elementary and middle schools for disOperational support from ACS tribution to students. Each subscripmembership dues ( 1989 budget tion costs $5.00 plus a handling charge $ 129,000, includes $43,000 of $2.50 per address. in revenues); grants totaled about ACS staffers also develop instructional $9000 in 1989) posters for display in classrooms. For example, WonderScience posters on STAFF ORGANIZATION polymers, color, and acid/base indicaOffice of Prehigh School Science, tors combine an artist's rendition of within the Department of Academic the topic with instructions for handsPrograms, a unit of the Education on activities. "Chemistry-Walk" posters Division chart walks through a city block, a suburban mall, and a country setting STAFF PERSONNEL explaining the chemical nature and Two full-time persons; coordinator:physical properties of objects normalAnn Benbow, (202) 872-6179 ly found at these sites. The staff is completing a "Chemist in the Classroom" videotape, designed Society Committee on Education to help visiting chemists give useful (chairman RonaldD. Archer) presentations in elementary school classrooms. ACS Corporation Assoity for another special PACTS project ciates supplied $5000 toward the organized with the Detroit Science Cen- project. The video will be made availter, which received funding from the able to local sections, ACS divisions, Detroit Free Press for adult/child work- and chemical companies. The office shops on topics pertinent to the Black also provides staff support for the Achievers in Science Exhibit. This "Chemistry for Kids" workshops spontouring exhibit opened last month in sored by the Division of Chemical EdDetroit. Over a 40-day period the cen- ucation at national meetings and it will ter is providing transportation for ele- organize this workshop for the Boston mentary school students and parents meeting in April. Among projects on the drawing to see the exhibit and take part in the board are training workshops for eleworkshops. Another ACS activity in this area is mentary and middle school teachers publication of WonderScience, a family- who teach science as part of their science-activity magazine, in comic curricula (a project modeled after and book format, for children in grades intended as a companion to AlP's highfour through six. Each issue is based ly successful effort for physics, "Opon a single theme; topics in 1988 eration Physics") and a hands-on intewere acid/base indicators, microen- grated science curriculum for junior capsulation, polymers, and color. high school students that includes probStarting this month WonderScience will lem solving and decision-making.
RELATED GOVERNANCE
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