ABSTRACT

Those of us who have taught for many years can recall instances when students become so engaged that they cannot avoid learning. At these times, students are so excited about asking questions, trying out new things, sharing their observations, and making sense of the world around them that it is nearly impossible to stop them, be it for recess, lunch, or to go home. These situations exemplify the motivation just described by Falk and Dierking (2000) and represent the pinnacle of good science education. Unfortunately, these occurrences of meaningful science learning are too infrequent in traditional school settings. The innovative School in the Park program, however, provides students with a large number of these science experiences. Teachers receive models of exemplary science education to use back at the school site and students gain far more than just an opportunity to be in a new environment. I was asked to visit School in the Park and think about the ways in which science standards were being met. In this chapter, I outline my thinking on this subject. I have invited Anson Lee from the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center to think about how School in the Park has impacted the museum and their educational curriculum. His response is included in Fig. 8.1.