Science for All: What Do Our Kids Say?

How do we interest more children in science – particularly those who come from communities not well served by classroom, informal, after-school, or summer science programs?

 The Noyce Foundation partnered with Techbridge, the World Café Community Foundation, and Youth Radio to host a series of conversations on science with 7th and 8th graders from Edendale Middle School in San Lorenzo, California. Highlights of these conversations can be seen in the video “Science for All: What Do Our Kids Say?” The video was created as part of the Noyce Foundation’s efforts to encourage science in afterschool programs which offer a safe, hands-on setting for kids to explore science ideas in ways that aren’t possible in school. The video illustrates what youth think about science and what would turn them on to learning science. The accompanying “conversation guide” was developed by the project partners to share what they learned about creating similar conversations with youth that could be used as a way to help invite and motivate youth to become more engaged in science activities and learning in and out of school.

For additional information on the Noyce Foundation’s informal science efforts, see www.noycefdn.org/informalScience.php.