The Youth Science Institute

TO INSPIRE ENTHUSIASM FOR SCIENCE AND A LOVE OF LEARNING.

EARLY CHILDHOOD SCIENCE EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT, BUT MOST PUBLIC SCHOOLS FACE OBSTACLES TO INCLUDING IT IN THEIR CURRICULUM. MANY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE THE TIME, SCIENCE BACKGROUND, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, OR FACILITIES TO TEACH SCIENCE, YET STUDIES SHOW THAT EARLY EXPOSURE OF CHILDREN TO STEM SUBJECTS IS CRITICAL TO SPARKING A LIFE-LONG INTEREST. THE NEED TO ENHANCE SCIENCE EDUCATION THROUGH OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROVIDERS LIKE YSI IS UNDERSCORED BY A STUDY OF CALIFORNIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS REVEALING 40% OF K-5 TEACHERS SPEND 60 MINUTES OR LESS PER WEEK ON SCIENCE AND 13% SPEND 30 MINUTES OR LESS ON SCIENCE. SOURCE: DORPH, R., SHIELDS, P., TIFFANY-MORALES, J., HARTRY, A., MCCAFFREY, T. (2011). THE STATUS OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE CALIFORNIA: RESEARCH BRIEF. LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AND SRI INTERNATIONAL.YSI MAINTAINS THREE SCIENCE AND NATURE CENTERS DELIVERING HANDS-ON, NATURE-BASED SCIENCE PROGRAMS: ALUM ROCK PARK, SAN JOSE; SANBORN COUNTY PARK, SARATOGA; AND VASONA LAKE COUNTY PARK, LOS GATOS. EACH SCIENCE AND NATURE CENTER HAS SPECIALIZED AND UNIQUE ARTIFACTS, COLLECTIONS, AND RESOURCES THAT CONNECT CHILDREN WITH NATURE WHILE TEACHING SCIENCE. IF TEACHERS CANNOT BRING THEIR STUDENTS TO YSI, YSI BRINGS THEIR PROGRAMS TO THEM. YSI'S INQUIRY-BASED, LIFE, PHYSICAL, EARTH, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE PROGRAMS ENRICH TRADITIONAL SCHOOL-BASED CURRICULA BY PROVIDING AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, RATHER THAN LEARNING ABOUT THE OHLONE INDIANS BY READING ABOUT THEM IN A BOOK, THE YSI PROGRAM IMMERSES CHILDREN IN THE OHLONE INDIANS' WAY OF LIFE, CULTURE, CUSTOMS, HISTORY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY LIVED.YSI'S EXPERIENTIAL, HANDS-ON, PARK-BASED PROGRAMS SPARK INTEREST AND ENGAGEMENT IN A WAY THAT NO OTHER LEARNING OPPORTUNITY CAN: HALF OF ITS PROGRAMS FEATURE A NATURE WALK AND/OR A HANDS-ON ENCOUNTER WITH ITS COLLECTION OF LIVE ANIMALS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN YSI'S ANIMALS AND THEIR ADAPTATIONS PROGRAM, CHILDREN GET A UNIQUE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH LIVE ANIMALS - FROM TOADS, NEWTS, SNAKES, AND TURTLES, TO BEARDED DRAGONS AND CHINCHILLAS.YSI BELIEVES, AS MARGARET MEAD SAID, "CHILDREN MUST BE TAUGHT HOW TO THINK, NOT WHAT TO THINK." AS SUCH, YSI ENCOURAGES CHILDREN TO BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THEIR OWN LEARNING. THE HANDS-ON NATURE OF YSI PROGRAMS HELPS CHILDREN SEE THAT SCIENCE IS FUN AND EXCITING, AND HAS REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS. WHEN CHILDREN SEE THE RELEVANCE OF SCIENCE, LEARNING BECOMES MORE MEANINGFUL AND MEMORABLE. YSI'S GOALS ARE TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF 21ST CENTURY SKILLS SUCH AS CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, CREATIVITY, COMMUNICATION, AND TEAMWORK THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR ACADEMIC AND, ULTIMATELY, ECONOMIC SUCCESS.