CCESS SCIENCE - Netter Center for Community Partnerships

CENTER FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS 2007
MOELIS
MOELIS
CCESS SCIENCE
University of Pennsylvania
Improving science, tech nol o g y , e n g i n e erin g
and m a t h e d ucati on in west P hilad e lphia

“We’re a private university that
has a very big public responsibility,
and our public responsibility is
to the democratic society in
which we live.”
- Amy Gutmann, University President
oelis Access Science (MAS)
works to improve science,
technology, engineering, and
math education (STEM) in
grades K-12 in urban public schools in West Philadelphia
and at Penn as well. In its partnerships with STEM teachers
MAS provides professional development, direct classroom
support, and the introduction and adaptation of hands-on
activities and inquiry-based strategies into existing STEM
curricula. Thus, MAS acts as a pillar of support in addressing
STEM Education K-16+ both at Penn and within the community
it serves.

Moelis Access
Science
M
oelis Access Science
supports the development
of high quality
works to improve
science, technology, engineering, and math
(STEM) education for grades K-12 in West
Philadelphia urban public schools. At the
same time, the program helps to improve both
A Penn ABCS student with a Sayre High
School Student in Math 122. undergraduate and graduate STEM education at Penn by connecting its students and faculty
with teachers and their classrooms in mutual learning environments and, where possible,
is connected to faculty research. This Penn program was started in 1999 with initial funding by the Graduate
Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) initiative of the National Science Foundation.
The project is coordinated by the Center for Community Partnerships and the Mathematics Department.
MAS works with STEM-Related faculty from across Penn’s campus including members several from the
School of Arts and Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Biological Basis of Behavior, Physics, and Environmental
Studies). It also includes faculty from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Nursing,
School of Medicine, and the Graduate School of Education.
The Moelis Access Science program has four primary components:
• Direct Classroom Intervention (K-12 Teacher-Fellow Partnerships)
• STEM-Related Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) Courses
• Teacher Professional Development & Staff Meetings
Sayre High School
STEM ABCS Course
Math 122: Community Algebra Initiative
• Evaluation

Students in Biology class at West Philadelphia High
School proudly show off their DNA extractions.
CLASSROOM FELLOWS
C
lassroom Fellows partnered with K-12
STEM teachers are a major component of
the Moelis Access Science Program. Since
1999 MAS has funded 35 graduate and
over 110 undergraduate Classroom Fellows. Additionally,
numerous students have volunteered as classroom
fellows to aid in the program’s success. Averaging 8-10
hours per week, these fellows have worked with over 80
teacher partners at 10 different schools. MAS has worked
with the Federal Work Study Program to increase the
number of Fellows it funds each year. Program coordinators
manage the recruitment, hiring, and partnering of
the fellows, as well as support their relationships with the
K-12 teachers.
Classroom Fellows conduct one or more of the following activities:
• Provide direct classroom support by working with the teachers to implement lessons, labs and
activities with the K-12 students.
• Enhance K-12 STEM education by providing real-world applications and activities as context
to make relevant the content students are learning.
• Collaborate with teacher partner to develop hands-on inquiry-based activities, lessons, and
labs that are aligned to the existing STEM curriculum for implementation in the classroom.
• Adapt existing models of hands-on and inquiry-based activities appropriate for the facilities
and equipment of the local schools.
• Conduct experiments with teacher partners prior to classroom implementation in order to
provide familiarity and allow for appropriate modification if necessary.
• Document and replicate effectively implemented curricula.
• Plan and facilitate content-based professional development sessions for teachers.
Students at Drew Elementary school
build robots with guidance from a
Moelis Access Science Fellow who
started a robotics program at the school.

Academically based
community service
(ABCS)
O
ver 150 Academically Based Community Service
(ABCS) courses from various schools and disciplines
across the University have been established in West
Philadelphia through the Center for Community Partnerships.
ABCS courses involve hands-on, real-world problem solving
which is believed to inspire students to become active, participating
citizens of a democratic society.
These courses encompass teaching as well as research, which encourage
the student and faculty to reflect on the service experience through
classroom discussions and journaling. ABCS courses are committed to
making a significant difference in the community of West Philadelphia
and at Penn by interlocking theory and practice through its activities.
ABCS faculty and students work to solve various critical community
problems pertaining to the environment, health, education and the arts.
This goal is met through their work with West Philadelphia public
schools, communities of faith and community organizations.
ABCS intertwines community service with teaching and research, it
also:
• Emphasizes student and faculty reflection on solutions to problems
based in the community.
• Aims to reinforce the fundamental community infrastructure by
supporting its public schools, neighborhood developments, and
community organizations.
• Reaffirms Benjamin Franklin’s belief that: “The great Aim and
End of all Learning…” is service to society.
The University of Pennsylvania offers approximately
150 Academically Based Community
Service (ABCS) courses; nearly fifty are offered
each academic year.
ABCS
@
PENN

Stem related abcs courses
M
oelis Access Science has developed over a dozen ABCS courses in the STEM-related fields.
STEM ABCS courses partner with K-12 teachers in West Philadelphia public schools for an
entire semester of support. Penn faculty and graduate students develop hands-on and inquiry-based
activities, lessons, and labs. They are facilitated by Penn students with small
groups of K-12 students in the teacher partner’s classroom. The activities developed are centered on realworld
contexts to make the learning of the STEM content relevant.
Penn students in STEM ABCS courses typically create and implement STEM-related projects associated with
the course partnership. The structure of these projects is similar to that of the other activities, lessons, and labs
associated with the course. In some instances they are designed to target specific content that the K-12 students
need. Once designed and class-tested, successful projects are archived for use in subsequent semesters.
Thus, these course partnerships are mutually beneficial: not only improving K-12 education, but also improving
Penn undergraduate and graduate STEM education as well. STEM ABCS courses are sustainable components
of Moelis Access Science program and Penn’s overall partnership activities. Moelis Access Science,
working with Penn’s Center for Community Partnerships, continues to develop and support new STEM ABCS
courses.
There are various models of these course partnerships:
ABCS course Penn Side K-12 School Site Side Partnership Models
Physics 137
one physics faculty member
with staff support
one physics teacher
various times throughout
the semester
Biology 150
one biology faculty member
with graduate student support
one biology teacher
all classes during the course
of one day each week
Math 123
one math faculty member with
graduate student support
four geometry teachers
one in each of their classes
once a week

Stem abcs in the
community
STEM ABCS courses include the teaching of basic skills combined with
real world applications. For example, students learn the physics involved
with roller coasters and the science involved during a crime scene investigation.
In “The Community Math Teaching Project (Math 123)” Penn
students teach a series of hands-on activities to students in geometry
classes at University City High School. During the first class meeting of
each week, the students enrolled in the course review the relevant
mathematical background and techniques for a hands-on activity. The
second session of each week is then devoted to teaching an activity to a
small group of high school students. The Penn students develop their
own activities to implement as well.
The goal of the “The Community Physics Initiative (Physics 137)”
is to link the practical and theoretical aspects of fundamental physics concepts
to engage students in significant research and service activities. This
class incorporates a joint class trip to Dorney Park’s Physics Day, centered
around the physics of roller coasters, in which students are taught
how to use accelerometers and then measure, graph and analyze data
they obtain during their roller coaster rides.
“Learning Biology by Teaching Biology (Bio 150)” is designed to
provide Penn students with the opportunity to teach lessons on basic biology
concepts, including: genetics, evolution, anatomy, physiology and
other high-school level material. Students are then charged with leading
hands-on activities. For the past two years, the graduate fellows working
with Bio 150 also ran monthly professional development sessions for
high-school biology teachers from throughout the School District of
Philadelphia (SDOP). 25 district teachers from 16 schools participated
over seven sessions in 2005-06. In 2006-07, that number increased to 34
teachers from 26 schools. Through our work with this ABCS course and
leading professional development sessions, Moelis Access Science has
developed and adapted many hands-on activities for use in the District's
classrooms. Some of our biology program lesson plans are listed as resources
in the SDOP’s Biology Core Curriculum document.
Students in the Community Physics Initiative experience physics
first hand at the amusement park. Accelerometer readings are
measured and recorded on site and graphed back in the classroom.
With the increasing popularity of forensics, “Crime Science Instruction:
CSI and Science in High School” is a new STEM ABCS
course offering. High school students are introduced the science of DNA
and the science of forensic toxicology via an established chemistry class.
Under the guidance of faculty in the course, students design and implement
a teaching plan related to these content areas. A crime scene is
staged by actual law enforcement to initiate the partnerships and learning
context between the Penn students and the high school students.

Other Moelis Access Science
affiliated courses
STEM ABCS courses offered through Moelis Access Science also
include:
• Urban Environments: Prevention of Childhood
Lead Poisoning
• Prevention of Tobacco Smoking
• Bioengineering in the World
• Design, Visualization and Construction for
Community Development
• The Community Algebra Initiative
• ABCs of Neuroscience
• ABCs of Chemistry
• Urban Asthma Epidemic
Students at University City High School
participate in the Community Physics
Initiative STEM ABCS course.

TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AND STAFF MEETINGS
Through our relationship with the K-12 school administration and the STEM ABCS teacher partners, MAS has
been able to run teacher professional development sessions at the sites in which MAS serves (and in some cases
teachers beyond where MAS serves). These sessions often occur during in-service professional development
days, after school, or during the summer months.
In the course of planning and implementing the STEM-related ABCS Courses, there are regular meetings with
the teacher partners that facilitate two-way dialogues. This allows teacher partners to provide valuable input
to MAS activities. Two examples of MAS teacher professional development are the MAS Biology Program
(Penn faculty and graduate fellows associated with Bio 150) and the MAS Math Squad (Penn faculty and graduate
fellows associated with the math ABCS courses).
The MAS Math Squad works with all the geometry teachers at University City High School. They hold weekly
meetings with all the geometry teachers centered on geometry content and the labs the Penn students are implementing
in their classrooms. The Math Squad also maintains a website where it archives its activities and
lessons along with other resources of use to its teacher partners. During in-service days at our partner K-12
schools, the Math Squad commonly uses these archived labs to frame content-based professional development
sessions.
For two years, the graduate fellows working with Bio 150 have run monthly professional development sessions
for High School Biology Teachers from the School District of Philadelphia (SDOP). 25 district teachers from
16 schools participated over the seven sessions in 2005-06. 34 district teachers from 26 schools have participated
so far in 2006-07. Through MAS work with this ABCS course and leading PD sessions Moelis Access
Science has developed and adapted many hands-on activities for use in SDOP classrooms.
Moelis Access Science conducts teacher professional development sessions. These were enacted as a result of
the partnerships created with the K-12 administration and STEM teachers at the sites in which MAS serves.
There are also teachers that work at non-MAS sites participating in the professional development sessions.

EVALUATION
External evaluation is an ongoing tool for improving the quality of
Moelis Access Science activities. In surveys and interviews MAS participants
(faculty, K-12 teacher partners, graduate and undergraduate
fellows, and the STEM ABCS Course enrollees) shared the following:
• “You feel you are making some difference, no matter how small, in students’
interest and understanding of science.”
• “The most rewarding experience is actually learning what the students hope
to do with their lives and just how detailed their plans are in order for them
to get to that point.”
• “I have increased content knowledge and (student) understanding of biology.
We show them that science applies to the real world.”
• “I feel that the most important way I impact the students is through my
individual conversations with them. Many of them come to me for advice on
college and that whole process.”
When asked to reflect on the experience of STEM ABCS, one undergraduate
enrolled in “Physics 137: Community Physics Teaching Project”
reported that the course took him outside the somewhat insulated
environment of the academic setting and into the community to apply
knowledge in a real world setting. In his view, “Physics is important
subject matter for high-schoolers to master. More important than the
actual material is the thought process necessary to think critically, and
solve problems systematically. This thought process transcends physics
and will extend to whatever academic discipline our students plan to
pursue in the future. In addition to teaching the students about academics,
we served as role models for the youngsters. As successful
Penn students, we can give them an image of where they want to be in
five years, and help them get there...Physics 137 was a more than
worthwhile experience. I will personally recruit people from my various
networks around the university in order to increase enrollment and
allow us to make a bigger difference in the coming semesters”

“We have found that the combination of our programmatic
components is critical for making substantial
change. We are aware that there are other STEM programs
that offer the individual components, we feel
that it is our integration of all of them that has made
our program uniquely successful, and one that Penn is
anxious to sustain and expand.”
- Dennis DeTurck, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
M
AS plans to integrate Problem Solving Learning into
our curricular development, and develop better
assessment tools and strategies to document the
positive effects our program has among the K-12
students. We believe that integrating Problem Solving Learning aimed
at addressing community needs will make STEM content increasingly
relevant and promote willingness to learn more.
Problem solving learning opportunities
for undergraduates include:
• ABCS Courses
• Studio Courses
• Design Projects
• Capstone Seminars
• Research Experiences
• Thesis & Independent Research
Problem solving
learning
@
penn

MOELIS
MOELIS
CCESS SCIENCE
University of Pennsylvania
CENTER FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
133 S. 36th Street, Suite 519
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-746-0214
http://www.upenn.edu/ccp/access-science/home.html