Award Date

1-1-1993

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Number of Pages

93

Abstract

This study explored the influence of a transformative elementary science curriculum on at-risk students. Project S.M.I.L.E., the focus of this study, uses strategies for curriculum development proposed by theorists of the post-modern era within the framework of social constructivism. Students in this program collaborate in their roles as students-as-teachers to prepare and present lessons to visitors of their school's natural history museum and science laboratory; Data collection was conducted at Alison Leigh Elementary School in a metropolitan area of the southwestern United States. Observations of the students, interviews with parents and classroom teachers, student discussions, and journal writings of the 17 fifth grade S.M.I.L.E. team students were collected for data analysis in this case study. Five themes emerged from the data that conceptualized the influence of a transformative elementary science curriculum on at-risk students. Implications for transformative curriculum development were drawn.

Keywords

Case; Curriculum; Elementary; Influence; Report; Risk; Science; Students; Transformative

Controlled Subject

Curriculum planning; Science--Study and teaching; Education, Elementary

File Format

pdf

File Size

3358.72 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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Rights

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