Our Mission
Our Mission
Embedded Files
The Ypsilanti Community School District does not have a dedicated science curriculum in elementary schools despite state-mandated science testing in 5th grade.
SEEK aims to help bridge this gap in access to science education by leveraging the time and knowledge of U of M graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Through hands-on learning activities and close mentorship, we hope to ignite excitement and curiosity and inspire the next generation of scientists.
Our Initiatives
Our Initiatives
Year-long Science Curriculum
Year-long Science Curriculum
A group of graduate students developed a year-long curriculum that covers all the topics covered on the M-STEP, a state standardized test for elementary students. The lessons are self-contained and all materials (including a script) are included so interested volunteers will be able to teach any lesson. These lessons were designed to be given monthly in the 5th-grade classrooms from mid-October to mid-April and are around 2 hours each session.
Neuroscience Days
Neuroscience Days
SEEK received a Michigan Medicine Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Mini-Grant to purchase five Backyard Brains kits (https://backyardbrains.com). These self-contained experiments are geared toward teaching elementary and middle school students about neuroscience through hands-on lessons. The lesson plans and materials are all provided within the kits to make the teaching easy. Volunteers lead the Backyard Brains initiative in 5th classrooms 1-2 times per year.
Half-day Physiology Fun Days
Half-day Physiology Fun Days
SEEK's Physiology Fun Days are half-day events that teach 3rd and 4th graders the six organ systems through hands-on activities. Michigan graduate students designed 30-minute stations that focused on the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, gastrointestinal, immune, and cell systems. The 3rd and 4th graders rotate through all the stations over the course of a half-day. These events are usually a half-day commitment each and occur two to three times per academic year.
Watch this video to learn more! ⮕
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