SERVICE. CAMARADERIE. EMPOWERMENT.

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Welcome to Penn Science Across Ages! We had our humble beginnings in 2008 here at the University of Pennsylvania.

Penn Science Across Ages (PSAA) is a student organization devoted to improving education within the West Philadelphia community. Our overall goal is to not only enhance science education but to also serve the future of the community.

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PSAA aims to improve the quality of science education at K-12 schools in West Philadelphia by two means:

1. Providing science teaching assistance in classrooms where PSAA Fellows co-teach alongside teachers, and

2. Promoting professional development for teachers mediated through a partnership with PSAA.

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We accomplish this mission on the shoulders of our fellows, who assist teachers in developing science-based lesson plans, teach entire classes of students, and participate in community events.

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Involvement with PSAA is more than an outreach activity; our fellows are grouped into “sections,” with each section teaching in a particular classroom. Groupings of PSAA members provides a social network to build camaraderie.

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Finally, we recognize that while teachers are the experts in their class and on education in general, science is generally not an area of strength for elementary teachers. We offer a stronger understanding of the nature of science and of science content. Our work with teachers and in their classroom serves as informal professional development for teachers through content and instructional approaches. Using nationally recognized ‘science kits’ (STC/FOSS) that are the official elementary science curriculum in Philadelphia (SDP) schools and contain materials and teacher’s guides for each grade, we plan collaboratively each week with the teachers. We hope to provide concrete examples of how to incorporate inquiry-based learning into each week’s lesson. Our ultimate goal is for teachers to reach a point where they feel confident and competent to teach “inquiry-based” science in PSAA’s absence.