Elementary School Programs
Math & Science Outreach Programs for Talented Youth Young Writers Program College Is For You
Math & Science Outreach
The Math and Science Outreach program is designed to strengthen the professional development of math and science teachers and to enrich the learning of elementary, middle and high school students through the availability of classroom tested materials. During the past year the program has offered teachers with opportunities for professional development in biosciences and identified and piloted earth sciences materials to be used in middle school classrooms. The program has also developed collaborations with researchers at Arizona State University to bring current topics of research and leading edge technologies to schools in the Greater Phoenix Valley. For more information, please contact the Program Director: Dr. Anna Rosa Lampis at ar.lampis@asu.edu. Learn more.
Programs for Talented Youth
Programs for Talented Youth, a component of the Office of Youth Preparation, is an academic enrichment program which offers third through seventh grade students the opportunity to experience challenging courses from a variety of academic disciplines. It offers courses at the Tempe Campus during a three-week summer program, and a six-week Saturday program in the fall and spring. The program is designed to provide students with courses that are interdisciplinary, enriching, and stimulating, utilizing the resources of a Research 1 university. Engineering A to Z, Creative Writing, Astrobiology: The Search for Life in the Universe, Exploring Robotics, Introduction to Physics, Let Your Fingers do the Talking, Gateway to Mandarin & Culture, and Computer Graphics and Animation are few of the courses offered. Working with public, private, and charter schools, the program is committed to pursuing multiple gateways for identification and recruitment in order to enhance opportunities for youth. This commuter program has had students participate from schools in Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Tolleson, Scottsdale, Yuma, Peoria, Chandler, Goodyear, Nadaburg, Casa Grande, Page, Flagstaff, and Tucson, to name a few. In addition, students have come from California, Nevada, Japan, and Brazil. For more information, please contact Program Director: Mary Frances Luna at talentedyouth@asu.edu Learn more
Young Writers Program
The Young Writers Program provides opportunities for Arizona students to experience success as writers while simultaneously addressing writing concepts and skills that increase chances for achievement. Working in partnership with ASU's Creative Writing Program, the Young Writers Program places Master of Fine Arts candidates as teaching writers in local schools, community-based organizations, and other ASU outreach programs that serve youth. M.F.A. candidates are trained and mentored in outreach pedagogy and receive faculty support. This approach enhances ASU's ability to strengthen its communities by providing 4-12th grade students with quality creative writing programs designed to foster an understanding and enthusiasm for writing as a life-long skill. It provides classroom teachers with ideas for curriculum enhancement, and provides opportunities for M.F.A. students to develop as teaching artists by practicing in a wide variety of educational settings. The Young Writers Program creates opportunities for students to experience success as writers through artistic residencies in which M.F.A. candidates from ASU's Creative Writing Program are trained and mentored to work in individual classrooms to provide curriculum and instruction to students. Each residency occurs over the course of 15 hours of classroom time, ranging in length between three to six weeks. During each residency YWP instructors share their specialized knowledge, skill, and passion for writing with students and teachers. The arts-based curriculum is designed to demystify the writing process for students, improving confidence in their ability to write and in themselves, opening a window to develop writing skills and change the way students think about and value writing. This artist-driven strategy additionally benefits students by providing a direct interaction with higher education through the positive role model of a working writer in their classroom. Instructors work closely with classroom teachers to model creative writing strategies and lessons, providing teachers with an opportunity to observe, participate and gain insights for implementing new approaches to writing instruction. YWP works with approximately 20-30 (4-12th grade) Arizona classrooms per year. Schools are selected for partnerships through an application process, with priority given to schools listed as "underperforming" by Arizona's Department of Education. For more information, please contact Program Director: Chad Unrein at ywp@asu.edu Learn more
College Is For You - 5th Grade Newsletter
In the fall of 2008, a College is For You newsletter will be offered to 5th grade students and their teachers to prompt discussions of why to attend college and how one can prepare for admission. Learn more