Institution's collections and facilities. OFG manages central- 

 ized competitive internship and fellowship progtams, as well 

 as competitive grant programs that support Smithsonian staff 

 research. This office also administers all stipend appointments 

 offered by the Institution. 



This year, for example, Clara E. Rodriguez of Fordham 

 University did research on Latino images in the media, work- 

 ing at the National Museum of American History with Fath 

 Davis Ruffins, historian in the Archives Center. Rodriguez 

 was a senior fellow in the Latino Studies Fellowship Ptogram, 

 which broadens and increases the body of Latino-related 

 research. 



Under the Scholarly Studies Program, Richard Potts, direc- 

 tor of the Human Origins Program at the National Museum 

 of Natural History, is leading a project to study fossil records 

 of early ancestors of humans in the African Rift using stable 

 isotope analysis. This research will increase the understanding 

 of how vegetation and climatic changes in the environment 

 affected the evolution of early humans. 



Kathleen Ash-Milby of the National Museum of the 

 American Indian received a grant from the Collections-Based 

 Research Program, which supports research on significant 

 Smithsonian collections. Ash-Milby studies the life and the 

 paintings of Bonita Wa Wa Calachaw Nunez (1888—1972) in 

 the museum's collection. Referred to by her pen name "Wa 

 Wa Chaw," Nunez was a self-taught painter, poet, and Indian 

 rights activist raised in New York City. 



National Science Resources Center 



Douglas Lapp. Executive Director 



The National Science Resources Center, operated jointly by 

 the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academy of 

 Sciences, collects and disseminates information about science 

 teaching resources, develops innovative science curriculum 

 materials, and sponsors activities to help teachers and school 

 district administrators develop and sustain effective hands-on 

 science programs. The National Science Resources Center 

 advocates an inquiry-centered, hands-on approach to science 

 education. In inquiry-centered science, students learn to ask 

 questions, gather information, develop theories, plan and 

 carry out investigations, and communicate their ideas. 

 Scientists and engineers from acadernia and the business 

 community, as well as educators, play a strong role in the 

 development and implementation of National Science 

 Resources Center programs. 



The National Science Resources Center supports systemic 

 science education reform efforts in communities across the 

 nation through its materials development, information dis- 

 semination, and outreach programs. All National Science 

 Resources Center programs stress the involvement and col- 



laboration of teachers and scientists. Scientists and engineets 

 from business and industry, as well as academia, play a strong 

 role in the development and implementation of National 

 Science Resources Center programs. 



Knowledgeable, committed leaders are needed to improve 

 the quality of science education in our nation's school districts. 

 In response to this need, the National Science Resources 

 Center hosted two K-8 Science Education Leadership Insti- 

 tutes in 1998: July 18-23 an d July 2 5— 3°. At these leadership 

 institutes, teams of teachers, school administrators, and 

 scientists worked with nationally recognized experts to 

 develop plans for implementing an inquiry-centered science 

 curriculum in their communities. The 1998 leadership in- 

 stitutes brought together 29 teams from school systems in 18 

 states, and Sweden. The U.S. teams represented 66 school 

 districts that serve more than 340,000 K-8 students. 



Since 1989, the National Science Resources Center has spon- 

 sored 27 Science Education Leadership Institutes that have 

 been attended by educational leaders representing more than 

 400 school districts located in 45 states and Puerto Rico. 

 Together, the participants in these institutes have helped in- 

 itiate science education reforms in school districts that serve 

 more than seven million K-8 students. 



The National Science Resources Center has now begun a 

 five-year Leadership and Assistance for Science Education 

 Reform initiative. The National Science Foundation, a group 

 of philanthropic and corporate foundations, and several pub- 

 lishers are supporting this program. Through this initiative, 

 National Science Resources Centers is establishing partner- 

 ships in eight regions across the U.S. and with several major 

 corporations to provide a comprehensive program of science 

 education leadership training, publications, and technical as- 

 sistance to 300 school districts nationwide. This assistance 

 will enable these districts to initiate and implement inquiry- 

 centered science curriculum programs for all their elementary 

 and middle-school students. 



EHinng the past year, this initiative has organized ten 

 "Building Awareness for Science Education Reform" conferen- 

 ces, six Strategic Planning Institutes, five Science Curriculum 

 Showcases and one Advanced Leadership Developmenr Con- 

 ference. The Leadership and Assistance for Science Education 

 Reform regional partners have been selected on the basis of 

 their demonstrated commitment to educational excellence 

 and their ability to provide resources and leadership in sup- 

 port of K-8 science education reform. This initiative will help 

 the regional partnership institutions to enhance their capacity 

 to serve as resources to school distticts in their regions, there- 

 by ensuring the sustainabiliry of the project. 



The National Science Resources Center has completed the 

 development of a comprehensive science education program 

 for grades 1 through 6, Science and Technology for Children. 

 Focused on topics in physical science, life science, earth 

 science, and technology, the 24 curriculum unirs in this pro- 

 gram use simple, inexpensive materials to teach science 

 through hands-on investigations. Each unit includes a com- 



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