We extend the program’s impact by inviting parents to conduct activities alongside their children. Through this cooperative learning model, parents are able to continue the learning at home. Some parents buy books for their children; others take them to museums, thus furthering the learning initiated in the course. Both children and parents also appreciate spending uninterrupted time with each other, engaged in a meaningful pursuit. For many this is a rewarding and powerful draw. We have a regular attendance of roughly 20-30 families for every course. Many parents come to the evening sessions after working two shifts during the day. One parent drove 100 miles from Santa Barbara (to Los Angeles) every Wednesday night to attend the sessions.

What does a Family Science Session look like?

Each Family Science Course consists of five sessions of two hours each. Topics are usually Physics or Math based. Sessions are conducted once a week at the school site in the evening from 6:00-8:00 P.M. Families are invited (including younger brothers and sisters). A teacher or school administrator is usually present. Food is provided during the first 15 minutes of the session. A Spanish-speaking instructor is present to translate instruction for non-English speaking families. Pre and post tests are conducted before and after the course. Formative assessments are conducted in every session.

There are 10 minutes of direct instruction during which the engineers introduce the concept through videos and relevant pictures. Following introduction the instructors give directions on how to conduct the experiment. Each family gets materials to conduct their own experiment. The last 20 minutes of the session are spent on reflection and filling out the Exit Slip questions that check for participant understanding.

All instruction is ALIGNED WITH THE CA SCIENCE OR MATH STANDARDS so that parents are empowered to better support their child's education. For instance, 6th grade students design and test different types of model cars that will help them apply their knowledge of proportions, velocity (rates), simple linear equations, gathering data, graphing and interpreting results.