Office AAAS-Beller Internship
The AAAS-Beller Internship, established by the Beller family and administered by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), is awarded to two education students nationally each year. During the internship, each intern develops an interdisciplinary curriculum unit, integrating science, mathematics, and liberal studies. Each unit plan includes both teaching and assessment strategies to be used when the unit is implemented.
Janet Zeile, a master's degree student seeking teacher licensure in chemistry at George Mason University, received the AAAS-Beller internship for 1996-97. Ms. Zeile developed an interdisciplinary curriculum for elementary schools on paper making. The unit emphasizes hands-on, inquiry-based teaching, as recommended by Project 2061 Science for All Americans. It also features experimental design, the first science goal in the Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools. Activities are guided by student exploration of questions such as:
- What is paper made of?
- How is paper made?
- What everyday items are made of paper?
- How has paper impacted the development of our society?
- What are possible alternative fiber sources for paper making?
- How does changing the paper making process change the characteristics of paper?
The month long paper making unit guides students through the experimental design process with frequent discussions about how scientists conduct experiments and validate their results. In addition the unit includes:
- Conducting library research;
- Identifying the paper making process;
- Collecting, organizing, and analyzing data;
- Linking process variables with intended use of paper;
- Comparing and contrasting hand and commercial paper making processes;
- Communicating results; and
- Evaluating the environmental impact of the paper making process.
The unit was piloted Spring '97 in grade 6 at a Prince William County Public School and a Fairfax County Public School. According to Janet, "The Beller internship has been invaluable to me. I have not only had the opportunity to be creative and reflective in developing an interdisciplinary science curriculum but have also benefited enormously from contact with the talented teachers field testing my curriculum."