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About the Keystone Science Network

The Keystone Science Network (KSN) was a major, multi-year collaboration of The Franklin Institute Science Museum with the National Science Foundation, Unisys Corporation, the Commonwealth Department of Education, and selected school district and regional science alliance sites in Eastern Pennsylvania.

The Keystone Science Network sought to strengthen K-8 science teaching and learning by:

  • Using network technology (the Internet) to support teachers' implementation of standards-based K-8 inquiry science kits in the classroom.
  • Building and sustaining a professional learning community for K-8 science education reform in Eastern Pennsylvania by creating an integrated network of K-8 educators, standards-based science kits, and electronic resources.
  • Integrating the Keystone network with existing science education reform efforts and technology initiatives that are active in the state.
  • Establishing a model infrastructure for supporting teachers engaged in implementing inquiry science, which could be scaled up in Pennsylvania and nationally.

The Keystone professional development framework centered around supporting the curricula of nationally distributed standards-based science kit programs, principally Science and Technology for Children (STC), developed by the NSRC; FOSS, developed by Lawrence Hall of Science; and Insights, developed by EDC.

The program for the three annual cohorts of teacher leaders in KSN sites consisted of an intensive, one-week summer institute, follow-up school-year colloquia, and ongoing use of the Keystone website.

Website Selection and Design

The Keystone Science Network strives to provide access to only the most useful websites for teachers working with K-8 science kits. We aim to make sure that every website we include on our pages aligns to the following criteria. (Click here for an explanation of the intent of Curricular Companions.)

  • The site's content should support the work in one or more of the kits included in the Curricular Companion and must have applicable utility for teachers.

  • The science content should be sound and the approach favorable to facilitating inquiry.

  • The site should be well organized and easy to navigate.

  • The site must be served by a verifiable source. Educational sources that we seek include both formal (schools, colleges, and universities) and informal (museums, governmental agencies, and other non-profit organizations) educational institutions. Science content providers include governmental (NASA, NOAA, USGS, etc.), non-profit, and, occasionally, for-profit enterprises.

  • We strive to select sites that make an effort to write for laypersons, students, or children, and not expressly for scientists in the field.

  • We are especially interested in sites that capitalize on the unique medium of the internet, including sites that offer data-sharing opportunities; real-time information feeds; live cameras; direct contact with experts; opportunities to view outstanding collections and locales; and animation.

Participants and Partners

Formal Keystone Science Network sites included:
(Click for map.)

Abington School District
Capital Area Math/Science Alliance
(Big Spring, Harrisburg City, Cumberland Valley, and Camp Hill School Districts)
School District of Lancaster
Northeast Regional Science Alliance
(Dallas, Forest City, Riverside, and Scranton School Districts)
Northeastern School District
Pennsbury School District
School District of Philadelphia
Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Science Initiative
(Haverford, Penn-Delco, Springfield, Upper Darby, and Wallingford-Swathmore School Districts)
West Chester Area School District
William Penn School District

Composed of renowned education experts, the Keystone Science Network's National Advisory Committee helped to steer and shape the project's growth.

Led by staff at The Franklin Institute, Keystone collaborative partners included:

  • Selected project sites (includes 20 school districts) in Eastern Pennsylvania
  • Pennsylvania Department of Education
  • PA Intermediate Units (IUs) servicing Keystone sites
  • Regional science alliances operating throughout Eastern Pennsylvania
  • Mid-Atlantic Eisenhower Regional Consortium Pennsylvania
  • Research for Action

The project also had a cooperative relationship with: ASSET, Inc. in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the National Science Resources Center LASER Initiative, and Carolina Biological Supply Company.

 

The Franklin Institute gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the National Science Foundation and Unisys Corporation.

The Franklin Institute National Science Foundation Unisys

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The Franklin Institute is the Demonstration Site for the Eisenhower Mid-Atlantic Consortium, providing science and math resources for teachers.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 9819641.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

webteam@keystone.fi.edu

© 2003. All rights reserved.