School Partnership Program

The Bakken Museum’s School Partnership program was developed in 2003 in collaboration with the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) to reach students from groups traditionally underrepresented or underserved in science education--particularly students of color, students of poverty and girls.  Starting with just seven schools, the program will reach all MPS fourth grade students and teachers in 2010-11 with classroom residencies and teacher professional development. 

The purpose of classroom residencies is to provide opportunities for students to develop and strengthen attitudes, behaviors and competencies that The Bakken believes are important strengths for success in school science now and workforce participation and civic engagement in the future.  The Bakken calls these attitudes, behaviors and competencies Science Assets.  Each classroom residency consists of four visits, usually once per week for four weeks.  During these visits, a team of two Bakken educators use creative dramatics based lessons to actively engage all students in exploring and developing their Science Assets.  Students build confidence and a personal connection to science while discovering the importance of careful observation, the power of teamwork, the excitement of taking risks to investigate what they don’t know, and the learning value of mistakes.  On the fourth classroom visit, the Bakken educators are joined by a ´Person of Science´--a trained volunteer who uses science knowledge and scientific thinking in his or her work.  People of Science help make Science Assets real and inspire students to see themselves as people of science.  In the words of one volunteer, if "you have ever wondered ´why´ or wondered ´how´… you too are people of science."

Corresponding  teacher professional development is designed to build electricity and magnetism content knowledge and pedagogical expertise while inspiring teachers to continue to build their own Science Assets as well as those of their students.  Teacher professional development also supports the integration of science with arts- and literacy-based instruction as well as other STEM disciplines. 

The Bakken’s School Partnership Program has been recognized with two awards: 2008 TEKNE Award for innovative collaboration from the Minnesota High Tech Association and the 2009 ASTC Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Award for visitor experience.  The program is also featured in chapter 9 of An Alliance of Spirit: Museum and School Partnerships published in 2010 by the American Association of Museums (http://iweb.aam-us.org/Purchase/ProductDetail.aspx?Product_code=I278). 

Major funding for the School Partnership program is provided by the Bush Foundation.