VIDEO: Turning Diamonds into GEMS
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GEMS Project
UAB professor designes GEMS - a new project to encourage more girls to study math and science.Related Links
With boys still taking the lead in math and science, a UAB professor is trying to change that. Dr. Melanie Shores has created GEMS: Girls Engaged in Math and Science.
Using grant money, with the help of teachers, she’s created math and science lessons to pique and keep the interest of girls.
Teacher said to students, “In this particular project, we’re tying to figure out if it’s a sold or a liquid.“
Bluff Park Elementary students aren’t taking a backseat to math and science.
Teacher said to students, “Use your fingers, get in there. What do you feel is happening there?“
They’re GEMS or Girls Engaged in Math and Science and they’re moving center stage to present their findings to others. Melissa McGowan is concentrating on science.
Fifth Grader, Melissa McGowan said, “It’s cornstarch and water and it’s either liquid or a solid and it’s kind of hard to figure out because it feels like both.“
For Amy Zhang it’s math.
Fourth Grader Amy Zheng said, “Well, a schoolwide survey seeing which chocolate bar kids, like the most.“
Amy will use Microsoft Excel, pie charts and graphs to explain her findings. GEMS is the brainchild of UAB Education Professor, Dr. Melanie Shores.
UAB Education Professor, Melanie Shores said, “It’s important that girls realize that they can be successful in math and science careers.“
Dr. Shores’ goal is to help teachers pique and keep the interest of girls in areas typically led by boys.
Dr. Shores said, “Ultimately I think this leads to the different types of learning. So if boys and girls are asked the same types questions, the higher order thinking processing types of questions then i think they’re more apt to learn the same way.“
Something that’s not lost on the girls at the UAB School of Education who are excited about Friday. That’s when students will present their projects at the BJCC.
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Reader Reactions
Thanks for the catch. It’s been updated. Have a fantabulous day!!
Oh, I’m more than aware. I was just amused by the context not placing blame with any particular party.
Spell checker does nothing for homophones, and it’d probably be a scarier world if it did.
In regard to the homonyn, keep in mind that reporters write the story and those interviewed only tell the story.
Am I the only one amused by the homonym error using “peak” instead of “pique” in a story about education?*
If you really examine it, all of our children are less interested in Science and Math than children in other countries. The cited reason is that parents are more excited to help with fun homework like History, English and Spelling rather than Math and Science. While it’s admirable of academics to seek to redress the issue in involvement between the genders, it would probably do more good to excite interest in general. Compounding sexism doesn’t help anyone.
*Peak is a summit, or great height. Pique means to excite and interest (or, conversely, to irritate).
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