UC Davis students and professors will partner with teachers in four Northern California communities -- Dixon, Folsom, Sacramento and Vacaville -- to improve the teaching and learning of science and mathematics with a $1.5 million-plus grant from the National Science Foundation.

The award, totaling almost $1,548,000 over three years, is from the foundation's Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education Program.

Beginning in September, the project will be active in the classrooms of about 10 teachers in the Dixon, Folsom-Cordova, Natomas and Vacaville Unified School Districts.

"The UC Davis project will benefit the students and teachers in these communities now," says Evelyn Silvia, professor of mathematics and the project leader. "In addition, our participating graduate students will gain insights that will help them to become better teachers for their college students."

Seven graduate and seven undergraduate students from UC Davis will bring their knowledge of the latest research in their math and science disciplines to the classroom; the teachers will contribute their expertise in teaching and their knowledge of their students as learners. A focus of the collaboration will be conducting classroom-based research to inform their teaching.

"With the use of university resources, teachers can extend their instruction to include real-world applications of scientific and mathematical concepts," says Barbara Goldman, a project participant and associate director of teacher education in the School of Education. "With connections to the university, the students will have the opportunity to learn what scientists and mathematicians do and even see themselves becoming one."

Harold Levine, dean of the School of Education, says the grant leverages the school's greatest strengths. "We emphasize multidisciplinary collaboration among faculty across the campus, and we engage with schools to strengthen teaching and learning, particularly in such crucial areas as math and science."

In addition to Silvia and Goldman, seven faculty members from the School of Education and other academic units will serve as consultants and lead summer institutes on curriculum design and classroom research techniques.

Those from the School of Education are Rebecca Ambrose, assistant professor of mathematics education; Pam Castori, education professional development specialist; and Cynthia Passmore, assistant professor of science education. The others are Howard Day, professor of geology; Wendell Potter, senior lecturer and vice chair of the Department of Physics; Thomas Rost, professor and executive associate dean of the Division of Biological Sciences; and Dino Tinti, professor of chemistry.