Alimentos Divertidos: an inquiry-based science and engineering program for elementary schools

Alimentos Divertidos is an inquiry-based program for elementary schools that can be incorporated to elementary school classrooms without modifying the existing curriculum at the different modalities offered at this level in Mexico, which primary goal is to transform how students view and do science and engineering. Approximately 700 students have been engaged up to date to learn science and engineering DOING science and engineering. Student, teacher, and parent surveys and focus groups suggest that our program has attracted kids to science and engineering. Formative and summative assessments have consistently shown that among Alimentos Divertidos educational benefits are: hands-on minds-on learning models; learning that science and engineering are fun career fields; and breaking down barriers. However, significant (p < 0.05) differences in interest, overall satisfaction, and learning results have been observed between gender, and among schools and socioeconomic levels. Results indicate the importance of placing teachers in the role of ¿students¿ and allowing them to experience hands-on and minds-on inquiry-based activities as well as grapple with designing their own lesson plans in a peer group setting where they can brainstorm and receive feedback. Thus, workshops were implemented to prepare elementary school teachers to effectively use Alimentos Divertidos.