Science through Art

In 2004, the UC Davis Plant Genomics Program launched the K-12 “Science through Art” education program. This project combines science instruction with art exercises to teach elementary school students about plant biology. UCD graduate students develop lesson plans and projects in collaboration with UCD faculty and local elementary school teachers. In addition to educating elementary school students in an innovative manner, graduate students learn to relay relatively complex scientific information from their own research experiences into terms that are comprehensible, exciting and fun for 4th, 5th and 6th graders. Graduate student and elementary student partnerships are further enhanced through events such as Picnic Day where students present the projects to the UC Davis community. Over 600 elementary school students have participated in this project to date.

The “Science through Art” program is led by Ruth Santer, a local artist and art teacher at Cesar Chavez elementary school. The project was generously supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation to Dr. Pamela Ronald, professor of plant pathology and chair of the PGP. We are grateful to Cesar Chavez parents Stacy Welsh and Mary Nicholson for their invaluable assistance and to teachers Sarah Fonte and Maite Sureda who generously shared their classrooms. We would also like to thank UCD plant pathology graduate student, Becky Bart, for her work with the children and PGP coordinator Victoria Whitworth for arranging classes and setting up the Picnic Day exhibits.