Since each Family Science Night requires two presentations, students have six opportunities to present their lesson. The typical college speech class has only one opportunity to make any presentation, and then only to an audience of fellow classmates. In Communicating Science students see a variety of audiences and have a chance to refine a presentation. The first part of the course is team taught, with specialists in math-science education, child psychology and development, and public speaking delivering guest lectures. During this time the students are also preparing their lesson plans.
Students then make the presentations in the second half of the course.
Throughout their careers students will be required to make presentations on technical topics to the general public. This course allows students to learn this skill in a controlled but realistic setting. Successful development of a similar course requires teaching students how to develop lesson plans, how instructors can work with local school districts, resources to help students find appropriate hands on activities, and good team teaching. To more learn about the people that put this site together The School of Natural Resources is a unit of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Columbia .