Outreach signups for Fall 2024 are closed
The UF Chemistry Club Science Outreach Program is an exciting opportunity for UF undergraduates to share their enthusiasm for science with K-8 students at Alachua County schools. Participating members are put into groups and assigned a classroom to work with each semester. Depending on the teacher’s needs and volunteer availability, volunteers will visit a classroom weekly, biweekly (twice a month), or monthly to perform labs and demonstrations that supplement topics being studied in the classroom. Detailed instructions for the activities are available on the Outreach Lab Library page. Volunteers will bring most necessary supplies. Labs can be modified or created upon request to fit your students’ needs.
What kind of labs can UF Outreach Volunteers do?
We have a broad selection of labs and demonstrations to choose from. We update the list every semester, adding new activities and revising old ones with the needs of students and volunteers in mind. Though we do our best to make our labs approachable for wide age ranges, you are encouraged to browse through the list to select ones that best fit within your curriculum. If you have a suggestion for a lab to better serve your students, talk to your outreach volunteers and we may be able to create a custom lab for your class.
Are all UF Outreach labs strictly chemistry-based?
Not necessarily! Our labs and demonstrations span most major science disciplines, including biology, physics, and ecology. There are underlying themes or references in most of our procedures to emphasize the fundamental role that chemistry has in all sciences.
How many volunteers will come to my classes, and how often?
This depends on your needs and volunteer availability. Volunteers typically visit classrooms in groups of up to four. All of our members are full-time students at the University of Florida, and their ability to conduct labs in your classroom is contingent upon their course schedules and associated workload. If you require more than one team to your classroom(s) in a week (for repeat demonstrations, or activities with multiple classes), you will have to work without our Outreach Director. Please contact the Outreach Director/Classroom Outreach Coordinator at UFChemOutreach@gmail.com for more information.
How can I get UF Outreach Volunteers into my classroom, and how can I learn more?
Volunteers are assigned to schools, classrooms, and their respective teachers at the beginning of each semester (Fall and Spring, please see the UF Calendar) based on student schedule availability and teacher requests for program participation. The first step is to fill out an outreach application. Forms will generally be open for submissions in the weeks leading up to the beginning of each semester.
I’m having a concern with my volunteering experience, how can I reach out for a solution?
While we work hard to prepare our volunteers to succeed, as a student-run organization we always appreciate a second opinion on how our volunteers are doing. Your feedback helps us keep volunteers accountable for the professionalism of our program and ensures that you have the best possible experience with Outreach. You can read about how we handle issues with volunteers report your concerns on the Teacher Feedback Form, or contact our Outreach Director/Classroom Outreach Coordinator for further information and support. We apologize for any inconvenience, and look forward to helping you get the most out of our program!
The Outreach Director and Classroom Outreach Coordinators are Kira Zautcke and Caroline Casper, respectively. Please feel free to contact them by emailing UFChemOutreach@gmail.com.