A TIME for Physics First is a partnership among the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU), and seven Core Partner school districts. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation Math-Science Partnership Institute grant titled A TIME for Freshman Physics in Missouri (Academy for Teachers using Inquiry and Modeling Experiences for Freshman Physics in Missouri), funded September 2009-Aug 2014.

Through this project, participants and university faculty will gain an expanded range of leadership expertise, content knowledge and pedagogical proficiency to share with others, as they become resources and catalysts for reform in science education at the secondary and post-secondary institutional levels. Ultimately, the overall goal is a significant increase in student achievement in science and science coursework.

The vision of the project is to prepare Missouri's 9th grade science teachers to become intellectual leaders as they learn to teach a yearlong freshman physics course. Leadership skills will be built through research-based professional development (PD) that includes comprehensive physics content, pedagogy, research and evaluation. The project will

• Strengthen 9th grade science teachers' and their students' understanding of physics and the application of physics to the world around them.
• Create a solid base of knowledge for students' subsequent science coursework. *
• Build a strong learning community among research faculty and high school teachers to enable year-round professional development. *
• Create leaders who will become advocates for excellence in mathematics and science. *
• Increase interest of students in future science coursework and toward their career choice. *
• Provide PD through three years of summer academies and academic year support.

Funding: National Science Foundation NSF-DUE 0928924.