Graduate students at Cornell University are gaining confidence in science communication and bringing hands-on learning into K-12 classrooms across New York State. Through the Graduate Student School Outreach Program (GRASSHOPR), graduate students partner with teachers in Tompkins, Ontario, and surrounding counties, using hands-on materials from the CHESS Lending Library to engage students in interactive STEM lessons while developing their own teaching and communication skills.

For Sohinee Bera, Cornell Communication graduate student and GRASSHOPR board member, the experience of working with children in the classroom has been transformative. "It was a little daunting at first, but it was really fun. The kids are excited because they get a break from their regular curriculum and learn something more hands-on," she said. "For us as grad students, it’s an opportunity to step out of our research silos and learn how to communicate our work to a broader audience. That skill is crucial—not just in the classroom but for securing funding and sharing our research more widely."

Credit: Rick Ryan

“Games like this make science fun and memorable.”

The Lending Library, coordinated by Florianna Blanton at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), provides a diverse collection of hands-on experiment kits designed for K-12 classrooms. These kits, covering subjects like biology, chemistry, and physics, align with New York State science learning standards and promote inquiry-based learning.

Blanton, a longtime GRASSHOPR partner, sees these materials as an essential bridge between research and education. "The Lending Library offers so many hands-on materials that students love to use, and they make science more approachable for graduate students who might not have teaching experience," she said. "When you have a physical model in front of you—whether it’s a Jenga tower demonstrating a blue whale’s food web or a plasma ball illustrating electromagnetism—it’s much easier to explain complex ideas in a way that resonates."

During a recent GRASSHOPR workshop, graduate students explored a range of Lending Library kits, experimenting with Jenga, energy sticks, and plasma balls - tools designed to bring scientific concepts to life. By engaging with these materials firsthand, they learned how to translate their research into engaging, age-appropriate lessons.

"Analyzing and interpreting data, engaging in argument from evidence, studying structure and function, identifying cause and effect—these are concepts Cornell grad students use all the time," Blanton explained. "For K-12 teachers who weren’t trained in this model, GRASSHOPR provides a new and impactful way of teaching science, and the Lending Library gives them the tools to make it happen."

Beyond its benefits for students, GRASSHOPR serves as a valuable professional development opportunity for graduate students. "In grad school, we often get caught up in our departments, speaking primarily to other researchers," Bera noted. "This program helps us learn how to engage with different audiences—whether that’s a kindergartner, a high school student, or a funding agency."

For K-12 classrooms, GRASSHOPR’s impact extends well beyond individual lessons. By strengthening ties between Cornell and local schools, the program ensures that cutting-edge research reaches young learners in meaningful ways. At the same time, it provides teachers with new tools and strategies to enhance their instruction, creating lasting benefits for students.

"It’s important for both grad students and K-12 students," Bera added. "For the students, it’s inspiring to meet real researchers and see what a career in STEM or Humanities might look like. And for us, it’s an opportunity to step off campus and share our passion for science with the next generation. It reminds us why our research is fun."

GRASSHOPR is a program under Cornell's David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement. The Lending Library is funded through the Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-based ScienceS & Education, CLASSE.