1) Enhancing the skills of MDCPS middle school teachers through professional development in gender equity, science content knowledge, development of hands-on meteorology related activities and the collection and interpretation of "real" data.

2) Increasing the knowledge of participating middle school teachers in science content and pedagogy.

3) Increasing parental/guardian awareness in, and support of, their daughters' SMT education and related career aspirations.

4) Providing student participants with an enhanced self-concept and an awareness of career possibilities by engaging them in the work of scientists, and exposing them to female role models.

5) Disseminating program strategies and materials to a broad audience through presentations at conferences and publishing of articles in professional journals.

6) Production and publication of a project replication manual.

7) Conducting an external evaluation that will seek to determine whether participating teachers' knowledge in gender equity, science content knowledge, development of hands-on meteorology-related activities, and collection and interpretation of real data has been increased, as well as what influence participation in real science has had on the students and teachers alike.

8) Contributing to the field through documentation of the impact informal instruction has on maintaining girls' interest in mathematics and science, and the addition of data to the knowledge base on the interactions that occur among socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and gender and how those interactions influence mathematics and science learning.