The goal of the Brooklyn College GK-12 City as Lab projects was to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning at multiple levels by developing authentic science experiences using Brooklyn's many natural, cultural and professional resources. There were three primary benefactors of this educational focus:
- For the fellows, who were CUNY graduate students, GK-12 improved teaching, communication and science leadership skills while providing opportunities to conduct research.
- For the teachers who taught science in Brooklyn "small schools," GK-12 provided professional support and opportunities to improve science research skills for their classes. In addition, teachers and fellows collaborated to develop authentic classroom research projects.
- For students who attended small high schools in Brooklyn, GK-12 created fresh, engaging, contextualized science learning experiences that were inquiry-based, community-centered, and focused on developing reasoning skills.
Between 2007 and 2013, GK-12 fellows collaborated with teachers across six Brooklyn high schools. The projects are presented separately for each school.
Results of working with high school students on GK-12 projects were presented by fellows at annual GK-12 and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conferences.