  Can exposure to fundamental ideas about the nature of matter help motivate
children in math and science and support the development of their understanding
of these ideas later? Physicists, designers, and museum educators at the
University of Kansas created the Quarked!(tm) Adventures in the subatomic
Universe project to provide an opportunity for youth to explore the subatomic
world in a fun and user friendly way. The project components include a website
(located at http://www.quarked.org) and hands-on education programs. These are
described and assessment results are presented. Questions addressed include the
following. Can you engage elementary and middle school aged children with
concepts related to particle physics? Can young children make sense of
something they can't directly see? Do teachers think the material is relevant
to their students?
