This report describes development of the "Prepare Them for the Future" project, a K-3 activity-oriented science curriculum. The program, funded through two grants, was driven by the need to boost the distressed labor-based economy in rural western Pennsylvania. Data showed a drop of 1,100 coal-mining jobs between 1980 and 1986 in Indiana County, location of the "Prepare" pilot program. The program was developed with help from local university personnel and through input from classroom teachers. It was designed to use the most current methods of science education with the expressed objective of influencing teacher and student attitudes toward science. Teachers played a significant role in creating the curriculum. Another goal of the program was to collect data about the impact of the curriculum change. The research focused on the attitudes held by primary elementary teachers and students regarding science education. Teachers and K-3 students at the pilot school completed a science-attitude instrument before and after the curriculum project began. Significant increases were measured only in the scores of the kindergartners surveyed. Leadership, faculty involvement, and the availability of faculty work time were seen as being important factors in the success of the program. The report recommends further staff development, follow-up inservice training, administrative cooperation, and more follow-up research. (TES)