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Snow Science: Curricular Units For High School Outdoor Winter Inquiry, Elizabeth Wagner
Snow Science: Curricular Units For High School Outdoor Winter Inquiry, Elizabeth Wagner
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Winter is typically viewed as a “dead” season in the midwestern United States, where temperatures are often below freezing and snow blankets the ground for much of the year. Teachers cite weather as a barrier to meeting proposed curriculum standards and point to cold climate as a barrier to outdoor learning. Outdoor education provides many social and emotional benefits to students. When we consider these benefits, we must ask ourselves why we allow the learning opportunities of winter to be wasted. One reason that few high school classrooms venture outside in the snow is due to the lack of lesson …
How Environmental Education Based Camps Can Create An Inclusive Opportunity To Ensure Children With Autism Have A Positive And Meaningful Experience, Emma Leslie
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
In a world that is becoming increasingly disconnected, environmental education has the ability to reach diverse audiences and create an environmentally literate community capable of making decisions that support sustainable practices. Diversity implies inclusion of all individuals, including those with autism. Autism is one of the most prevalent developmental learning disabilities in the United States and those with the neurobiological disorder experience challenges in areas such as social reasoning, language, cognition, sensory sensitivities and emotional regulation. Environmental education often occurs in informal learning environments, including day camp programs. While day camps provide the ideal setting for addressing deficits in peer …
Getting More Young Children Outdoors By Supporting And Encouraging Their Teachers, April Greibrok
Getting More Young Children Outdoors By Supporting And Encouraging Their Teachers, April Greibrok
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This capstone thesis used an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods (ESMM) research design to answer the question, How do we support and encourage teachers to take their early childhood classes outdoors? While anecdotally, and through literature review, there appear to be barriers to outdoor activities, e.g., policies and regulations, or lack of safe clothing or equipment, there also is an abundance of research on the benefits of having children spend time in nature, or with natural elements. In the early childhood setting the mixed method survey research identified actual-stated common barriers to spending time outside with a class. An initial quantitative …
Recycling Influences: Exposure To Childhood Environmental Education, Janet Hollinger
Recycling Influences: Exposure To Childhood Environmental Education, Janet Hollinger
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed was what do people who participate or do not participate in a neighborhood recycling program report regarding their exposure to childhood environmental education? It focuses on 2 communities in the southwestern United States. The author documents details of a qualitative survey as well as presents data from 2 seven-week-long observations. While the survey was minimal, the observation results show that only a small change can markedly affect the participation in recycling programs.
Supporting The Development Of Ecoliteracy In Middle School Students Through The Use Of Phenology, Amy Hamernick
Supporting The Development Of Ecoliteracy In Middle School Students Through The Use Of Phenology, Amy Hamernick
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question for this project was, how does knowledge of local phenology impact the development of ecoliteracy?It documents a science teacher’s development of a unit of lesson plans, and an accompanying website, to develop observation skills and strategies that will allow students to collect data in their local ecosystem. Phenology, the study and documentation of natural systems over time, is supported by the understanding of observation skills, use of field identification guides, and formats for recording and sharing data which are developed through the lesson plans. The website provides details for two observation sites, models how to collect and …
Why Is Invasive Species Education Important, Alexandra Crofts
Why Is Invasive Species Education Important, Alexandra Crofts
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This research question addressed the importance of invasive species education in the Midwest Great Lakes Regions. Invasive species threaten most ecosystems around the world and can lead to decreasing biodiversity and even the extinction of native species. Humans are one of the largest vectors responsible for the transportation of invasive species. This research focused on providing evidence of the negative impact aquatic invasive species can have on native fish populations. Fish population data was collected using gill nets in the East Metro Area of the Twin Cities in Minnesota in the 2018 field season. This data was compared to Minnesota’s …
Can Engagement In The Natural Environment Reduce Stress In Gifted Students, Elizabeth Gluck
Can Engagement In The Natural Environment Reduce Stress In Gifted Students, Elizabeth Gluck
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed what defines a gifted student, how gifted students process the senses, definitions of the natural world and engagement, and the intricacies of gifted emotions. Dabrowski identified that gifted students may have overexcitabilities which indicate heightened ability to respond to sensory stimuli. Influential studies included Keniger’s research on stress reduction through intentional interaction with the natural world, and Han’s research on impact of emotions through interaction with the natural world. The author used a Convergent Parallel Mixed Method Design and designed tools to capture qualitative and quantitative data through three different experiences. The author’s research concluded that …
Walking Field Trips: Mapping Outdoor Instruction Opportunities, Anna Cochran
Walking Field Trips: Mapping Outdoor Instruction Opportunities, Anna Cochran
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was the following: How can upper elementary educators in a rural school district utilize walking field trips and outdoor instruction to support achievement of state academic content areas and to integrate principles of environmental education? The project extends upper elementary school instructional settings to public lands, open spaces, parks, trails, river access points, and beyond in order to enhance the academic experience. It is informed by Sobel’s place-based education theory and Lieberman and Hoody’s proposal of using outdoor settings to connect multidisciplinary content areas. A walking field trip map was produced for a …
Will An Environmental Focused Genius Hour Affect Students’ Attitudes Toward The Environment?, Claire Opsahl
Will An Environmental Focused Genius Hour Affect Students’ Attitudes Toward The Environment?, Claire Opsahl
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine if an environmental focused Genius Hour will affect students’ attitudes toward the environment. Over an eight week period ninth grade students in an Honors Civics class self-selected an environmental topic to research, write a research paper and present their findings. The study was completed in a suburban high school setting. The study Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered using student interest surveys and the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) Likert Scale Survey. The participants were surveyed before completing their Genius Hour project and after completion. The results of the survey show that an …
Creating A Culture For Outdoor Environmental Education In An Elementary Setting, Daniel Huldeen
Creating A Culture For Outdoor Environmental Education In An Elementary Setting, Daniel Huldeen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Many elementary educators believe in the importance of providing opportunities for outdoor environmental education but fewer actually offer activities and lessons to their students. A review of the literature detailed the many benefits that outdoor environmental education offers to students. It was also clear through research and a review of the literature that many teachers have perceived barriers preventing them from offering environmental education to their students. After identifying the barriers and highlighting the benefits this ten lesson curriculum was created to address the major barriers teachers face when teaching outdoor environmental education and provide students all of the many …
Framework For Purposeful Technology Integration In Environmental Education Using Inquiry Based Learning, Jonathan Massung
Framework For Purposeful Technology Integration In Environmental Education Using Inquiry Based Learning, Jonathan Massung
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how do you incorporate technology to facilitate raw exploration of the natural world that reinforces inquiry-based learning in Environmental Education? The concept of the project was to create a framing guide to allow traditional and non-traditional educators to purposefully incorporate technology into a program with emphasis on environmental education standards. The primary focus of the format of the program is intended for K-12 lessons. The idea behind creating the program is to not simply add technology to a program, but to include the technology tool as a central piece with standards that …
Children’S Connectedness To Nature And Parental Influence: A Mixed Methods Survey, Meredith Yue
Children’S Connectedness To Nature And Parental Influence: A Mixed Methods Survey, Meredith Yue
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
I conducted a mixed method survey to focus on the question, “What are the ways parents positively shape their children’s connectedness to nature?” There is a national phenomenon on the disconnect between children and the natural world, coined as the “nature deficit disorder.” This disorder has been linked to an increase in obesity, mental health, attention disorders and the overall well-being of children. I administered a quantitative survey for children to measure their connectedness to nature as well as a qualitative survey of parents to gather in-depth information to capture the richness of the nature experience that happens at home. …
Water Conservation Unit Plan, Richa Dolia
Water Conservation Unit Plan, Richa Dolia
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this capstone project was to provide lesson plans for teachers to integrate within their science curriculum to involve middle-school students in water conservation. The author has provided rationale for pursuing the topic of water conservation and high need to promote awareness. The water conservation curriculum project produced under this research is aligned with MN Science standards and will provide middle school science teachers with ready-to-go lessons to teach their students to bring awareness around the importance of water. (83 words)
Effective Methods For Using Live Animals For Instruction In Environmental Education, Jenna Moon
Effective Methods For Using Live Animals For Instruction In Environmental Education, Jenna Moon
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project explored the research question, what are the most effective methods for using live animals for instruction in environmental education? The author pinpointed recommendations for effective environmental education and live animal education through the literature review, which guided the construction of interpretive-style bird of prey programs for use at a residential environmental learning center. Digital slides and accompanying scripts were designed for three new programs, each one-hour in length: RaptorPHYSICS, RaptorCARE, and RaptorFORCE. The presence of a live bird of prey is intended to create an emotional connection and program content aims to empower audience members to display …
Invading Minnesota: A Middle School Invasive Species Curriculum, Ashley Schultz
Invading Minnesota: A Middle School Invasive Species Curriculum, Ashley Schultz
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This capstone is a sampling of middle school science lessons that were designed to address the question: How might a curricular unit about invasive species be designed to enhance the environmental literacy of middle school students? It documents one teacher’s research and development of a unit about invasives species, while promoting environmental literacy. The curriculum is a series of three lessons that provide students the opportunity to learn about invasive species by developing a connection, or sense of place to their surroundings. Once students understand the impacts of invasives species they take part in a project-based service learning opportunity to …
Inquiry-Based Professional Development: How Did The Activities In The Mississippi Rivers Institute Affect Participant Confidence In Teaching Environmental Education?, Sara Robertson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how did the activities in the Mississippi Rivers Institute affect participant confidence in teaching environmental education? These areas were: (a) river and watershed inquiry; (b) use of science notebooks in the classroom; (c) forest inquiry; (d) macroinvertebrate inquiry; (e) geology inquiry; (f) engineering activities; and (g) an overall comfort-ability level with using inquiry in the classroom. It documents the creation of the Rivers Institute as an effective professional development opportunity for educators. The author reviews the literature available on the best practices in environmental education professional development and she describes the success …
What Are The Elements Of A Strong Rationale To Support The Development And Creation Of A Rain Garden In My School District?, Amanda Sterna
What Are The Elements Of A Strong Rationale To Support The Development And Creation Of A Rain Garden In My School District?, Amanda Sterna
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, “What are the Elements of a Strong Rationale to Support the Development and Creation of a Rain Garden in my School District?” It documents a teacher’s proposal for a rain garden at an elementary school, for both environmental purposes as well as for an outdoor classroom space. The capstone encompasses all aspects needed to create a proposal, including (add details here about the different sections/aspects it includes, such as a clear design process,). The researcher documents the details of the proposal process, complete with the project design with related research literature to …
Elementary Educators Resource Guide To Herpetology In Minnesota Bridging The Gap Between The Classroom And Nature Center Experience, Anna Toenjes
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The author of this project promotes elementary environmental education through hands-on herpetology games, activities, and additional resources. Engaging environmental education activities aim to improve student attitudes and perceptions of native reptiles and amphibians (herpetofauna). The content of the literature review describes how changing and improving student attitudes and perceptions of herpetofauna can foster understanding and development of empathy towards animals. Empathy towards animals can be generalized to human-directed empathy. The values of educating with live animals are described in detail. Inquiry, experiential, and hands-on teaching strategies to environmental education are implemented in the materials. Offering curriculum in which students interact …
Developing A Business Model For An All-Day Nature-Based Preschool In The Twin Cities Metro Area Of Minnesota, Hannah Gall
Developing A Business Model For An All-Day Nature-Based Preschool In The Twin Cities Metro Area Of Minnesota, Hannah Gall
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, what is the best way to setup and implement a Waldkindergarten-inspired all-day nature based school for ages three to five in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota? The project focuses on the Waldkindergarten style of school in Western Europe and how this can be configured to the laws and weather patterns in the state of Minnesota. It focuses on the all-day aspect of this type of school, which is much less popular than a part-day program of this type due to the complexities and extra expenses of an all-day model. The …
Developing An Effective Proposal For A Natural Habitat Restoration In The School Yard, Byron Griffin
Developing An Effective Proposal For A Natural Habitat Restoration In The School Yard, Byron Griffin
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research questions addressed in this capstone are how does one prepare an effective proposal for restoring a natural ecosystem, and what are the benefits of the close proximity of natural habitats to students and other stakeholders? The author compiles research examining the positive aspects of having restored environments on the school campus. The author found that benefits of habitat restorations extend beyond only affecting the students, and reach out to the teachers, groundskeepers, district, the environment, and local community. In the capstone, the author provides a demonstration of a habitat restoration, and explains the process of a prairie ecosystem …