Shooting Star Flower: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Shooting Star Flower: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Ava Bauch
OER Materials
The lesson plan engages fourth-grade students in a hands-on field experience at the MSUM Regional Science Center located in Moorhead, Minnesota focusing on the Shooting Star flower with the scientific name Dodecatheon meadia. Aligned with Minnesota Science Standard 4L.4.1.1.1, the lesson emphasizes how environmental conditions influence the traits and survival of living organisms. Students begin by observing an image of the flower and generating questions and predictions to spark curiosity. Then explore the natural environment to locate the plant and record observations about its surroundings, structure, and survival strategies. Through guided discussion, students learn how the Shooting Star adapts to …
Prairie Clover Phenomenon: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Prairie Clover Phenomenon: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Emma Kress
OER Materials
This place-based learning lesson engages third grade students in scientific inquiry through direct observation of prairie clover at the MSUM Regional Science Center. Students participate in a curiosity/phenomenon walk where they explore a native prairie plant and its role within a tallgrass prairie ecosystem. By observing, recording, and generating questions, students practice thinking like scientists while developing an understanding of plant characteristics, pollinators, and ecosystem relationships. The lesson emphasizes inquiry-based learning aligned with Minnesota Science Standard 3.1.1.1 and supports student curiosity, critical thinking and environmental awareness. Differentiation strategies and formative assessments ensure accessibility for diverse learners while fostering engagement with …
How Plants Grow: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
How Plants Grow: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Regan Braun
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that is based on natural phenomenon in the Minnesota State Moorhead Regional Science Center. Placed-based learning is to establish the connection between the classroom to the local community and the environment. The natural phenomenon is focused on how plants grow in different environments. This will zero in on how the plants grow in reaction to different soil, water access, and direct or indirect sunlight. Students will then be on a phenomenon walk that will help them develop their own curiosities and wonderings. Developed in their own curiosity, …
Life Cycles Of Living Organisms: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Life Cycles Of Living Organisms: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Thea Kunka
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to create an immersive, place-based learning experience centered on a natural phenomenon for the Minnesota State Moorhead Regional Science Center in Glyndon, MN. Place-based learning involves establishing a connection between the classroom and the local community or environment. The natural phenomenon focused on is life cycles in living organisms, emphasizing how, despite the variety of living organisms (e.g., birds, animals, plants), their life cycles are quite similar. Students will explore this by taking a phenomenon walk, making observations to spark curiosity and questions, and ultimately developing a model of life cycles. This also briefly …
Grasshoppers: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Grasshoppers: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Brooklyn Partlow
OER Materials
This submission is a curiosity and place-based science lesson designed for elementary students. It centers on observing grasshoppers during a field experience at MSUM’s Regional Science Center. The lesson engages students by making observations, asking questions, and recording data through a structured curiosity walk. By interacting within a natural phenomenon, students develop a deeper understanding of habitats, ecosystems, and animal adaptations such as camouflage and movement. The significance of this lesson lies in its emphasis on experiential, inquiry-based learning which promotes curiosity and scientific thinking. Additionally, the lesson incorporates Indigenous ways of knowing. Including this into my submission teaches students …
How Plants Get Nutrients: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
How Plants Get Nutrients: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Cami Mayo
OER Materials
The goal of this lesson is to engage students in learning how plants get the nutrients they need in order to survive. Further, this lesson is focused on fifth grade students but can be adapted to other grades. This lesson takes a place-based learning approach. Place-based learning is an approach that uses locations, environments or topics that are related to the community and incorporates it with the curriculum that is being used in the classroom. Specifically, this lesson is based on Clay County in Minnesota and is supposed to be used in tandem with the Regional Science Center in Glyndon, …
Indian Grass: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Indian Grass: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Michaela Barthel
OER Materials
This submission presents a 4th-grade science inquiry lesson focused on the role of Indian grass in preventing erosion, aligned with Minnesota Science Standard 4E.1.2.1.1. The lesson is designed to immerse students in a hands-on, field-based investigation in which they observe, sketch, and record measurements of Indian grass and surrounding soil conditions. Through direct engagement with a natural environment, students examine how vegetation contributes to reducing erosion caused by environmental forces such as wind and water, while also recognizing patterns within the landscape. Throughout the lesson, students are expected to make detailed observations and collect evidence, including soil stability, root depth …
Butterflies: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Butterflies: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Cacee Danielson
OER Materials
This submission presents a 4th grade science inquiry lesson that is focused on the life cycle of a butterfly. The lesson is designed to challenge students to use hands-on learning, field-based investigation, in which they get to observe, sketch, and record observations like physical characteristics, and observations about their habitat. Students will observe how butterflies interact with plants and their surroundings. Throughout the lesson, students are expected to make observations and collect evidence of things that they notice. These activities give students a challenge to interpret, collect and analyze data, draw and write, and its giving them more of an …
Searching For Animal Evidence: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Searching For Animal Evidence: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Ian Vedbraaten
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that helps pre-service teachers engage with primary sources connected to the history and culture of their region’s environment. In collaboration with the MSUM Regional Science Center, students visited the science center and went on a nature walk to examine animal evidence. They will analyze this evidence to learn about why animals do certain things. An example of this is why animals burrow underground.
Apple Trees Place Based Lesson Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Apple Trees Place Based Lesson Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Brooke Kraft
OER Materials
This lesson plan presents an inquiry-based, experiential field trip to the Minnesota State Moorhead Regional Science Center. It is designed to engage fifth-grade students in exploring the natural phenomenon of apple trees and fruit development. The primary focus of the lesson is to foster curiosity and scientific thinking through direct interaction with real-world environments. Students investigate the structures and functions of apple trees by observing visible components such as trunks, branches, leaves, and fruit, while also considering unseen processes like root systems and growth beneath the ground. Through guided questioning and collaborative discussion, learners are encouraged to make predictions, share …
Animal Survival: Place Based Lesson Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Animal Survival: Place Based Lesson Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Clara Paleen
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that helps preservice teachers engage with natural phenomena at the Minnesota State Moorhead Regional Science Center. Place based learning is to establish the connection between the classroom and the local community/environment. The natural phenomenon focused on is how animals survive the different seasons in Minnesota. Students will be on a phenomenon walk to develop their own curiosity and wonderings.
Literacy Professional Development: Evidence-Based Practices And Insights From Virginia,
2026
Virginia Commonwealth University
Literacy Professional Development: Evidence-Based Practices And Insights From Virginia, Meleah Ellison, Shelby Garofalo, Vanessa Sekinger, Joan A. Rhodes, Sharrie Merritte, Maggie Szydlowski, Meera Mehtaji, Valerie Robnolt, Thea Racelis
MERC Publications
This report is part of the MERC Literacy Study. It explores recently published research and publicly accessible professional development (PD) offerings frequently used across the Commonwealth to support the implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). Findings from this report support the ongoing PD of school staff and relevant partners in the VLA’s purpose of improving literacy outcomes for students in grades K-8 across Virginia.
Why Do Communities Build Bridges? Social Studies: 5e Model Inquiry Lesson Plan,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Why Do Communities Build Bridges? Social Studies: 5e Model Inquiry Lesson Plan, Ryanna Thorson
OER Materials
This lesson plan presents a 5E inquiry-based social studies lesson designed for 5th-grade students to explore the compelling question, “How does a bridge change a community?” Through the analysis of primary sources (including historical photographs, maps, engineering diagrams), students investigate how bridges influence transportation, access, safety, and community development. The lesson integrates vocabulary supports, structured observation, and literacy connections to help students evaluate the significance of human-made structures in shaping community life. Grounded in constructivist learning theory, this word demonstrates how inquiry and evidence-based reasoning can deepen students’ understanding of social studies concepts.
The Monster Consuming American Education: An Ethnodramatic Exploration Of Standardized Testing And Student Stress,
2026
Georgia Southern University
The Monster Consuming American Education: An Ethnodramatic Exploration Of Standardized Testing And Student Stress, Jennifer Bagley
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
This study looks at how elementary students experience Standardized Testing, focusing on the emotional and physical effects of the Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS). Most research on high-stakes testing focuses on scores, accountability, and policy, but fewer studies look at how students actually describe these experiences. Grounded in Cultural Studies and informed by Critical Pedagogy, this study examines how students interpret and make meaning of their testing experiences within the broader culture of accountability and standardized assessment. This study focuses on student voices to better understand what testing feels like for them and how they make sense of it in …
Investigating The Changes In Attitudes Towards Science Among Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Enrolled In A Science Methods Course Using A New Version Of The Test Of Science Related Attitudes,
2026
University of North Texas
Investigating The Changes In Attitudes Towards Science Among Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Enrolled In A Science Methods Course Using A New Version Of The Test Of Science Related Attitudes, Christopher S. Long, Becky Sinclair
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
This article examines the changes in student attitudes towards science among pre-service elementary teachers (PSETs), who were enrolled in a science methods course at a large public university in Texas, USA. A new version of the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) called TOSRA-3 was used to measure six dimensions of attitudes towards science. TOSRA-3 was created in an effort to create a more economical, 35 items versus 70 items, version of the original TOSRA. TOSRA-3 was found to be valid and reliable for use with PSETs. Factor analysis suggests a six scale structure with a Cronbach’s Alpha for each …
A Review Of The Effect The Kentucky Center For School Safety Has On Kentucky School District’S Safe Schools Data,
2026
Murray State University
A Review Of The Effect The Kentucky Center For School Safety Has On Kentucky School District’S Safe Schools Data, Patricia Greer
Murray State Theses and Dissertations
The study examines the impact of the Kentucky Center for School Safety on safety data from Kentucky Schools. The data consisted of behavior events reported in the Safe Schools Data collected from the student information system, Infinite Campus. The analysis was conducted using interaction data from the Kentucky Center for School Safety and behavioral data from Kentucky Public Schools.
Perceptions Of Georgia Elementary School Administrators Toward Elementary Agricultural Education,
2026
Murray State University
Perceptions Of Georgia Elementary School Administrators Toward Elementary Agricultural Education, Addie Tucker
Murray State Theses and Dissertations
Elementary agricultural education (EAE) is a growing component of K-12 agricultural education, yet limited research exists on how school leaders perceive its value. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of Georgia elementary school administrators regarding the implementation and value of EAE programs. Specifically, this study examined elementary principals’ and district superintendents’ views on the benefits, effectiveness, and value of EAE. A descriptive research design was used. Georgia elementary principals and district superintendents with active EAE programs during the 2025-2026 academic year were surveyed in the fall of 2025. The sample consisted of 18 principals and 18 …
Buffalo River: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Buffalo River: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Ryanna Thorson
OER Materials
This submission presents a place-based curiosity walk lesson designed to engage 5th-grade students in investigating how the Buffalo River shapes the land and supports like through processes such as water flow, erosion, deposition, and riparian ecosystem interactions. Using the bridge as a safe observation platform, the lesson engages students in documenting seasonal indicators such as snowmelt runoff, rising water levels, sediment movement, and ice breakup; phenomena that parallel Minnesota’s long-standing practice of tracking lake “ice-out” dates. By integrating scientific observation with Indigenous ways of knowing, the lesson emphasizes the ecological and cultural significance of understanding river cycles and …
Second And Fifth Graders’ Changes In Strategies For Integer Addition,
2026
Illinois State University
Second And Fifth Graders’ Changes In Strategies For Integer Addition, Mahtob Aqazade, Laura Bofferding
Faculty Publications – Mathematics
Research on integer addition often attributes students’ performance to their grade level while ignoring the role of prior whole number knowledge in influencing their learning difficulties. To explore whether these difficulties are related to their grade level or persistence in using rules based on their whole-number experiences, we first paired three second-grade students with three fifth-grade students who had similar integer addition strategies on their pretest. Then, we compared their strategy changes and performance after small-group sessions and whole-class activities around integer addition (i.e., instructional intervention). Although all pairs gained from the pretest to posttest, one fifth grader still relied …
Literacy Intervention At The Middle Level: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of The Implementation Of Thinking Maps,
2026
Columbus State University
Literacy Intervention At The Middle Level: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of The Implementation Of Thinking Maps, Ashley Chantal Choice
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined the implementation of Thinking Maps® as a literacy instructional intervention for students in grades four and five. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study investigated the effect of Thinking Maps® on student achievement, changes in students’ literacy-related work products, and teachers’ perceptions of the strategy. The study was conducted at a rural Title I elementary school in the southeastern United States and included nine teachers and 150 students across English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies during an eight-week intervention period. Quantitative data included unit pretest and posttest scores from standards-aligned assessments and teacher perception …
