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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 …
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 …
Preparing Teachers For Their Zoo Trip With An Interactive Website, Jamie L. Hardcastle
Preparing Teachers For Their Zoo Trip With An Interactive Website, Jamie L. Hardcastle
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Zoos and aquariums have an attendance of 50 million children visitors every year with 12 million of those being student learners on field trips (Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 2018, Annual Survey Results, Informal Science Education). According to Willis, Weiser, and Kirkwood, (2014) field trips are not just a ‘day off’ from school, they serve to provide enriching experiences that help students to explore the world outside of their direct environment. To ensure that learning is happening before, during, and after the field trip takes preparation on part of the teacher. Anderson, et al. (2006) state that students should be …
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)
How Can A 9th Grade Math And Science Curriculum Become Integrated As Part Of A Project-Based Academy?, Evan Pierson
How Can A 9th Grade Math And Science Curriculum Become Integrated As Part Of A Project-Based Academy?, Evan Pierson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research shows that project-based learning and integrated curriculums in many cases have a positive impact on student engagement, attitudes, and academic achievement. This project takes units from a general science and math curriculum at the ninth grade level and blends them to create an integrated unit relating to motion. The unit contains a wide array of math and science activities and labs that encourage students to think critically but also allows them to easily see the similarities between the two content areas. Teachers are encouraged to adapt the unit to meet their individual needs or attempt a similar endeavor with …
Web-Based Inquiry: A Potential Solution For Resource-Poor High School Biology Classrooms?, Sarah Fagan
Web-Based Inquiry: A Potential Solution For Resource-Poor High School Biology Classrooms?, Sarah Fagan
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, what are design principles that support the development of web-based, guided inquiry lessons for resource-poor secondary biology classrooms? This project examined the need for, the evidence behind, and the supplies to create web-based, inquiry lessons utilizing free and online biology resources. The author explains both the website creation as well as the curriculum development. It highlights that while technology integration is widespread within all classrooms, the financial disparities in funding of schools in low-income areas lead to lack of supplies and disparities in curriculum support. Both of these things can lead 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 …
Strategies That Enhance Voice-On Activities In Middle School Science, Larry Hunter
Strategies That Enhance Voice-On Activities In Middle School Science, Larry Hunter
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Teachers willing to listen over lecture can implement voice-on activities that create equitable learning environments for all learners. Today’s students arrive to us nourished by multiple streams of knowledge gleaned from family, friends, books, games, television, Internet, and various technologies. Equipped with complex layers of knowledge— students have something to say—but how they say and synthesis this information during voice-on activities is paramount for building new constructs. In 2016, the phrase voice-on activities was first used in a middle school science classroom as a cue to model preferred behavior and categorize the following oral activities: argumentation, collaboration, conversations, discourse, discussions, …
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 …