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SPRING 1997 |
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Inner city team watches Hudson RiverScience is noisyProgram leads to environmental and cultural sensitivityWater Wonderworks program debuts at SmithsonianBeef up science in grades K - 6Return to top
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From the editor:This edition of Teaching Water Science focuses on incorporating environmental education and water quality monitoring studies into classrooms with younger students -- middle schools, junior high schools and even elementary schools. Some of the challenges identified by teachers of these groupings include:
The challenges appear to be significant, yet teachers are overcoming the obstacles in creative ways. As you read the success stories here, consider how you might incorporate real, hands-on science into your curriculum and ignite students' interest in the physical world around us.
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From the editor
Science is noisyProgram leads to environmental and cultural sensitivityWater Wonderworks program debuts at SmithsonianBeef up science in grades K - 6Return to top
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Inner city team watches Hudson River
"For three years, I've had a team of 7th- and 8th-grade students work with me on the Hudson River Project. The goal of this project is to develop students into citizens who possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes to engage in environmentally responsible behaviors," says Mihich. "The river is within walking distance from the school. With the support of an enlightened administration and a yearly budget of $250-300, we are able to visit the 79th Street Marina once a week. Students record air and water temperatures, take pH readings, determine the water clarity and dissolved oxygen levels, and prepare a sample for the five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) test." Students use spreadsheets for data entry and analysis, generate charts for discussion, and calculate the Water Quality Index (WQI), a measurement based on procedures developed in Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring.1 Some of the WQI tests from the manual had to be modified because the school has no science laboratory. Mihich credits Hach instruments and reagents with making the testing possible. "We use six different Hach kits. They're easy to use, durable, and have easy-to-understand directions," he says. "And the kids do so much better when science is hands-on." Students are excused every Monday from two class periods to go to the marina. After school they run nitrate and phosphate tests and enter the data. A computer program calculates a modification of the WQI based on the nine parameters they measure. "Right now, the Hudson River is ranging from medium to good condition, even though it does not meet the state standard for total body contact," says Mihich. "It fluctuates widely over the nine-month testing period. Dissolved oxygen levels were healthy but BOD levels exceeded our expectations." How do you get 7th and 8th graders to stay after school for data entry work? "The logistics aren't always easy," he responds. "These are city kids, dependent on buses and subways. But we work it out with some help from the parents." Mihich has overcome many obstacles to make this project a success. He thinks the outcome makes it all worthwhile. "At the river's edge, the kids are faced with the problems of pollution. They become sensitized to environmental factors. Several award-winning science fair projects have come from the team's work. In May 1995, the Water Watch Team students were awarded the New York Citywide and Boroughwide first prizes for their work as a part of the Citywide Team-Up to Clean-Up Competition. We are definitely making a difference." 1 Mitchell, Mark K. and William B. Stapp, Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring, Thomas-Shore, Inc, Dexter, Michigan, 1986.
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From the editorInner city team watches Hudson River
Program leads to environmental and cultural sensitivityWater Wonderworks program debuts at SmithsonianBeef up science in grades K - 6Return to top
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Science is noisy
Fifth- and 6th-graders in Ocean Township, N.J., get more than 200 minutes of science per week from a curriculum that was developed by a committee of educators. "Our programs don't use textbooks at all, and we get them involved in hands-on laboratory work much earlier than most school districts," he declares. Johnston supervises 100 individuals teaching science in four schools. He explains his role. "My staff provides them with the curriculum, materials, demonstration lessons and everything else they need. In a 6th grade ecology unit that lasts for 12 weeks, we provide them with Hach test kits for dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, iron and pH. The kids test tap water, go out to the Sandy Hook Seashore and even bring water from home. Then they compare results to readings from previous years or readings from kids in other grades. They love it." More student teachers are learning science content and how to teach it, Johnston is pleased to note. He anticipates that national science standards will drive changes in the way science is taught in the future. "One approach that's been suggested is for specialists to go into a classroom once a week and teach a lesson, bringing along all the paraphernalia and equipment needed. Then the regular classroom teacher builds on that lesson and the concepts for the rest of the week," he predicts. "Classroom teachers will have to get used to doing investigations that aren't contrived, where answers are not always exactly the same, and where kids get up and move around the room. That's science!" For the teacher who has a sketchy background in science, Johnston has some advice. "Don't worry about it. Just let the kids work with the materials. Let them explore and discover while you guide them. Focus on what you are comfortable with -- for example, a 5th grade class is monitoring a stream once a month and getting a baseline for phosphate and pH. The kids are learning the scientific method, building a data bank of test results, and acquiring some basic computer skills. The teacher isn't a scientist but knows how to engage the kids and their imaginations."
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From the editorInner city team watches Hudson RiverScience is noisy
Water Wonderworks program debuts at SmithsonianBeef up science in grades K - 6Return to top
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Program leads to environmental and cultural sensitivity
Pizza Hut. Bowling. And water quality testing. That's what six students visiting the United States from Rostov, Russia, liked best about their exchange student experience last fall. Hosted by teachers and families of Smoky Mountain High School (SMHS) students, the Russian teens are participating in the third year of the Eco-Bridge Project in Sylva, N.C. The program, designed to increase environmental awareness and improve cultural communication between nations, is funded by the U.S. government and private companies. Under the direction of chemistry teacher James Buchanan, SMHS students are monitoring Bumgarner Creek and the Tuckasegee River for pH, dissolved oxygen, chloride, nitrates, nitrites, alkalinity, hardness and carbon dioxide using Hach kits. The student volunteers work after school to sample, test and record test results onsite and in the lab. Test results are compiled and shared with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Their studies thus far show that silt deposition and CO2 levels are increasing, while dissolved oxygen levels are decreasing.
For more than 10 years, TVA and state environmental enforcement agencies have worked with schools to collect data on the Tennesee River and its tributaries. Teachers are assigned specific sites and receive training, funds, and Hach test kits. According to Buchanan, "The data students collect is very good -- every bit as useful as that collected by engineers or biologists. And it costs the TVA considerably less than paying for professional services." Several Russian students who came to SMHS in 1996 were active in an ecology club. Because Rostov does not have a landfill, citizens dump their trash outside on the street, and factory chemicals are discharged directly into the river. The Russian government and university communities are trying to educate the population about pollution and change behaviors. Ecology club activities include picking up trash along the river, recycling paper, glass and aluminum, and visiting water treatment plants. When they returned to Rostov with their Hach test kits, the Russian students had a wider perspective on pollution and the role of citizens in prevention and cleaning-up. Six American students are taking Russian language lessons in preparation for their trip to Rostov in April. They will test water and assist in ecology club activities. They will learn first-hand about cultural differences. And they will gain much, much more. As SMHS student Holly Hodgin expressed it upon her return from Rostov last year, "Russia needs America's wealth and America needs Russia's simplicity and undaunted spirit. Bridging these gaps at an unbiased age -- the teenage years -- helps to open the doors to unite the futures of our countries. This program has proved vital to my life and has forever changed my perspective on the world as a whole."
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From the editorInner city team watches Hudson RiverScience is noisyProgram leads to environmental and cultural sensitivity
Beef up science in grades K - 6Return to top
|
Water Wonderworks program debuts at Smithsonian
Classroom component. Teachers attend a two-hour workshop at the Hands On Science Center in Washington, D.C. and learn how to use the Hydro-Investigator Casebook, which contains pre- and post-visit classroom activities and extension opportunities. Teachers distribute free, individual copies of the casebook to students. Museum component. In the Hands On Science Center, students work in cooperative groups to investigate water pipes, water treatment or wastewater treatment. Designed around the concept of solving mysteries, the program's spokesperson, Special Agent H2O, invites student hydro-investigators to tackle special missions to investigate acids and bases, detect minerals in water, solve water-quality related cases, and plan a waterworks for the 21st century. Hydro-investigators must crack the Case of the Fertile Lawn with the following background, "Your neighbor is moving to the desert. She wants to know which fertilizer to use to make plants strong and better able to survive in desert conditions. She also wants to choose a fertilizer for general gardening that is low in phosphorus. Can you help her?" This program is based on the concepts and content of a major exhibit at the museum entitled Science in American Life, developed with the support of the American Chemical Society and assistance from Hach Company. To learn more about the program, call Theresa Esterlund, School Programs Coordinator, at 202-786-2307 or e-mail esterlund@NMAH.si.edu. If you are interested in registering for the program, call Andrea Lowther, Tour Coordinator, at 202-357-1481.
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From the editorInner city team watches Hudson RiverScience is noisyProgram leads to environmental and cultural sensitivityWater Wonderworks program debuts at Smithsonian
Return to top
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Beef up science in grades K - 6The challenges of science education in the elementary schools sometimes can seem insurmountable. There are always funding issues -- teachers and administrators alike know that budgets never really stretch enough. And there are facilities issues -- everyone agrees it's impractical to install a wet lab in every elementary classroom. And then there's the question, "Are younger students developmentally capable of understanding abstract principles and participating in science investigations?" But while these obstacles seem tough to conquer, the biggest barrier may be more subtle and pervasive; namely, many elementary school teachers are uncomfortable with science and refrain from teaching it. Does this sound like a radical theory? Not if you read, "Failing at Fairness -- How America's Schools Cheat Girls," by Myra and David Sadker. Not if you view "Failing at Fairness," a 1993 videotape production hosted by Jane Pauley that follows up on research published by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) entitled "How Schools Shortchange Girls." And not if you talk to Dr. Sheryl McGlamery, assistant professor of science education in the biology department at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) in Greeley. McGlamery has some solutions to the more conventional issues. "Budgets are always a struggle," she says. "Teachers from under-funded schools learn to be very persistent when it comes to contacting local businesses, civic groups, public agencies and other organizations that can support their programs. For example, my UNC students are required to come up with a list of 20 local sources of free materials. And the freebies they locate are impressive." Among the treasures her scavenging students have come up with are ready-to-assemble CPU components, models of teeth from a dental supply house, sheep eyes from a local meat packing plant, wildlife posters, and even curriculum from a water conservation group. "The resources are available. You just must be willing to ask for help," says McGlamery. She also disputes the need for sophisticated laboratories for teaching science to youngsters. "You can teach very basic science principles with what you have on hand. For example, you can teach lessons on density and mass with just a bucket of water, a rock, an ice cube, styrofoam peanuts and a rubber ball. Make science principles concrete and lay the groundwork for basic concepts." Can students in the intermediate grades grasp abstract concepts? Dr. McGlamery says, "Yes, absolutely. You can set up learning centers and conduct guided discovery. Create a structure to demonstrate a concept, and then guide students to the conclusions you want them to reach. That's usually more successful than just turning them loose with an investigation and then hoping they come up with some conclusions. "Learning through guided discovery can help students make a leap to more independent thinking. For example, after students get familiar with the basic concepts of the water cycle, they can respond more positively to a visit from a water conservation official, or can more fully appreciate a field trip to a water plant, or can even interview a scientist and ask relevant questions," she says. "It's all a matter of knowing what your students can handle, and making science accessible to them." With solutions to the problems of budgets, facilities and cognitive ability, why aren't more teachers integrating science into the elementary school curriculum? "Failing at Fairness" and AAUW research points to part of the answer. Dr. McGlamery offers some additional ideas. "Most elementary school teachers are females, and many females did not have positive experiences with science during their own education. We estimate that only 10 to 20% of elementary school teachers really teach science consistently; that is, thirty-minute sessions three times a week. In schools where teachers are pressured to get kids literate, science often takes a back seat to reading and language skill development," she says. Science can and should be integrated into reading and language studies. "Kids love science," she says. "Even kindergartners will race to science centers instead of having free time on the playground." For teachers who are uncomfortable integrating science into existing curriculum, McGlamery offers some encouragement. "Change can come more easily if you're aware of the root of the problem. Don't just take more science classes and hope that your attitude changes. Instead, revisit your own experiences with science. Consider how you were taught, examine gender equity issues, and ponder the ramifications of perpetuating unhealthy behaviors and attitudes. Then look at your own teaching style. Identify techniques that work with all students so as to make science more accessible. Create fruitful learning experiences for your class. Once you get over your fears, you may discover you LIKE science!" |
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This page was last updated 08/16/06 |
Thirteen
years ago, Orlando Mihich left his job as a chemical engineer because he wanted to do
something positive for society. He yearned to transfer his skills, knowledge and love of
science to young people. After three years as a teacher at Booker T. Washington Middle
School in Manhattan's Upper West Side, he knows that he is making a difference in his
students' lives. And his "Water Watch Team" is making a difference in New York
City's effort to clean up the environment. 
Science
supervisor Alan Johnston has a theory about why elementary school teachers don't teach
more science. "When kids are learning, it's noisy and there's a lot of activity. Kids
are energized and teachers fear they'll lose control," he says. "They need to
get over those inhibitions because kids just naturally love science."
"Most
students in the after-school water quality monitoring program have had chemistry and
biology," says Buchanan. "They've already learned how to use a
spectrophotometer, make calibration curves and plot Beer's Law. This program allows them
to pursue special interests, investigate career options, and apply scientific principles
on a worldwide scale." 
The Hands On Science Center of the National Museum of American History,
Smithsonian Institution, is offering a new program called Water Wonderworks. Designed for
students in grades 5 through 8, the free program focuses on drinking water quality,
distribution systems and wastewater treatment. Divided into two interrelated components,
the program uses Hach equipment and materials to provide enriching hands-on science
activities.