The Steps of the Scientific Method 1. Identify a Problem/Ask a Question 2. Conduct Background Research 3. Form a Hypothesis 4. Design an Experiment 5. Collect & Analyze Data 6. Draw a Conclusion 7. Communicate your Results
1. Identify a Problem/Ask a Question The Scientific Method begins by choosing a topic that interests you and identifying a problem related to that topic. Then you should ask a question about something you can measure. A scientific research question usually starts with: How, What, Who, Which, Why, or Where. You have asked a good research question if you can design an experiment to answer it. An experiment requires that you change only one factor (variable) and keep all other conditions constant. If you can not design such an experiment, you should revise your question with the help of your mentor and/or chapter coordinator. Ideally, your question will involve factors or traits that you can measure numerically (like distance or time), or observe objectively (like colors). Simple Example Problem: I’m interested in craft projects. I’ve noticed that sometimes glue is easier to spread than other times. Question: Will glue flow faster when it is warmer? Environmental Examples Problem: I’m interested in water quality. I’ve noticed that the river that flows through my community is very murky and looks dirty. Question: What sections of the river are brown and what sections are clear? or What causes certain sections of the river to be brown? Problem: It’s very noisy outside my school and it distracts me from doing my school work. Question: Do students in a quiet school environment earn better grades than students in a noisy school environment?
Your EnvironMentors Project You will complete Step 1 of the Scientific Method in Section 4: Project Planning. You will use brainstorming to identify an environmental topic that interests you, and then make a list of what you know and don’t know about the topic in order to identify a problem, and then ask a question. The Project Topic Form assignment will help you organize your thoughts and ideas.
2. Conduct Background Research The next step in the Scientific Method is finding out what is already known about your problem by conducting background research. You can use the library, the internet and talk to experts. Your background research will help you make an educated guess about the answer to your question, and will also save you from starting from scratch in putting together a plan for answering your question. When doing your background research you should: •
Identify keywords in your question and use question words (why, how, who, what, when, where) to develop research questions such as: When does a plant grow the most, during the day or night? and Why are moths attracted to light?
•
Look for information about similar research projects and find out what was learned in those experiments.
Simple Example Research Questions: What affects the “stickiness” of glue? My mentor mentioned viscosity, what does that term mean? What other experiments have been done on glue? Environmental Examples Research Questions: What affects the clarity of the water in the river that flows through my community? My mentor mentioned turbidity, what does that term mean? How do you measure turbidity? What other experiments have been done on river turbidity? Research Questions: What is noise pollution? Does the amount of traffic outside of my school increase noise pollution? What other experiments have been done related to noise pollution? What other experiments have been done on the factors that affect students’ learning? Your EnvironMentors Project You will complete Step 2 of the Scientific Method in Section 5: Background Research. You will learn how to use the library and internet for research and how to create an annotated bibliography. With the help of your mentor, you will also identify a local expert on your topic and interview them. Using what you’ve learned from your library and internet research, as well as your expert interview, you will complete the Background Research Paper assignment.
3. Form a Hypothesis After researching your topic area, you’ll be more knowledgeable about the problem you identified in Step 1. Based on what you now know about your topic, you’ll be able to form a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an educated guess about the answer to your question. When wording your hypothesis,
be careful to word it in a way that can be tested by your experiment. Do this by identifying both the variable you will change during your experiment (independent variable) and the variable whose changes you will observe (dependent variable). You can state your hypothesis in the following form: If the independent variable is changed in a certain way, the dependent variable will change is a predictable manner. Simple Example Background knowledge: Liquids expand when they get warmer and flow more easily. Hypothesis: When the temperature of the glue is raised, it will flow faster. Environmental Examples Background knowledge: Factors such as shoreline erosion and runoff can increase the turbidity of river water. Turbidity is the amount of total suspended solids in water. The higher the turbidity the harder it is to see to the bottom of the river. Hypothesis: If I measure the turbidity of the river water at different sites, it will be higher in areas where there has been recent significant shoreline erosion. Background knowledge: Other studies have shown that students usually learn better in a quiet environment. Hypothesis: The average test scores of students at a school with a lot of noise pollution will be lower than the average test scores of students at a school in a quiet neighborhood. Your EnvironMentors Project You will complete Step 3 of the Scientific Method in Section 6: Forming a Hypothesis. After assessing what you learned about your topic from your background research, your mentor and/or your chapter coordinator will help you develop a hypothesis. You will complete the Hypothesis Form assignment.
4. Design an Experiment Your experiment will test your hypothesis and it is important that your experiment is a fair test. In order to conduct a fair test, you should be sure that you change only one factor, or variable, at a time, while keeping all other conditions the same. You should repeat your experiment multiple times to be sure that the results aren’t just an accident. You should write your procedure like a step-by-step recipe for your experiment. Your procedure should be detailed enough that someone else could repeat your experiment just by reading it. Your materials list should include all the supplies and equipment you will need to complete your experiment. By making your list and gathering your materials ahead of time, you can be sure that you will have everything on hand when you need it. It is a good idea to make your materials list well in advance because some items may take time to obtain.
Simple Example Procedure: 1) Draw three circles along one edge of a piece of cardboard. Label one circle hot, one room temperature, one cold. 2) Put one bottle of glue in ice water for five minutes and one bottle of glue in hot water for five minutes. Leave one bottle of glue at room temperature. 3) Place five drops of glue from each bottle in the appropriately labeled circle on the cardboard. 4) Tilt the cardboard by placing
the upper end on a book so the glue flows down the cardboard. 5) After one minute, measure the distance each drop of glue flowed. 6) Repeat the experiment 2 more times. Materials: 3 bottles of the same kind of glue, 1 container of ice water, 1 container of hot water, 3 pieces of cardboard, 1 ruler, 1 thick book. Independent variable: the temperature of the glue. Dependent variable: the distance the glue flows on the cardboard. Controlled variables: the kind of glue, the amount of glue, the height of the cardboard, the respective temperatures of the ice water, hot water, and room. Experimental group: the trials with hot and cold glue. Control group: the room temperature glue. Environmental Examples Procedure: 1) Locate a portion of the river that has a relatively the same width for several meters. 2) Pick and label with a flag or marker three or more sample sites, 10 meters apart along the river bed. 3) At each site, collect a sample of water in a clear bucket or bottle, making sure not to stir up river sediment on the shore as you collect the sample. 4) Thoroughly mix the water in the container to ensure that settled sediment in the container rises off the bottom. 5) Gradually pour the sample into the turbidity tube, while looking straight down at the bottom of the tube. As you are doing this, make sure to hold the tube out of direct sunlight as it may alter your measurements. 6) Stop pouring the sample into the tube when the design (the black and white checkers) on the bottom of the tube is not visible. To check your results, rotate the tube to make sure you still can’t see the bottom. 7) Record the measurement on the side of the tube (in Nephelometric Turbidity Units, NTU’s). If the measurement is between two NTU’s record the lowest value. 9) Repeat at each of the three or more sites three times to ensure an accurate reading. Be sure to rinse out the turbidity tube with tap water each time to decrease the possibility of error and contamination. 10) To determine the link between turbidity and soil erosion, take the set of measurements before a rainstorm and after, as rain causes sediment to be pulled from the ground into bodies of water, therefore increasing the amount of sediment in the river and hence the river’s turbity. 11) In total, there should be at least nine data sets (three for each location) for both before and after a storm. This experiment will tell you how erosion changes turbidity at three different points along a river. Materials: Turbidity tube with NTU measurements and a black and white disk at the bottom, clear bucket, pencil and paper for recording data, tap water, a meteorological report to predict an upcoming rainstorm, meter stick to measure distance between points along the river, flags to designate locations so experimenters will be able to return to the same location before and after the storm. Independent variable: Soil Erosion Dependent variable: Turbidity Controlled variables: location, turbidity tube. Experimental group: Trials at each distance after the storm Control group: Trials at each distance before the storm. Procedure: 1) Obtain sound level meter, to determine sound levels in classrooms in decibels (db). 2) Choose a quiet location that you determine to be your control, and calibrate the sound level meter to decibel level zero. You must recalibrate your sound level meter to zero at each different location that you take a reading. 3) Gather average test scores for a specific course and grade level for six local schools (e.g. average test scores for 9th grade mathematics). 4) At each of the six schools, locate all the classrooms for your chosen grade and course (e.g. rooms 202, 204, 206, and 214 are the classrooms where 9th grade mathematics is taught at X Senior High School). 5) At a pre-determined time (must be the same for each school), find the center of each classroom and take the decibel reading. 6) This experiment will show you the amount of noise in each classroom, which can then be compared to test scores. Materials: Average test scores for each of the six schools studied, pen and paper for recording data, sound level meter
Independent variable: classroom location by school Dependent variable: noise pollution in decibels (db) Controlled variables: location within the classroom, sound level meter, test scores Experimental group: the amount of noise pollution in each room Control group: the zero decibel reading at a pre-determined quiet area. Your EnvironMentors Project You will complete Step 4 of the Scientific Method in Section 7: Designing an Experiment. You will learn more about designing an experiment, identifying independent and dependent variables, as well as a control data set during the Experimental Methods Workshop. You will also complete the Experimental Methods & Materials List assignment.
5. Collect & Analyze Data When conducting your experiment, you should be sure to record all your data in an organized manner. You should follow your procedure exactly, and record any changes that are necessary. Be careful to only change your independent variable and keep all other variables constant. It is also very important to be safe while doing your experiment. For example, if your experiment requires you to go out on a boat to collect water samples, make sure you are wearing a life jacket. If you need to do some chemistry to analyze your water samples, be sure to wear the necessary protective equipment. If you’re not sure what safety equipment you need, consult your mentor and/or chapter coordinator. After collecting your raw data, you will need to perform some calculations in order to analyze your data and form a conclusion. This often involves calculating a mean, or average, of all data from all your experimental trials. Graphs are usually the best way to display your data so that it is easy for others to understand. Most scientists will use the x-axis for the independent variable and the y-axis for the dependent variable. Bar charts and pie charts can also be useful. Examples calculations and graphs and charts are provided in Section 8. Simple Example Raw data: Distance the hot, cold, and room temperature glue traveled on the cardboard for five experimental trials. Analysis: Calculate the mean distance traveled by each of the three glue temperatures. Create a graph or table that displays your data in a way that is easy to understand. Write a description of the data in words (The hot glue traveled the farthest distance, and the cold glue traveled the shortest distance). Environmental Examples Raw data: Three data sets, with three data points at each location down the river before the storm as well as after the storm. Analysis: Calculate the average difference between turbidity at each location before and after the storm. Determine the statistical significance of change in turbidity versus change in soil erosion. Create a graph or table that displays your data in a way that is easy to understand visually. Write a description of the data in words. Raw data: Data points for the decibel reading from each of the chosen classrooms within each of the six schools.
Analysis: Calculate the average decibel level for the classrooms in each school. If you choose six schools, you will then have six average decibel readings. Compare average test scores to noise pollution and calculate the statistical significance. Create a graph or table that displays your data in a way that is clear and easy to understand. Write a description of the data in words to prove or disprove your hypothesis. Your EnvironMentors Project You will complete Step 5 of the Scientific Method in Section 8: Data Collection & Analysis. During the Experimental Methods Workshop you will learn how to keep a good record of your experiment, how to collect data in an organized fashion, and how to create graphs using Microsoft Excel. You will complete both the Raw Experimental Data and Data Analysis assignments.
6. Draw a Conclusion Once you have analyzed your data, you can determine whether they support or disprove your hypothesis. Scientists often find that their hypothesis was false, but this does not mean that their experiment was incorrect. Scientists often learn the most when their data show something that was unexpected. Even if your data support your hypothesis, it is still a good idea to test it again in a different way. A good conclusion will suggest future experiments that will build on what you have learned, and help you and other scientists learn more about your topic area. Simple Example The data indicate that the warmer glue traveled the farthest. This supports the hypothesis that when the temperature of glue is raised, it will flow faster. It would be useful to repeat this experiment with different types of glue, or with more temperatures. Environmental Example Turbidity example – The data indicated that turbidity levels were increased at the three designated locations after a rainstorm. This supports our hypothesis that soil erosion increases turbidity of the water. It would be useful to repeat this experiment in other rivers, after different storms, and with more trials to decrease error. Noise pollution example – The data indicated that there was a correlation between higher noise pollution and lower test scores. This supports our hypothesis that average test scores will be higher in areas of lower noise pollution. It would be useful to repeat this experiment in other school departments as well as over a larger variety of schools.
Your EnvironMentors Project You will complete Step 6 of the Scientific Method in Section 9: Drawing a Conclusion. With the assistance of your mentor and/or chapter coordinator, you will determine what your data are telling you and whether or not they support your hypothesis.
7. Communicate Your Results Perhaps the most important part of the Scientific Method is to communicate your results to other scientists and to the public. Remember that the information you gathered during your background research was available because other scientists completed this critical step of the Scientific Method. When writing a report, you should use clear, objective language and avoid the use of the First Person (I think‌ or I measured‌). You should also use the active voice whenever possible, as it is more concise than the passive voice. When presenting your research orally, it is often helpful to have visual aids that will help your audience understand your research project. You can show pictures of your experimental site, as well as graphs and charts. Your visual aids should enhance your presentation, but not be your entire presentation. If you use slides, avoid merely reading your slides to the audience, which can be boring. Try to be animated and make your audience as excited about your project as you are, while still presenting yourself in a professional manner. Your EnvironMentors Project You will complete Step 7 of the Scientific Method in Section 10: Communicating Your Results. You will learn how to write like a scientist and how to present your results orally to both your peers and to the general public. You will complete the Final Research Paper, Project Display Board, and Elementary School Visit Lesson Plan assignments.
Some content reproduced from: Science Buddies (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/project_scientific_method.shtml) Energy Fair Scientific Method, The NEED Project (http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/EnergyFair2002.pdf)
Test Your Knowledge 1. The Scientific Method was developed to help scientists organize the process of solving problems. a. True
b. False 2. Which of the following is not a step in the Scientific Method?
a. b. c. d.
Form a hypothesis Communicate your results Plagiarize Draw a conclusion
3. A hypothesis is: a. A random thought b. An answer c. An educated guess d. An experiment 4. Which of the following words are not associated with the Scientific Method? a. Disorganized b. Organized c. Data d. Control 5. What to you do to test a hypothesis? a. Guess b. Create a spreadsheet with data c. Write a scientific paper d. Design an experiment 6. An independent variable is a factor that changes because of procedures conducted on the dependent variable. a. True b. False 7. Experiments often test multiple variables at once. a. True b. False
8. Experiments are usually conducted one time and by one scientist to speed up the scientific process. a. True b. False Fill in the blank(s): 9. Your hypothesis is a(n) _______________ based on information gathered from doing __________ research. 10. The experimental method must list your _______________ and _______________. 11. There should be only one ______________, or characteristic of your experiment, that will change. 12. _______________ is shown in the form of tables and graphs. 13. Your _______________ must state whether your data supported or disproved your _______________. 14. Put a number next to each step of the Scientific Method to indicate the order in which you should complete it: ___ Draw a conclusion ___ Identify a problem ___ Collect data ___ Form a hypothesis ___ Analyze your data ___ Do background research 1. a; 2. c; 3. c; 4. a; 5. d; 6. b; 7. b; 8. b; 9. educated guess, background; 10. procedure, materials; 11. variable; 12. data; 13. conclusion, hypothesis; 14. 6,1,4,3,5,2
Adapted from: Biology4Kids (http://www.biology4kids.com/extras/quiz_studyscimeth/index.html) A Science Fair Handbook by Sandy Lautz (http://192.107.108.56/portfolios/l/lautz_s/science%20Fair%20handbook/SFquiz.html
Environmental Conservation & Stewardship In addition to learning about environmental science and benefiting from your interaction with your mentor, EnvironMentors, will introduce you to the concepts of environmental conservation and stewardship. Environmental conservation refers to resource use, allocation and protection with the goal of maintaining the health of natural ecosystems. Environmental stewardship involves the responsible management of environmental resources for the benefit of present and future generations of people, plants and animals. Environmental conservation contributes to the maintenance of the free ecological services provided by natural ecosystems: •
Improved air quality – vegetation and forests can filter pollution from the air, making it healthier for us to breathe
•
Improved water quality – wetlands and other vegetation filter pollutants from water before it gets to streams and rivers
•
Reduced stormwater runoff – leaf litter and the root systems of trees and other vegetation absorb excess water, which reduces the need for expensive storm sewer systems
•
Energy savings – trees planted around your home and other buildings can provide shade that reduces the need to use air conditioning in the summer
•
Human health – in addition to providing cleaner air and water, natural ecosystems encourage outdoor recreation which can have positive impacts on both physical fitness and mental health
Ecological footprint is another concept you should become familiar with. This is a measurement tool used to describe the demand on Earth’s ecosystems and natural resources due to a given human lifestyle. The ecological footprint measures the amount of land and ocean that are needed to regenerate (if possible) the resources a human population consumes, and to absorb and treat the waste a population produces. A carbon footprint is a type of ecological footprint, and is a measure of the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activities. You can measure your carbon footprint at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html
Environmental Issues and Terms Test Your Knowledge 1. What is the current (2009) human population in the world? a. 3.5 billion b. 6.8 billion c. 9.2 million d. 18.1 billion
6. Worldwide, how many cars and trucks are used each day? a. 10 million b. 100 million c. 200 million d. 600 million
2. What is the name of the natural environment of a plant or animal? a. surroundings b. biosphere c. habitat d. atmosphere
7. What uses the most water, worldwide? a. agriculture b. swimming pools c. chemical plants d. household use
3. What is the most populous country in the world? a. China b. United States c. South Africa d. Australia
8. What term describes something that can be broken down by organisms such as bacteria? a. compound b. environmentally friendly c. biodegradable d. recycled
4. What is the name of a substance that dirties the air, water and/or ground? a. pesticide b. garbage c. pollutant d. insecticide
9. What percentage of the world’s energy is produced by carbon-based fuels? a. 20% b. 40% c. 60% d. 80%
5. What country has the largest ecological footprint per person? a. United States b. Italy c. Japan d. Afghanistan
10. What is the haze caused by the effect of sun on air that is polluted by car exhaust? a. fog b. smoke c. smog d. ozone
1. b; 2. c; 3. a; 4. c; 5. a; 6. d; 7. a; 8. c; 9. d; 10. c Adapted from Facing the Future: Education on Sustainability and Global Issues (www.facingthefuture.org)
Environmental Issues and Terms Crossword Puzzle
ACROSS 2. Something to drink when you’re thirsty 3. Knowledge acquisition 4. Largest, most populous region of the world 6. Grower of food 9. Starvation 10 What geese and other birds do 12. Having an option 14. Over 6 billion worldwide 16. Raw materials 19. Cast a ballot 20. Your use of resources is your ecological __________ 22. Wanderer 23. Country 24. Contentious disagreement 27. Air current 28. Wind and solar are two forms 31. Edges 33. Body of salt water 35. Make different 37. Lend a hand 38. Safe and sound 39. Folks
DOWN 1. Power from the sun 2. Cultural perspective 3. Our surroundings 5. Continent where Zambia is 7. Everyone living together happily 8. Give choices to 11. Linked 13. Gas guzzlers 14. Lack of wealth 15. Deadly combat 17. Study of balance in nature 18. A resource that regenerates is __________ 21 Liberty and __________ for all 24. Not dirty 25. Nourishment for the body 26. See in your mind’s eye 29. Having the same rights 30. Getting bigger 32. Biological classification 34. 2-wheeled, environmentally clean transport 36. Optimism
Reproduced from Facing the Future: Education on Sustainability and Global Issues (www.facingthefuture.org)
Environmental Issues and Terms Crossword Puzzle Key
Reproduced from Facing the Future: Education on Sustainability and Global Issues (www.facingthefuture.org)
Environmental Issues and Terms Worksheet 1. Describe some of the negative effects of polluted water in our rivers, streams, lakes and oceans.
2. What would be the impacts of no clean air to breathe outdoors or indoors?
3. What might happen if a large number of species were to become extinct?
4. What could happen if there were no forests left on Earth?
5. If you had to live in one of the following worlds, which would you choose, and why? a. A world with clean water in all the rivers, streams, lakes and oceans. b. A world with non-polluted air both outdoors and indoors. c. A world with a diversity of wildlife. d. A world with an abundance of plants including trees and other vegetation. 6. Choose two of the following social issues that are most important to you: food availability, transportation, water quality, education, affordable housing, air quality, healthy ecosystems, energy, employment, and healthcare. Using the space below, describe your vision of the world in 25 years, being sure to incorporate the two social issues you chose. (Focus on what you would like the future to be like, and use positive language. For example, instead of writing “In the future, people will not use polluting fossil fuels,” say “In the future we will use clean, renewable energy sources.” Please use additional paper to expand your ideas for your personal and positive vision for the future.)* In my vision of the future…
*Adapted from Facing the Future: Education on Sustainability and Global Issues (www.facingthefuture.org)
Project Brainstorming and Mind Mapping In this exercise you will use brainstorming to help you refine your general areas of interest to develop a more specific topic. This is the Identify a Problem part of the first step of the Scientific Method. Brainstorming is a process of spontaneous thinking used by an individual or a group to generate ideas without judgment. Brainstorming is a tool that will help you generate new ideas, as well as help you make connections between different ideas. To get started, think about one or two environmental issues that interest you. These can be topics you learned about on an EnvironMentors field trip, discussed in another class, read about in the newspaper, or are of personal concern to you. Once you have identified an interesting environmental issue, use one of the two brainstorming techniques below to help you develop a specific project topic idea. For both methods, be sure to turn off your “Inner Critic,” the voice inside that tells you something is a bad idea. You should be open to any ideas that come to you. Brainstorming Web • Write your environmental issue in the center of a large piece of paper, and draw a circle around it. • From that center circle, draw lines to connect other ideas that relate to your issue. • Allow one idea to lead to another, keeping them connected. • The web could have several layers, but check back to see how each new idea links back to your original issue. • Keep going until your web runs dry. Sample:
Zoos and Aquariums
Wildlife Protection
Endangered species
Loss of Habitat
Photo Log Digital cameras and/or camera phones can be great tools to help you identify some new things that may interest you about the environment. If you don’t own a digital camera and/camera phone, ask your mentor or Student Coordinator for help. Many times we may see things that we find interesting, but the passing moment happens all too quickly and we easily forget about them. Keeping a visual record of momentary glimpses of a bird, interesting looking tree, building, flower, car, turtle, cloud formation or anything you spot while on field trips or simply out and about in your community can be a great way to help you identify new found environmental interests that you may not have thought about before. Keep a running visual log of things, images, anything you find interesting in your community and environment during the month of October, and use this to help you focus in on your EnvironMentors Project Topic. You can enter any photos you take into the EnvironMentors Photo Contest (see Program Basics Section). Clustering • • • • • •
Write your environmental issue at the top of a large piece of paper. Underneath your issue, begin to write related ideas using only words and short phrases. Use different colored makers/pencils to record different ideas. Use both printing and cursive to indicate which ideas are main thoughts and which are supportive ideas. Don’t focus too much on organization, just keep generating ideas. As ideas start to form, you can cluster them together on your piece of paper, or link them by drawing lines between them.
Water Pollution
What causes water pollution? • • •
Chemicals Pesticides Trash/litter
Effects of water pollution • •
Kills fish and other marine animals Contaminates drinking water
When you have finished brainstorming, take some time to reflect on the ideas you generated. Are there any that are particularly interesting to you? Look for topics that might need further investigation. Choose one of your ideas to use in the next exercise. Adapted from Teaching English Language Arts: Brainstorming (wiki.elearning.ubc.ca/tela/BrainStorming/backlinks)
What You Know The brainstorming exercise helped you to identify an environmental issue you are interested in and feel needs further investigation. This activity will help you generate a Research Question, the Ask a Question part of the first step of the Scientific Method. In the table below, write down the idea you chose at the end of your brainstorming exercise in the space provided. Then make a list of everything you know about that topic. Next, list all the things you think you know (but maybe aren’t sure) about the topic. Finally, write a list of questions you’d like to ask about the topic. From your list of questions, write a draft research question.
Your general topic area:
Things you know about your topic area:
Things you think you know about your topic area:
Questions you would like to ask about your topic area:
Draft Research Question:
Project Topic Form With the guidance of your mentor, chapter coordinator, and/or teacher, use this worksheet to fully develop your project topic. General Topic Area _________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
Problem Statement Write a one or two sentence description stating the environmental issue you will address with your project. _____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
Need for the Project Develop a one paragraph (approx. 100 words) summary stating the need for your project. Think in terms of importance to your community and the environment. ___________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
Project Purpose Develop a one paragraph (approx. 100 words) statement of the purpose of your project. Thoroughly describe what you hope to learn by investigating your topic using the Scientific Method. ___________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
Research Question State your research problem in terms of a question you can answer through experimentation. ____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
Mentor’s Initials: __________ Chapter Coordinator’s Initials: __________
You have completed Step 1 of the Scientific Method: Identify a Problem & Ask a Question. Use the paragraphs you wrote above to put together the Introduction of your Final Research Paper. Print a copy of your Introduction and turn it in to your teacher and/or chapter coordinator.
2010-11 EnvironMentors Student Project Topics Algae Attacks! Study of House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Feeding Preferences by Affecting Native Species Pollination and their Impact in Urban Estuary Ecosystems Flesh Fly Larva and Fruit Fly Effect of Pollution on Aquatic Microbial Organisms Organic v.s. Non-Organic Farming Solar Energy Perfumes’ Effects on Air Quality and Test Scores The Safety of Food The Effects of Over the Counter Drugs on Crickets The influences of different water sources on growth of Arabidopsis Do the pollutants from chemical plants have an effect on the surrounding community of Baton Rouge? What is the best habitat in Northern Colorado for the Snowshoe Hare Effects of Dust on Poor Indoor Air Quality Estriol in Water Anaerobic Digestion: Turn Swine Wastes into Renewable Energy Inside vs. outside Air Pollution Energy Conversion How an Urban Wetland Effects Stormwater Organic versus Non-Organic Farming Environmental Effect of Drum Making Plastic Bag Effectiveness Strength Conditioning Student Opinions on Consumer Environmental Issues Lemna and its Environmental Effects How does technology effect the environment?
Are the Chemicals used in Archeological Digs harmful to the Environment? Hair products and pollution Chemical Treatment of Tap Water Arsenic in Soil Effect of Salinity on Brine Shrimp How Water Effects Vegetation Water quality in recreational vs. drinking water reservoirs Effect of Road Salts on the DC Water Supply Songbird population and recovery or Bioassessment of impaired creeks/ streams Cold and Warm Fronts Why Does my Uncle's Water Taste Bad? Acid Rain and its Effects on Outdoor Statuary Rain is Ruining Our Water Quality How Microwave Water Affect Health Soil Sediment Testing Drinking Water Quality Identifying Dataset Patterns for Knowledge Discovery The Perceived and Actual Effects of Outdoor Recreation on the Environment Can Household Products Clean Oil Off of Animals? Flood Mapping Anacostia River Restoration: Water Quality Survey Neurotoxin in seafood Comparing the Effects of Two Glyphosate Solutions on Daphnia pulex Significance of Earthworms on Plant Growth What Fuels Have the Most Power: Diesel, Biodiesel, E-85 Ethanol, and Unleaded Gasoline? Water quality effect(s) on plant growth Hydroelectric Energy in Fort Collins
Water Quality in Mattano Park Santee Reservation Dogs Dispersants and their ramifications on oil Impacts of traditional vs. hydroponically grown plants Air pollution vs. Water Reaction Yields and Energy Content of Biodiesel Derived from Vegetable Oils Cell Phone Waste Impact on the Environment Identifying Dataset Patterns for Knowledge Discovery Impacts of Invasive Species on Wetland Soil Population Influence of social norms and other factors on a person's willingness to pick up litter Is Solar Energy a Viable Energy Source? How Do Different Shaped Wind Turbine Blades effect performance? School Gardens and Environmental Education Pesticide Water Pollutants Effect on Freezing Point Do Organic Farms Have Better Water Quality than Traditional Farms? Chlorophyll a temporal patterns in a coastal region influenced by a freshwater diversion: Breton Sound Estuary, Louisiana Air Pollution's Relationship to Automobiles Effects of Compost on Native Species' Growth Cloud Formation Aluminum in Deodorant "The effect of human activity on the diversity of aquatic invertebrates in the Sacramento River" Solar vs. Wind: Which renewable energy source provides more environmental and economic benefits? Medicine Plants Does tree cover help prevent avalanches?
Lead in DC School Faucets and Drinking Fountains The effects of light on algae growth for use in biofuels Recycling in Urban Environments Pesticides in Water A plastic bag ban for the City of Davis Organic versus inorganic: which fertilizer works best? Human and Animal Waste in DC Waterways Wind Energy Efficiency of Energy Output Pollution on LSU’s campus and its effect on trees Deer Population in Rock Creek Park Testing the presence of Avian influenza virus in bird feces How Micro organisms in Water Affects Us? Earthquakes Solar Houses for the Future Endocrine Disruptors Effect on Sea Monkeys Micro orgranisms and Plant Growth Water quality among four LSU lakes and the potential for algal blooms and fish kills An investigation into the inequity of Native American land and mineral rights Air Quality and Athletic Performance Pollution affecting fish growth Role of environmental factor in prostate cancer What are the levels of carbon dioxide from different cars? Hybrid Cars vs. Regular Car Emissions
Essentials for a Successful Field Trip
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better
~Albert Einstein
Inside this issue:
Fun in the Field Getting students out of the classroom can be one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences of the school year. Trips can excite and engage students as they embark on their research projects or recap and reward a project milestone. Trips can also provide bonding opportunities between mentor and student, encourage camaraderie among your chapter’s students, and create life-long memories for all participants. Whether you choose expeditionary, place-based, or inquiry-based learning, here are some reasons why you should get your students outdoors today!
Fun in the Field
1
Trip Ideas
2
Making the Case for your Trip
3
Setting Goals and Planning Ahead
4-5
Potential Activities
5
Additional Resources 5
Benefits of Field Trips
Provide a bonding experience with nature Remember—there are
Provide a bonding experience with mentor
resources in the Coordinator-Teacher
Encourage environmental stewardship
Manual’s Section 10: Field Trips, page 124.
Elicit enthusiasm for environmental inquiry
Spark student interests
Improve student learning
Essentials for a Successful Field Trip
Page 2
Trip Ideas
The EnvironMentors program encourages chapter coordinators, teachers, and mentors to help introduce students to the natural world and their local environment. EnvironMentors specifically encourages chapters to offer several experiential and hands-on learning experiences for students throughout the program period. These trips can be as simple as exploring your schoolyard or as complex as a series of longitudinal site visits to a local ecosystem. The structure of the EnvironMentors program season provides many different opportunities for field trips:
Fall:
Excite students and inspire project topics, provide an opportunity for student and mentor bonding
Winter:
Re-energize or maintain student interest in the program
Spring:
Reward students who have successfully completed the program
When thinking up potential trips don’t go it alone: include your chapter coordinator/director, mentors, and students in brainstorming ideas. They may have suggestions or contacts to make your trip more successful, and it will build camaraderie among your chapter team and your students. Below are some ideas to help get you started.
Outdoors
Informal Learning Institutions
Other
Schoolyard
Museum
College visit
National or state park
Aquarium
Tree planting
Forest Service land
Zoo
Garden construction and care
National Wildlife refuge
Science Center
Wastewater treatment plant
Preserve
Planetarium
Local reservoir or water source
Local arboretum
Picnics
Botanical garden
Hiking
Local native habitat (wetland, plain, intertidal)
Essentials for a Successful Field Trip Making the Case for Your Trip Despite the many benefits and uses of field trips, every teacher has their own gauntlet to complete before taking a step out the school door with students. Some potential obstacles include your school’s administration, fellow teachers, parents, standardized testing, and transportation. Make sure you’ve thought through the concerns of each stakeholder group whose assistance or approval you need. Space is provided for you to add additional talking points, below.
Talking points when speaking to your administration: Increased student knowledge of science content and inquiry skills Increased student engagement in school and EnvironMentors Provides fodder for project topics Improved student learning Alignment with National Science Education Standards and/or State Standards _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
Talking points when enlisting help from fellow teachers: Invite them to be a part of the trip Involve their subject area during trip if they cannot attend Make up for lost instructional time in their subject area if it cannot be incorporated _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
Talking Points when speaking with parents and mentors: Safety of transportation and place you’re visiting Cost of trip (keep it inexpensive) Invite them to be a part of the trip _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
Page 3
Essentials for a Successful Field Trip
Page 4
Setting Goals and Planning Ahead Your own planning should include determining your goals, deciding what resources you’ll need and what resources are available to you, and any logistics specific to your students, school, chaperones, and site. The diagram below presents many of the questions you have to consider.
Field Trip Planning: Guiding Questions* What Resources do I need?
Website Content Based? Off-Site Pre–Planning
Questions to consider?
What are my Overall Learning Goals?
On-Site Pre–Planning
Attitude Based? Skill Based?
Contact museum/college/park officials to request teacher resources, additional information, and help planning
Grade Level Number of students visiting Time of the year Day of the week Length of the visit Chaperones needed Lunch on site? Transportation mode Gift shop Additional Programming Guided tour Classes Behind the scenes Movies/planetarium Cost
* Adapted from New England Aquarium Teacher Resource Center “Field Trip Prep” and “Effective Field Trip Planning” in Science Scope April/May 2007
Goals Setting clear goals for your field trip is the most important thing you can do to prepare. If you’re visiting a local water body, do you want to impart knowledge about freshwater ecosystems, get students interested in stewardship and protecting their local environment, or do you want them to practice a skill like water sampling or water quality testing? Do you want to encourage student-mentor bonding, bonding between your chapter’s students, or increase student interest in college? Knowing this will help you connect the trip to your teaching goals, determine what activities you’d like students to do, and will provide a foundation to use the trip as a catalyst for student projects and future learning. Resources First – reach out to your chapter coordinator/director, mentors, and National EnvironMentors team. They are your support system, and want your trip to succeed! Other chapters may have already done a similar field trip and have tips or resources to share. Be sure to check out the field trip checklist in the Coordinator-Teacher Manual on pages 125-126, and see the sample permission slip forms. You should also contact informal learning institutions to request any resources or materials that are available to teachers planning a trip. You’d be amazing at the wealth of resources that many organizations have prepared for visitors, in the hopes of making the visit more enjoyable for all of their guests. These institutions often offer free- or reduced-price tickets for school groups at certain times of day or year.
Essentials for a Successful Field Trip
Page 5
Setting Goals and Planning Ahead, Cont’d Logistics Field trip day comes with its own concerns. You’ll want to have planned out the rest of your logistics before leaving school with students. Do this by visiting the field trip site before you visit with students. This way you can plan ahead for activities and logistics, such as safety concerns. Are you having lunch off site? Do students need to wear sun block? In addition to permission slips, provide parents with a trip checklist. This comes in handy for trips that will be mostly outdoors. If visiting an informal learning institution, consider the time of year, week and day of your trip. Call and ask if mornings or afternoons are quieter, or if early in the week is less crowded than a Friday.
Potential Activities Once you’ve determined your trip, gotten the approval of your administration, set your goals and inventoried your resources, you can plan your pre-, during, and post-visit student activities. Activities will vary by location of your trip, and site constraints (time, what students can carry, lighting). After your trip be sure to harness the excitement and questions of your students! In addition to post-activities, which can measure the success of your field trip goals, be sure to discuss the trip as a group. This may provide important insight for future trips you plan.
Pre-visit
During visit
Post-visit
Introduce field trip location to students; allow students to ask questions
Open-ended or observation or journaling (emphasize scientific observations/writing)
Hand in assignments – written journal, observations, scavenger hunts completed during trip
Photo safari
Student report-out to class sharing share observations, writing, sketching, or photographs
Investigation stations (practice research skills using field equipment)
Analyze data collected during visit
Lesson on ecosystem, habitat, organisms of field trip Student research project, paper, or presentation on topic related to field trip Connect to other subjects like English, history, or math
Group debrief and discussion
Additional Resources Connolly, Rachel, Groome, Meghan, Sheppard, Keith, and Nick Stroud. “Tips from the Field: Advice from museum experts on making the most of field trips,” The Science Teacher. January 2006, pg 42-45. EnvironMentors. “Section 10: Field Trips,” Coordinator-Teacher Manual. Pg 124-128. Kisiel, James. “Making Field Trips Work,” The Science Teacher. January 2006, pg 46-48. Ross Russell, Helen. Ten Minute Field Trips. 2001. Scribner-MacLean, Michelle, and Lesley Kennedy. “Effective Field Trip Planning,” Science Scope. April/May 2007, pg 57-60. Teacher Resource Center. “Field Trip Planning,” New England Aquarium. 2007.