{"title":"A problem-based learning activity to learn about sustainable development","authors":"Gökçe Boncukçu, Gülsüm Gök","doi":"10.1080/00368121.2023.2258353","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00368121.2023.2258353","url":null,"abstract":"AbstractA problem-based learning activity focusing on the human impact on the environment and the importance of sustainable development is presented. The activity revolves around a mysterious island where the civilization is on the blink of extinction, prompting students to investigate how human behavior, ecosystems, resources, and natural balance contributed to this predicament. Designed for middle school grades, the activity aligns with the Common Core State Standards and the NGSS. It covers 10 chapters, corresponding to 10 lessons. Students collaborate in groups, assuming the roles of scientist, to gather and share information, and interpret scientific data and graphs. Teachers can utilize this presented activity in their classroom to introduce core ideas of Earth and Human Activity while simultaneously enhancing students’ engagement, awareness, and problem solving skills regarding sustainability and environmental concerns. The implementation of the activity and suggestions for improvement were also discussed, ensuring its effectiveness in fostering critical thinking and environmental literacy among students.Keywords: Problem-based learningsustainable developmentscience educationmiddle school AcknowledgmentThis study is a part of first author’s master’s thesis prepared under the supervision of the second and third author.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136314465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mindy L Richlen, Mary Carla Curran, Christina Chadwick, Katherine A Hubbard
{"title":"Slicing the Pie: Interpreting harmful algal blooms one pie chart at a time.","authors":"Mindy L Richlen, Mary Carla Curran, Christina Chadwick, Katherine A Hubbard","doi":"10.1080/00368121.2022.2106172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00368121.2022.2106172","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Earth's oceans are home to a diverse array of life, from large marine mammals to microscopic organisms. Among the most important are the marine phytoplankton, which comprise the basis of marine food webs, and also produce a large percentage of the Earth's oxygen through photosynthesis. Although the vast majority of phytoplankton are essential to ocean health, several dozen species produce potent toxins, and can form what are called Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). This activity focuses on the importance of HABs, as well as the types of data scientists collect to understand blooms. In the classroom exercises, students will calculate the proportional abundance (% contribution) of five HAB species present in water samples, and use these data to create pie graphs to depict species composition. Students will then compare these results with levels of HAB toxins in water samples collected over the same time period. Thought questions challenge students to develop hypotheses regarding how changes in the HAB community may relate to observed trends in toxin concentrations. This activity was successfully taught to visually impaired students who were able to complete the pie charts and answer the thought questions.</p>","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9838810/pdf/nihms-1831264.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10545428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs): Track them like a scientist.","authors":"Mary Carla Curran, Mindy L Richlen","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Marine phytoplankton comprise the foundation of oceanic food webs and generate most of the Earth's oxygen. Of the many phytoplankton species in the ocean, a few dozen produce potent toxins, and at high concentrations can form what are called Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) or \"red tides\" that can discolor marine waters. Managers and scientists have been monitoring coastal waters and shellfish resources for HABs and their toxins to ensure seafood safety and understand why blooms occur. This educational activity focuses on a prominent HAB species that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). Students will learn about the importance of HABs and PSP, as well as how scientists collect and use data to understand and predict blooms. Students will plot data on HAB species collected by scientists over multiple years of sampling. Students will also plot results over time and across regions, report on observed patterns, and complete grade-appropriate calculations. Lastly, group discussion will focus on determining whether geographic patterns exist that might influence where shellfish beds are closed. This activity is timely given the widespread wildlife mortalities and beach closures due to Florida red tide, as well as recent dog deaths attributed to exposure to freshwater cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms.</p>","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6953915/pdf/nihms-1546369.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37536711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Why Study Science","authors":"Isabel S. Abrams","doi":"10.1080/00368121.1985.10112918","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00368121.1985.10112918","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2010-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78209776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pedometer and Human Energy Balance Applications for Science Instruction.","authors":"James A Rye, Stefan Smolski","doi":"10.3200/SATS.44.3.95-105","DOIUrl":"10.3200/SATS.44.3.95-105","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Teachers can use pedometers to facilitate inquiry learning and show students the need for mathematics in scientific investigation. The authors conducted activities with secondary students that investigated intake and expenditure components of the energy balance algorithm, which led to inquiries about pedometers and related data. By investigating the accuracy of pedometers and variables that may impact reported step counts, students can better understand experimental design and statistical concepts. Students can also examine other data (distance walked, kilocalories expended) using multifunction pedometers and apply the concepts of correlation and regression. This topic fits well with thematic learning and responds to concerns about excess energy intake and insufficient physical activity in the U.S. population.</p>","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2600558/pdf/nihms-63597.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27899247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dive into Research at the Aquarium","authors":"A. M. Cox-petersen","doi":"10.1080/00368129909601053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00368129909601053","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"1999-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90652707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Food Web Forage","authors":"Julie A. Pfaffinger","doi":"10.1080/00368129909601049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00368129909601049","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"1999-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84385498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Northern Mockingbird: An Introduction to Ethology for High School Students","authors":"J. D. King, C. Matthews","doi":"10.1080/00368129909601052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00368129909601052","url":null,"abstract":"Observation is deeply rooted in ethology or the study of animal behavior. By observing bird behavior, we can learn a lot about animal behavior in general. The Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottus) is a good choice for a behavioral study for high school students, because, whereas most birds maintain a territory only during the breeding season, the Northern mockingbird holds a territory year round. A territory is an area where an animal spends most of its time. It contains important resources, and the animal defends these from other animals that may compete for them (Gill 1995). In this activity, students map mockingbirds' territories and describe at least 10 common behaviors of these birds. See Figure 1 for a short list of procedural steps. A study of the mockingbird can certainly be conducted with middle school students, although the activities described in this article were done with secondary school biology students. Middle school students would do better with a general observational study, rather than a detailed data analysis.","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"1999-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83068117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"First-Rate Crops from Second-Rate Water: Classroom Activities Model a Real-World Problem.","authors":"B. Zinn, Sara Gnut, U. Kafkafi","doi":"10.1080/00368129909600925","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00368129909600925","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41929,"journal":{"name":"Science Activities-Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"1999-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79839565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}