My students need water quality testing equipment and field guides and equipment to help them work in groups outside, collecting real world data first-hand.
My students are Juniors in Chemistry and Seniors in an elective Environmental Science class. They are enthusiastic and hard-working, and they are really getting an opportunity to see what the world is like and how it works--from a molecular, ecological, hydrological, sociological and economical point of view.
They love the chances we get to do real experiments or collect data out in their urban environment because it allows them to use the concepts they're learning in a way that is relevant to them.
For many, these are their first forays into disciplined experimentation and methodology so it needs to make sense for them.
My Project
We learn about Gas Laws, Acids and Bases, Thermodynamics, and Toxins in Chemistry, as well as Water Quality, Energy Availability and Urban Development issues in social, economic, and scientific contexts in Environmental Science, but what would really help the students internalize the concepts would be relating these ideas to their own communities.
With equipment to help us test water quality, the students will be able to answer the questions they have about the Charles River, the ponds near where they live, or even the drinking water at the school.
With sturdy thermometers and pocket scales we can actually measure the effect of different building materials on ambient air temperature, biomass of different species of plants, and how soil temperature relates to density of the soil and water availability for plants. With durable field guides the students can explore the school grounds and finally notice the differences in the small animals, butterflies, and plants that they ignore every day.
They'll be able to take the data they collect outside and analyze it. They'll be able to apply what they learn, what they notice about nature at home and on the go-- boosting the importance of the environment in their city lives--helping engender a feeling of environmental stewardship whether or not they plan to study it in college, and helping to engage them further in the class.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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