The University of Toledo

Graduate Teaching Fellows in STEM High School Education:
An Environmental Science Learning Community at the
Land-Lake Ecosystem Interface

 

Our GK-12 program partners advanced graduate students in STEM disciplines at the University of Toledo with high school teachers and their students to build an Environmental Science Leaning Community at the land-lake ecosystem interface. Partners include federal, state, and local environmental agencies. Our objectives are to: 1) Generate student enthusiasm for STEM careers by engaging them in hands-on research into environmental problems, 2) Exchange STEM knowledge and pedagogies between graduate students and high school teachers resulting in cutting-edge environmental science content and increased teaching and communication skills, and 3) Develop hands-on solutions to environmental problems along schoolyard stream ecosystems feeding the Great Lakes.

Each year we select a new focus for the project. This focus becomes the theme of our summer training institute and we build upon it throughout the academic year by basing lessons and activities around it.

• In 2008 our focus was water quality and macroinvertebrate identification. Our team became Ohio EPA Level One certified in data collection. This theme has been a building block for our program and our participation in the Student Watershed Watch Program.
• In 2009 our focus was on the geology of the land-lake interface we looked at the geologic events, including stream and river processes, which have resulted in our modern landscape. Contaminants and their potential sources and pathways were covered as well.
• In 2010 our focus was to evaluate the environmental conditions and impacts of the thermal plume from the Edison Power Plant on the near shore ecosystem with collections of water quality parameters coupled with samples of the benthic community.  
• In 2011 our focus was on the evolutionary and ecological adaptation of aquatic communities. Our group has worked to create classroom activities based on genetics topics covered in our summer institute. 
• In 2012 our focus was on integrating with our sensor network. We plan to be able to use data gathered from the sensors for classroom activities and potentially even science fair projects. To learn more about our sensor network, click here. 

For the full grant project description (.pdf), click here.