Environmental Stewardship
Environment stewardship is the responsible use of our natural resources through conservation and sustainable practices. Environmental stewardship is developed by connecting to nature through hands on inquiry and developing problem solving producing sound environmental education practices.
Science Inquiry and the Classroom Connection
During my trip to Belize, we participated in a number of science inquiry projects following the Quest model. The
QUEST method of inquiry follows an acronym
where Q represent questions, U for uncovering the comparative question,
E for exploring predictions, S for starting an action plan and data collection
and T for think hard about findings. This QUEST model was carried over into the third grade classroom through the implementation of the science notebook. The science notebook is used as an inquiry tool for student investigations.
Advanced Inquiry Project (AIP)- Teacher Inquiry
As with any new implementation, one has to examine it's effectiveness. This study aimed to monitor the science notebook’s effectiveness by researching the question “Does student content knowledge and inquiry writing procedural proficiency increase after being exposed to several inquiry based lessons?” It is predicted that students using the science notebook will increase their science knowledge and become more proficient in procedural writing.
Results indicate the science inquiry notebook has a positive effect on written procedural proficiency and science content knowledge. No statistical difference was noted between the students‘performance and gender. Lastly, student reading levels appeared to have no impact on student performance on procedural writing and science content knowledge. Further studies are needed in the area of reading literacy and science inquiry performance.
Results indicate the science inquiry notebook has a positive effect on written procedural proficiency and science content knowledge. No statistical difference was noted between the students‘performance and gender. Lastly, student reading levels appeared to have no impact on student performance on procedural writing and science content knowledge. Further studies are needed in the area of reading literacy and science inquiry performance.
Students Comparative Question- Student Inquiry
This was a five session program where students participated in an outdoor inquiry investigating the question “If I were an organism (worm, spider, ant or beetle) I would or would not like to live in a forest, edge or lawn area?" There were approximately fourteen parent volunteers, eight Cincinnati Nature Center volunteers, three third grade teachers, two Cincinnati Nature Center staff members and sixty five third grade student participants. The Cincinnati Nature Center staff members developed this unit in collaboration with the third grade teachers utilizing the core curriculum and the science inquiry notebook and graphic organizers.
This five session program held over four weeks started with a brief “Spark Day” activity to get children curious about the outdoors. Students chose an organism (worm, spider, ant or beetle) to study. For the next three sessions, students explored three different habitats ; the lawn, the forest, and the edge. Students used their science inquiry notebooks throughout this investigation.
This five session program held over four weeks started with a brief “Spark Day” activity to get children curious about the outdoors. Students chose an organism (worm, spider, ant or beetle) to study. For the next three sessions, students explored three different habitats ; the lawn, the forest, and the edge. Students used their science inquiry notebooks throughout this investigation.