Integrating Research Into High School Science Curricula:

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Integrating Research Into High School Science
Curricula Building Partnerships With
Universities Emily T. Cloyd and Melissa S.
Lucash State University of New York College of
Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY
13210
Introduction
Investigating Hot Topics Sustainable Design
Independent Research Restoration of Waste Beds
The NSF GK-12 program seeks to strengthen the
relationships between elementary/secondary
schools and universities. As part of this
program, we infused scientific research and
inquiry-based learning into the curriculum of The
Global Environment, a college course taught in
high schools. To improve scientific literacy, we
integrated scientific journal articles into
assignments and asked students to do their own
scientific writing. We encouraged students to
investigate current environmental hot topics
through several internet-based research
activities. Students conducted small-group
research projects and met with university
scientists.
Students designed either environmentally-friendly
houses or sustainable cities as a way to
synthesize concepts from the course. Both
projects required students to choose a location
and consider the advantages and limitations of
climate. In their design, students accounted for
the environmental impacts of building materials,
energy sources, agriculture, and other
necessities and explained how they would mitigate
any damage to the environment. Architecture
students from ESF and Syracuse University also
shared their expertise with the high school
groups.
Students collaborated with the Willow Biomass
Project at ESF, which studies willow as an
alternative bioenergy crop in New York. The
Willow Project wanted to revegetate a
contaminated waste site with little natural
vegetation. Willow growth on the site is
limited, however, by the low nutrients found in
the soil. The students tested oats or clover as
potential cover crops on the contaminated soil.
They found that both species grow well in the
contaminated soil. The Willow Project plans to
use their data to propose planting cover crops
with willows at the site.
Improving Scientific Literacy Literature Review
and Proposal
Meeting Scientists
Each student chose an environmental issue and
researched opposing viewpoints on the topic. In
the first part of their paper, students used
scientific and popular literature to review
arguments for each side of the debate. Students
then presented their own opinion on the subject
and explained how their literature review had
affected their opinion. Finally, they proposed
future research projects to investigate the issue.
ESF students and faculty and science
professionals from the Syracuse community visited
our classrooms. High school students attended
undergraduate classes at ESF, worked on field
research with graduate students, and learned
about environmental issues around world from
guest lecturers. These visits provided students
with opportunities for career exploration and
reinforced the research process by engaging
students in active research programs.
Investigating Hot Topics Alternative Energy
Sources
Teams of students researched alternative energy
sources reported on how the source works and the
benefits and drawbacks of that source. The teams
also created a marketing presentation to sell
their alternative energy product to citizens.
Finally, each group wrote an exam question based
on their report and presentation.
Guided Research Experimental Design
Students designed experiments with PeepsTM
marshmallow candies and wrote short proposals
outlining their objectives, hypotheses, and
methods. After their proposals were accepted,
students conducted experiments to test the
effects of smoking, microwave radiation, alcohol,
and liquid nitrogen on the size, color, and
flexibility of the marshmallows.
Guided Research Stream Restoration
20 sec.
Students conducted fish and invertebrate studies
at a stream adjacent to their high school. ESF
graduate students assisted with electroshocking
and seining gear used to collect organisms. The
students researched riparian wildlife (plants,
invertebrates, fish, and mammals) and developed a
plan to restore degraded sections of the stream.
0 sec.
50 sec.
Improving Scientific Literacy Reading and
Understanding Scientific Papers
Investigating Hot Topics Ecological Footprints
Article Summary During the course of the school
year, each student reviewed a scientific journal
article and summarized it for the class. We used
short review papers and research communications,
primarily selected from Frontiers in Ecology and
the Environment. Students gave an oral
presentation about their article and completed a
written assignment which asked them to identify
key points of the article and apply critical
thinking skills to suggest new research
ideas. Learning to Use a College Library Each
class visited the ESF library at least once
during the year. While at the library, students
learned how to use electronic citation databases,
locate hard copies and electronic copies of
journal articles, and reviewed different types of
sources (journals, edited books, etc.). Building
a Reference List Students were required to use
several types of sources in their assignments.
To show that they were reviewing a variety of
sources in their work, students submitted an
annotated bibliography as a part of their
research process. Students incorporated primary
scientific literature, newspaper articles, books,
magazine articles, and the internet into their
annotated bibliographies.
We investigated how lifestyle choices, age, and
sex affect the size of an individuals ecological
footprint. Students took a short online quiz to
estimate their own ecological footprint, recorded
their consumption of resources for a week, and
interviewed family members about their
consumption. Finally, students suggested ways to
reduce the size of their ecological footprint.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank H. Busa (Marcellus HS), T.
Sandstrom (OCM BOCES), T. Doherty (Corcoran HS)
and their students our fellow Graduate Teaching
Fellows, J. Boley, E. Cheshire, A. Dechen, H.
Golden, R. Jarrell, S. Scanga, and L. Schmitt
the principal investigators, D. Raynal, C.
Spuches, R. Beal, and D. DeSiato and the grant
administrator, S. Tankersley. Support for this
project was provided by NSF GK-12 Award No.
0231742.