Ukraine Adventure Integrates
Environmental Health Science in
Rural Middle School Science and
Non-Science Courses
Johnson, James Kracht, William Klemm, Deborah
Kochevar, Jon Hunter, Jimmy Lindner, Gary Wingenbach,
Vince Hardy, and Irma Ramos
Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Education, and
Agriculture and Life Sciences
Texas A&M University
Abstract
The long-term goal of the Partnership of Environmental Education and Rural
Health (PEER; http://peer.tamu.edu) is to encourage teachers to motivate students by
showing how mathematics, English language arts, social studies, and science relate to
real world environmental health science problems and issues. PEER features curricular
development, professional development, and scientists’ visits to rural schools grades 6-8.
Rural schools are emphasized because they typically lack high quality science
instruction due to the lack of adequately prepared teachers and because rural schools
have limited access to an abundance of instructional resources. Rural environments also
pose special environmental health hazards (e.g., dust, agricultural materials and waste).
PEER has developed learning modules that are integrated around adventure stories
which introduce an environmental health hazard and a problem to be solved by
characters in the story. Social studies content directs the location and time (historical or
contemporary) of the modules. The modules focus on world geography in grade 6, Texas
history and geography in grade 7, and United States history in grade 8. This framework
allows construction of adventures directed at environmental health science problems in
different eras and locations that exemplify problems such as contaminated food and
water, air pollution, and contagious or environmentally transmitted diseases which we
have in the U.S. today. The module illustrated here (Hard River Escape) is set in the
Ukraine. The environmental health problems include a nuclear reactor accident,
industrial pollution and the resulting consequences for natural resources and wildlife.
Students must assess the contaminated environment, formulate a strategy to determine
the source of the contamination, and find ways to help prevent or reduce exposure to
health hazards. In this process, students read and answer questions about the adventure
and summarize major points of the story. English language arts components of all
adventures include vocabulary, grammar, language usage, and writing activities. In the
Ukraine adventure, students explore perspective in writing and are asked to write
informative (i.e., a newspaper account of the Chernobyl nuclear accident) and
persuasive (i.e., a travel brochure for Kiev) essays. The students determine absolute and
relative global location of the Ukraine and take a tour along the Dneiper River where
they learn about local geography, industrial economy (natural resources), agricultural
crops grown, and how these have added to growing environmental concerns about
pollution on the river. Other environmental concerns include air and water pollution,
deforestation, radiation contamination (from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown),
and lack of drinkable water. Scientific evidence of water pollution includes dead fish in
the river, foul smelling water, pipes dumping factory wastes, trash floating in the
Dneiper River, and deformed (five legged) frogs. The adventure story gives clues as to
possible causes of the deformed frogs (wildlife) including nuclear radiation, industrial
wastes, pesticides, oil drilling and refining, agricultural runoff, and mining/manufacturing operations (coal, iron, manganese, lead, copper, and mercury), and it prompts
students to consider how deformed frogs may serve as indicators of human dangers.
Mathematics are used in calculating radiation dose fractions, distance traveled, river
water flow rates, international money exchange, environmentally-induced tumor
growth, and calculation of toxicity levels. Finally, students write a description of their
city, noting environmental challenges and how to clean up local pollution in their area.
Integration of environmental health science through adventure stories and PowerPoint
slides makes science, mathematics, social studies, and English language arts come alive.
Students and teachers attest to the engaging nature and value of the PEER integrative
environmental health science curriculum. The initial field tests of the PEER on-line
modules (e.g., Water's the Matter), has provided the research team with valuable
information needed to enhance and expand the PEER model. Based on pre-test/post-test
scores, middle school students’ knowledge increased 13.65% (average) on the measuring
“Dissolved Oxygen and its Effects on Water Quality” section; 16.67% on the measuring
“Mass, Fluid Volumes, and Concentrations” section; 12.82% on the measuring
“Temperature and its Effects on Water Quality”; and 1.11% on the measuring “pH and
its Effects on Water Quality” section. PEER curricular materials have been well
received by students, based on a preliminary study of scientists’ visits. One thousand
seven hundred and twenty-five students evaluated scientists’ presentations based on six
evaluation questions. Approximately 93% of the students thought the presentations
contained useful information; and, over 75% of the students thought the presentations
were easy to follow. Almost 90% of the students learned something new as a result of
attending the presentations. Approximately 60% of the students indicated that the
presentations caused them to change the way they thought about the environment and
their health. PEER presentations influenced over 75% of the students to change their
beliefs about environmental education. Finally, almost 80% of the students would
recommend the PEER program to other students.
NIEHS Grant R25 ES10735
Integrating Environmental Health Science in Rural Schools
Partnership for Environmental
Education and Rural Health (PEER)
Funded by:
The National
Institute of
Environmental
Health Science
NIH ES 10735
PEER Long-term Goals:
Environmental Health Science
To encourage teachers to motivate students by showing
how mathematics, English language arts, social studies,
and science relate to real world environmental health
science problems and issues.
English Language
Arts
Science
Environmental
Health Science
Social Studies
Mathematics
Approach to Goals
Rural
schools
grades 6-8th
Scientists’ Visits
to Schools
Curricular
Development
Professional Development
World, Texas, and USA
Social studies content directs the location and
time (historical or contemporary) of the
curricular modules, focusing on:
World geography in grade 6
(e.g., Industrial Pollution and Air Quality)
Texas history and geography in grade 7
(e.g., Agricultural Waste and Influenza Epidemic)
United States history in grade 8
(e.g., Bioterrorism and Vaccinations)
Relate to Common Hazards
A social studies framework
allows construction of
adventures directed at
environmental health
science problems in
different eras and locations
that exemplify problems
such as contaminated food
and water, air pollution,
and contagious or
environmentally
transmitted diseases.
Curriculum - Relates World Hazards
to USA
Learning modules are integrated around adventure
stories which introduce an environmental health hazard
(e.g., air pollution), a science problem to be solved by
characters in the story, and application to the USA.
Beijing
Houston
Science and Non-Science Courses
This module uses an adventure
in Ukraine to integrate
environmental health
science into science
and non-science
classes.
Social
Studies
Science
Mathematics
English Language Arts
Social Studies
Students determine absolute and relative
global location of the Ukraine and take a
tour along the Dneiper River
where they learn about local
geography, industrial
economy (natural
resources),
agricultural crops
grown, and how these have
added to growing environmental concerns about
pollution on the river.
Science: Hazard and Wildlife
Environmental health problems include a nuclear
reactor accident, industrial pollution, and the
resulting consequences for natural resources
and wildlife.
Science: Strategy
Students must assess the
contaminated environment,
formulate a strategy to determine
the source of the contamination,
and find ways to help prevent or
reduce exposure to health hazards.
Practice English Language Arts
English language arts components of adventures
include vocabulary, grammar, language usage,
and writing
activities.
Being Persuasive
In the Ukraine adventure, students explore
perspectives in writing and are asked to write
informative
(i.e., a newspaper account
of the Chernobyl
nuclear accident)
and persuasive
(i.e., a travel
brochure for
Kiev) essays.
Scientific Clues
The adventure story
gives clues as to
possible causes of
the deformed frogs
(wildlife) including
parasites, nuclear
radiation, industrial
wastes, pesticides,
oil drilling and
refining, agricultural
runoff, and mining/ manufacturing operations
(coal, iron, manganese, lead, copper, and
mercury).
Scientific Evidence
Scientific evidence of water pollution includes
dead fish in the river, foul smelling water, pipes
dumping factory wastes, trash in the Dneiper
River, and deformed (five legged) frogs.
Mathematics Indicate Significance
Mathematics are used in calculating radiation
dose fractions, distance traveled, river water
flow rates, international money exchange,
environmentally-induced tumor growth, and
calculation of toxicity levels.
Mathematics and Science
Mathematics and
science are used to
calculate
environmental
risk.
English Language Arts gives
Application
Finally, students write a description of their
city, noting environmental challenges and how
to clean up local pollution in their area.
Integrative Curriculum Workshops
Regional workshops provide teachers with technology training (Microsoft PowerPoint) and curriculum integration
of environmental
health science into
science, math,
English language
arts, and social
studies.
Integrative Curriculum Workshops
Teachers receive continuing
education credit and up to
$200 for travel and lodging
expense.
Workshop Location:
Date:
College Station, TX
Edinburg, TX
Victoria, TX
Huntsville, TX
Temple, TX
Mt. Pleasant, TX
El Paso, TX
Lubbock, TX
June 5-6, 2003
June 10-11, 2003
June 12-13, 2003
June 17-18, 2003
June 30-July 1, 2003
July 17-18, 2003
July 22-23, 2003
July 24-25, 2003
Scientists’ Visits to Middle Schools
Wings Across Texas – Experiential
Learning for Middle School Students
By using a small, single-engine aircraft, scientists have
been able to make scientific presentations at schools
that are remotely located.
Evaluation of PEER:
Scientists’ Visits
93% of 1725 students learned useful information.
90% learned something new.
60% changed the way they thought about the
environment and health.
75% changed their beliefs about environmental
education.
79% planned to share what they learned with
others.
80% would recommend the PEER program to other
students.
Evaluation of Students:
Beliefs and Career Choices
Beliefs about Science (n=395)
91% said science careers are not just for males.
81% said ethnic minorities can succeed in science.
77% said science careers would not be boring.
Information Sources affecting Science Career
Choices (n=395)
77% said parent or guardian.
72% said teacher.
68% said family.
54% said celebrity.
52% said school counselor.