4-H SET IN URBAN COMMUNITIES
AUDIENCE CONTENT AREA
LITERATURE REVIEW
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Submitted by
Danielle Rudolph, Urban Reg. Extension Agent, Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Montgomery)
Dave Francis, 4‐H Youth Development Specialist – SET, Utah State University (Salt Lake City)
Sheryl Nolen, County Extension Agent, Texas A&M (Houston)
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Audience
The Urban Setting
 cultural diversity,
 low socio-economic status of students
 high immigrants
 high population of students whose primary language is not English
 high incidence of poverty
 social problems
 high turnover rate of students
 lack of parental involvement
Cultural Norms
 See attached file.
Attitude towards Science
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Youth attitude towards science differs based on the type of science and the
type of school setting.
male students have more positive attitude towards science than female
students
urban students and students of color have exceptionally negative attitudes
toward school science and their futures in that field
in general, students’ attitudes toward science in high school is moderately low
there is a decline in attitude toward science during middle or high school
Interests/Motivation for Participating Programs
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urban teenagers surveyed in a study by a Cornell researcher say they feel
disconnected from their community. The young people also report feeling
disconnected from their schools. The older the students, the less connected
they say they feel.
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motivating factors for urban middle school students' learning and engaging in
science include a flexible and engaging curriculum, that students are
empowered and motivated to learn when teachers are respectful, that urban
middle school science students hold positive images about scientists,
themselves and knowing science, and that urban teachers of the dominant
culture believe that their urban middle school science students are motivated.
School Based Programs- After school and during school hours
Opportunities:
 Partner with science teachers and technology teacher to enrich learning
 Align 4-H activities and projects to school academic goals
 Resources to support programming in science and computer labs
 Support for marketing the program to parents and community partners
 Establish teacher lead 4-H Community Clubs
 Volunteer base established with PTO groups
 Collaboration with school district to expand outreach
 Work with established groups and programs IE science clubs, GT, special
needs
Challenges:
 Formalize expectations in Memorandum of Understanding
 Scheduling around school events IE Testing and tutoring
 Demands on teachers time
 Flexibility in planning
 Getting your foot in the door-promoting the program and building
relationships with administrators and teachers
Community Based Programs: Community Centers, Churches, Housing Projects
Opportunities:
 Collaborate with local housing authorities to expand program
 Collaborate with youth serving and faith based agencies
 Internal collaboration for expertise and programs IE ENP
 Programming for Non-School Critical Hours - holidays and summer
 Innovative programs delivered in the critical non-school hours
 Organic programming from the needs of the community
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Build relationships with community leaders and parents
Establish neighborhood 4-H Community Clubs
Engage youth as leaders “Youth Teaching Youth “
Strengthen community with service learning to effect changes
Intentional cross-generational learning
Smaller groups and high context programming
Transportation and support for organizing events
Challenges:
 Retaining youth as teen leaders for the program
 Wide range of age groups
 Keeping the program relevant to reach a more comprehensive range of needs
 Attracting youth to the program
 Time demands to build program and relationships
 Lack of resources, space and facility limitations
 Identify individuals and parents to serve as promoters for the program
Implications for staffing
 Life experience and wide range of expertise
 Skills and attitudes useful for the workplace and for participating in civic
affairs
 Ability to adapt, learn and lead
 Collaboration across disciplines
 Training in cultural awareness and competencies
 Effective with hands-on learning
 Flexible and innovative leader
 Foster caring environments
 Enthusiastic, fun and resourceful
 Accommodate different learning styles corresponding to diverse audiences
 Understands challenges working with limited resource audiences
Engaging the whole community in SET initiatives
 Science Service Learning projects with community and parental involvement
 Community and school gardens
 Citizen Scientists Projects-Creating environmental stewards within the
community
 Water Authorities and Electric Utilities
 Areas Parks and Recreation
 Expertise from Forest Service- Project Learning Tree
 Youth and adult partnerships
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Science and Civic Engagement IE -SENCER (Science Education for New
Civic Engagements and Responsibilities)
SET events at schools, churches, community centers IE Family Science nights
Focus Groups and parent planning groups
Plan Family Learning Events
Volunteer Recruitment
Recruit local businesses for expertise and resources
Community Colleges and Universities for expanding educational
opportunities
Local Zoos, Museums, Arboretums
Collaborate with other youth serving agencies in the community
Take home resources IE Science In A Box
Provide youth with hands on experiences within the school setting and within
their own communities
SET Volunteers
 Types of Volunteers to Target
 See here: for types of volunteers to recruit for the program:
http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/practices/17759
 “Traditional 4-H Leaders”: don’t give up on these but provide training in SET
materials to help them. NE offered online training in Robotics, California has
the SEAL program to train volunteers.
 Industry Partners: Still looking for research for this. Will follow up with
Tanisha English in Maryland
 Teens as Teachers: Lots of research in the lit review. National 4-H
Afterschool resources seem to be one of the best resources to drop in. Case
Studies include SERIES, Animal Ambassadors, TRY Teams, Youth
Teaching Youth (YTY) and YES.
 States to follow up with: CA, Utah, and Minnesota
Volunteer Recognition
 "Letters from 4-H members" as the most meaningful form of recognition
 Youth Adult Partnerships: Reference work that 4-H has all ready done with
this topic.
 http://www.ca4h.org/4hinfo/proginfo/YAPGuide.pdf
 http://www.ca4h.org/4hinfo/proginfo/YAPTrainingManual.pdf
4
LITERATURE REVIEW
From Negative Expectations to Positive School Improvement in Urban Schools:
Bridging the Gap (ED505987)
Author: Callon, Uretka
When we speak in terms of “urban schools”, there are many variations of meanings or
characteristics of them. Some may refer to urban schools as low performing schools while
others might view it as a school that has a high level of poverty stricken students in the
school and in the community.
A definition of an urban area encompasses the city and its surrounding suburban areas
(Kopetz, Lease, and Warren-Kring, 2006). Urban schools reflect the issues found in urban
areas (Kopetz, Lease, and Warren-Kring).
Urban schools find themselves in a position of being central in the struggle to educate
children and bring them out of poverty (Kopetz, Lease, and Warren-Kring). This struggle
has persisted and today remains unresolved (Kopetz, Lease, and Warren-Kring). The
schools unfortunately have not been able to accomplish the goal of equal education for all
(Kopetz, Lease, and Warren-Kring).
Schools in large urban settings are places where teachers are faced with a plethora of
challenges that range from poverty, violence, cultural diversity and a multitude of
languages (Erskine-Cullen and Sinclair, 1996). The results of a survey conducted by
Erskine-Cullen and Sinclair revealed that the most prominent characteristics of an urban
school are cultural diversity, low socio-economic status of students, high immigrants,
high population of students whose primary language is not English, high incidence of
poverty, social problems, high turnover rate of students, and lack of parental
involvement. With all of these issues against teachers in urban schools, one could easily
understand the complexities that our teacher’s face as well as students faces when in an
urban like climate.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_
nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED505987&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_
0=no&accno=ED505987
An Extreme Degree of Difficulty: The Educational Demographics of Urban
Neighborhood High Schools (EJ736311)
Authors: Neild, Ruth Curran; Balfanz Robert
5
To illustrate the challenges facing neighborhood high schools, this article examines key
academic characteristics of 9th-graders in Philadelphia during the 1999-2000 school year.
The authors find that a large percentage of 9th graders at neighborhood high schools have
been 9th graders for 2 or more years. Many of the 1st-time 9th graders either are over-age,
are 2 or more years below grade level in reading and math, or had weak attendance in 8th
grade. These data suggest that large and sustained investments of human and financial
capital are desperately needed in the many neighborhood schools that serve primarily,
and often almost exclusively, students with multiple risk factors for academic failure.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_
nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ736311&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0
=no&accno=EJ736311
Social and Cultural Issues in Urban Communities
Authors: Elice E. Rogers, Catherine A. Hansman
Cleveland State University
Sociologists such as William Julius Wilson (1987) maintain that the socioeconomic
conditions of many urban cities have been transformed such that neighborhoods are
populated by the most economically disadvantaged individuals, who lack training, and that
their families experience long spells of poverty and being on welfare.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/107638064/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY
=0
Youth in urban-community study say they feel disrespected, disconnected
By Susan Lang
Cornell University
More than half the urban teenagers surveyed in a study by a Cornell researcher say they
feel disconnected from their community. The reasons for this come, in part, from feeling
discriminated against by unknown adults on the streets, in businesses and by the police.
The young people also report feeling disconnected from their schools. The older the
students, the less connected they say they feel.
***
"Connectedness -- the extent to which youth perceive a sense of belonging and support to
school and community -- is important," said Whitlock. "Connectedness to school, for
example, has been shown to protect against violence, risky sexual behavior, drug use and
dropping out of school. Youths who possess a sense of belonging are more likely to work
harder and be involved in positive activities in and outside of school."
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She added: "Young people want to be regarded as a legitimate constituency in school and
town, with the right to be seen and heard. Yet, the majority of reflections on community
life, for example, were negative. Discrimination by unknown adults because of age,
negative experiences with the police, the perception of not being welcomed in public, the
desire for more youth voice in community affairs and opportunities to socialize, or at
least to have better access to the opportunities that existed, were constant refrains."
http://www.news.cornell.edu/chronicle/04/3.18.04/urban_youth_study.html
An opportunity for success: Understanding motivation and learning from urban youth
participation in an after school science program.
Author: Catlin, Janell Nicole
The findings of this study state that motivating factors for urban middle school students'
learning and engaging in science include a flexible and engaging curriculum, that
students are empowered and motivated to learn when teachers are respectful, that urban
middle school science students hold positive images about scientists, themselves and
knowing science, and that urban teachers of the dominant culture believe that their
urban middle school science students are motivated.
In using Sociotransformative Constructivism (STC) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) the
researcher informs the issues of inequity and racism that emerge from historical perspectives
and students' stories about their experiences inside and outside of school. The implications
state that allowing for a flexible curriculum that motivates students to make choices about
what and how they want to learn and engage in science are necessary science teaching goals
for urban middle school students, it is necessary that teachers are conscious of their
interactions with their students, diversifying the science field through educating and
empowering all students through learning science is key, and to get teachers to the point of
an anti-deficit view of urban education more positive stories told by and research done with
White urban science teachers must be documented.
http://app.cul.columbia.edu:8080/ac/handle/10022/AC:P:7861
Secondary School Students' Attitudes towards Science
Author: Daniel P. Banu
The results show that the students in general hold a favourable attitude towards science;
male students have more positive attitude towards science than female students; the type
of school (science-school, single-sex school or general secondary school) attended have an
effect on the students' attitudes to science.
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Understanding urban, low socioeconomic status, African-American Girls’ attitudes
towards science
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The girls{who}generally had positive perceptions of science, were confident, were not
anxious, and had a desire to do science. The girls either had content-related definitions of
science (it's about plants, the moon, keeping your body healthy) or process-related
definitions (a way of learning about..., help you be a detective..., "an adventure of fun"....).
In discussing the importance of science a third mentioned things like knowing what to eat,
how to stay safe from a tornado, and what not to touch on a nature hike. A few mentioned
sciences’ importance for doing well in school or for an eventual career like in forensics or as
a teacher or veterinarian. Some girls didn't see science as important for them at all (as in,
well you need to know how to read to get a job, so that's important). Some of the girls
experimented with their families at home or even at home on their own. Others saw it as
just another thing done in school where you read the book, do what the teacher tells you to
do, and then answer questions. They saw no relationship to things outside of school. Some
of the students felt that they were very successful in doing science and if they ever got stuck,
some help from the teacher would be enough to get them past it. Others were very frustrated
and didn't understand the questions they got in their labs or projects they did.
http://mmr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/3/4/386?ct=ct
http://scienceblogs.com/christinaslisrant/2009/08/understanding_urban_low_socioe.php
Urban Middle-School Students’ Attitudes Toward a Defined Science
ZACHARIAS ZACHARIA
Division of Educational Studies, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
ANGELA CALABRESE BARTON
Programs in Science Education, Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology,
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
Scientific literacy is essential to survive economically and politically in this technological
world, but according to research studies it appears that becoming a scientific literate person
“is not of high priority for many students” (Atwater, Wiggins, & Gardner, 1995, p. 665). In
fact, recent studies have shown that (a) urban students and students of color have
exceptionally negative attitudes toward school science and their futures in that field
(Atwater, Wiggins, Gardner, 1995), (b) in general, students’ attitudes toward science in
high school is moderately low (Simpson & Oliver, 1985), and (c) there is a decline in
attitude toward science during middle or high school (Atwater, Wiggins, & Gardner,
1995; Ayers & Price, 1985; Bohardt, 1975; Cannon & Simpson, 1985; Disigner & Mayer,
1974; Haladyna & Shaughnessy, 1982; Hill, Atwater, &Wiggins, 1995; Hofstein & Welch,
1984; Ormerod & Duckworth, 1975; Randall, 1975; Simpson & Oliver, 1985, 1990.
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The greatest declines in attitudes have been measured among “average” students as opposed
to high or low ability (Atwater & Simpson, 1984; Cannon & Simpson, 1985; Simpson &
Oliver, 1985, 1990; Simpson & Troost, 1982; Talton & Simpson, 1985), girls opposed to
boys (Koballa, 1993), and those students with higher initial attitudes toward science at the
beginning of middle school as opposed to those students with lower initial attitudes (Hill,
Atwater, & Wiggins, 1995).
Studies that focused on the peer’s and individual’s attitude toward science among
adolescent students demonstrate that adolescents’ attitudes toward science are also highly
positively correlated with their peers’ attitudes toward science (Talton & Simpson, 1985). In
particular, peers strongly influence adolescents’ values, attitudes, and aspiration in science.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/107602027/abstract
Urban science education studies: A commitment to equity, social justice and a sense of
place
Source: Scripps Howard
Yet, some US-based studies suggest that the vast majority of urban students lose interest in
and develop negative attitudes towards science by the time they complete middle school
(Atwater, Wiggins, & Gardner, 1995; Hill, Atwater & Wiggins, 1995). This is not surprising
given that students in urban poverty in the USA often have inequitable access to the kinds of
science classes, teachers, resources and opportunities necessary for academic success in
science. They experience a school science that focuses on behaviour skills, static
conceptions of knowledge, and disciplining students through humiliation, stripping them of
their cultural identities, their rights to learn, and their dignity as human beings (Oakes,
1990; Polakow, 2000). Clearly there is a critical need to address the particular science
education experiences of urban youth, especially those from marginalized communities.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/5762/urban_science_education_studies_a_commi
tment_to_equity_social_justice/
“4-H Site-Based Youth Development Programs: Reaching Underserved Youth in
Targeted Communities” by Jennifer Skuza in the Journal of Extension
http://www.joe.org/joe/2004february/iw4.php
Abstract- Minnesota 4-H Urban Program
The very youth in most need of programs are often left outside the programming circle.
Reaching underserved youth is the impetus behind this article. The purpose is two-fold: a) to
discuss the reasons why many youth programs fall short in reaching underserved youth and
to offer practice-oriented recommendations and b) to describe the site-based youth
development program--an innovative delivery method--and its effectiveness. Sources of data
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include summative and formative program evaluations from Urban 4-H Youth
Development programs in Minnesota and supporting secondary research.
Site Based Delivery at housing projects
Promising Practice: How do you reach underserved youth? The response is simple: "Bring
programs into the communities where youth have fewer opportunities and work to involve
the youth in programming efforts!" The work that follows is more complicated because it
entails intentional strategies designed to engage and retain underserved youth. Pittman
(1991) asserts that youth-serving organizations need to increase their efforts to fill a
full-range of youth needs by working in new ways.
Site-based youth development programming is an innovative delivery method used during
nonschool hours within Minnesota Urban 4-H Youth Development. Its aim is to reach
underserved youth with accessible, high-quality, educational youth development
programming. Each site is a public or subsidized housing neighborhood with a community
center serving as the hosting location for each 4-H program.
The site-based youth development programs are organically developed. This means they are
developed from the community up rather than from the program down. Residents of the
community (youth and adult) provide input into the program-development process. In turn,
each site-based program reflects the community in terms of design, methods, and curricula.
This delivery method is intended to keep youth development work fresh and relevant while
reaching a more comprehensive range of needs.
Site Based programs typically reach a wide range of age groups: The program is designed to
reach young people ages 5-19 years. The programming is divided into two age categories:
5-12 years and 13-19 years, with each group meeting separately on a weekly basis through
the entire year. The different age groups also come together for intentional cross-age
learning experiences.
Older Youth Need Leadership Roles/ Buy-In: Youth Teaching Youth (YTY) adolescents
are prepared to lead lessons and activities with younger children in their neighborhoods.
YTY serves an important role, because it creates intentional learning and leadership
opportunities that would not otherwise be available to these adolescents.
A common challenge in youth programming is attracting and retaining adolescents for
sustainable periods of time. YTY has overcome this challenge. The adolescents recruit and
attract younger youth to the program, serve as role models and many of the younger
children aspire to be in their positions when they grow older.
Occupying Critical Non-School Hours: Deliver programs when there are no other
activities offered. During critical hours, they extend learning through rewarding growth and
development experiences. Examples: after school, holidays, and summer
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Staffing Urban Programs:
Specific Skills Building Relationships and Collaboration: Youth-serving organizations and
the practitioners who work in them are important to the lives of young people. They also
foster caring environments that optimize the development of young people in community
settings. Pittman (1991) recommends strengthening the role of youth-serving organizations
and staff to reach underserved and marginalized youth, to extend programs and services to
underserved youth, and to develop within and cross-sector collaboration.
Collaborating with youth serving agencies:
Site-based youth development programming requires collaboration. A partnership exists
between Urban 4-H Youth Development and housing agencies in Minneapolis and Saint
Paul. Each housing site provides facilities, volunteers, and program supplies, as well as
access to other resources (e.g., transportation, scholarships) through their extended
partnerships.
Collaboration also exists internally. For instance, Urban 4-H Youth Development
collaborates with the metro Extension Simply Good Eating program. Staff, educational
materials, program supplies, and other resources are shared through this partnership.
Benson (1997) referred to these types of collaborations as strengthening the first ring of
support--youth-serving systems. Engaging agencies and organizations, the reach and impact
of programming is increased without duplicating programs or inflating costs.
“Incorporating Service Learning and Extension in Inner-city Middle Schools: A Model
for Future Programming.” JOE, 2006.
http://www.joe.org/joe/2006february/iw1.php
Incorporating Service Learning and Extension in Inner City Middle Schools: A Model for
Future Programming
Abstract
The article describes a program model used to promote science-based learning through a
service learning model in an inner city school. Through working collaboratively with
Extension staff, a program was created to meet the growing academic and social needs of
youth in the inner city school system. If greater emphasis is placed on programming efforts
among Extension, the community, and public schools, successful programs can be created
to enhance the learning of the inner city youth population.
Site Based: Inner City Middle School: Integrated Pest Management and Science Education
and Service Learning projects . Developed a school-based program that would teach 5th and
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8th graders about the basic tenets of IPM through service learning activities. Using this
approach creates a learning environment for youth to solve ecological problems by using
their own community as the classroom. Youth begin to identify different organisms,
investigate details more closely, and engage in experiments in their own backyards.
Intertwining IPM methods with service learning begins to create a natural fit for
engagement and relevant learning
This plan included:
1. Training City Year Corp members (a branch of AmeriCorps dedicated to building
stronger democratic communities through leadership, service, and civic engagement with
youth ages 17-24) to become 4-H volunteers who would work with selected science classes
one day a week on the 4-H Pest Patrol curriculum and the 4-H Public Adventures
citizenship-based curriculum;
2.Enrolling the youth in the 4-H program; and
3.Including community partners into the scheduled service learning activities. All the
partners thought this would help to increase parental involvement and assist student
development in the areas of public speaking, decision making skills, and civic responsibility.
The Extension staff worked with the Philadelphia-based IPM coordinator, two teachers, and
the service learning researcher from Penn State to devise a program that would fit within the
overall goals of IPM learning and environmental stewardship.
Staffing Implications: Train volunteers, expertise through internal collaboration with IPM
and external collaboration with school district.
“Challenges, Alternatives, and Educational Strategies in Reaching Limited-Income
Audiences.” JOE, 2009.
http://www.joe.org/joe/2009december/rb2.php
-Used focus groups of nutrition program assistants who had been successful in this type of
programming to determine challenges and effective strategies for reaching low-income
audiences—focused on nutrition education programs for adults instead of 4-H, but many of
the same principles could be relevant to some of our work.
--Challenges included low literacy, difficulties in marketing and recruiting, lack of
transportation and child care, retention of audience interest, and perceived value of
programming.
--Alternatives for reaching audiences were identified by the focus groups as connecting with
pre-formed community groups, treating participants as individuals, developing good
relations with partners in the community, and gaining community exposure through mass
media and community events.
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--Effective educational strategies were identified to be limited lectures, personalization, fun
and interactive lessons, splitting into smaller groups, creating dialogue, and distributing
useful tools (in this case, kitchen tools) to take home after successful completion of lessons.
Staffing issues: Reaching this audience with Extension programs is a challenging task due
to barriers such as their low education levels, limited available time, lack of transportation,
and childcare issues (Richardson, Williams & Mustian, 2003). Understanding these
challenges and possible alternatives in educating limited income audiences is helpful in
designing effective Extension strategies to reach them.
Generally, it might take years for someone to learn about these challenges and alternatives
through job experience alone. Learning from successful Extension educators is effective and
efficient because of their proven success in outreach strategies and delivering quality
educational programs.
Strategies for reaching low income audience:
Collaboration and Partnering: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program
(EFNEP
Reaching this audience with Extension programs is a challenging task due to barriers such
as their low education levels, limited available time, lack of transportation, and childcare
issues (Richardson, Williams & Mustian, 2003). Understanding these challenges and
possible alternatives in educating limited income audiences is helpful in designing effective
Extension strategies to reach them. Generally, it might take years for someone to learn
about these challenges and alternatives through job experience alone. Learning from
successful Extension educators is effective and efficient because of their proven success in
outreach strategies and delivering quality educational programs.
For more than 40 years, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
has helped many families who have limited incomes improve their lives through
research-based food and nutrition education. Literature indicates that EFNEP participants
prefer simple and practical information about nutrition. They enjoy learning by doing and
sharing experiences with other limited resource families. Lectures are not an effective
educational method for this group (Hartman, McCarthy, Park, Schuster, & Kushi, 1994).
Goal setting is an effective strategy in promoting positive behavior changes in nutrition
education (Shilts, Horowitz, & Townsend, 2004).
ENGAGING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY in SET INITIATIVES
Strategies for Engaging the community in SET Initiatives
1: Organizing 4-H SET Events at the school
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“Organizing a Family Science Night at your School.”
http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_sc/gen/HSTPR094.PDF
NOTE Saved on Desk Top
--Describes the process of having a family science night—a hands-on event—at a school; can
be adapted to having a similar type of event at another sort of venue. As opposed to
teachers running stations, adult volunteers and/or teen volunteers could run activity
stations.
Family Science Night Activities in Spanish
http://www.sandia.gov/ciim/ASK/html/elementary/familynight.htm
http://www.sandia.gov/ciim/ASK/documents/How%20to%20Host%20a%20Family%20
Science%20Night.pdf
--This website, based around science nights Sandia National Labs presents in collaboration
with area schools, has a set of materials for hands-on stations in Spanish that could be
implemented with bilingual audiences. The PDF document provides a guide on how you
can set up a Family Science Night at your own site.
2. 4-H SET Service Learning Projects
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. STEM (Science Technology Engineering
Math) Education & Service-Learning. Scotts Valley, CA: Author, 2008.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/he_facts/stem/
STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) Education & Service-Learning
Source: Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (NSLC),
July 2008
In the new global economy an education with a STEM focus is a vital step towards
providing citizens with the needed skills and technological familiarity that will enable them
to take part in the exciting economies of the future. This is also a fertile area where
service-learning can flourish and help bring the broadest array of students as possible into
the modern workforce. There is a concerted effort by our nation's educators to encourage
STEM studies that will enable students to actively engage in the knowledge-economy and to
give many more youth from disadvantaged circumstances STEM service-learning
opportunities. Educators are also seeking to promote STEM study by America's students,
especially those from underrepresented groups, including minority, women, and
disadvantaged students. Successful STEM service-learning programs will be those that seek
out these communities and should provide student participants with the opportunity to:
* Use the knowledge and skills of one or more STEM discipline(s) to identify and address
community problems;
* Collaborate with peers and community members to set and achieve goals; and
* Develop skills and attitudes useful for the workplace and for participating in civic affairs
14
Three organizations that will use service-learning to ignite the passion for math and science
in thousands of low-income students, thanks to grants from Learn and Serve America’s
STEM Initiative:
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Will receive a grant to establish a Science in Action program that will create Professional
Learning Communities for teachers in Alabama and Georgia to help them use
service-learning to advance science achievement.
Earth Force, Inc., Denver, CO
Will use their grant to undertake a Watershed STEM Initiative to expand and
institutionalize the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network program in seven
school districts. Working with universities and other resource partners, local school districts
will train educators, provide on-going technical assistance to individual teachers, and help
schools form lasting collaborations with watershed associations.
The American Forest Foundation, Washington, DC,
Will receive a grant to infuse service-learning into Project Learning Tree, its well-respected,
widely used environmental educational curriculum. In four regions of the country, the
foundation will offer training to teams of teachers, helping them engage their students in
action projects that address environmental issues.
SENCER (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities)
SENCER aims to involve more students in STEM learning and strengthen students'
understanding of science and their capacity for responsible work and citizenship. Includes
background papers, research, model programs, and service-learning resources.
http://www.sencer.net/
Curriculum Resources
Service-Learning Ideas & Curricular Examples (SLICE)
http://www.servicelearning.org/slice/
Engineering
Engineering Education & Service-Learning
http://servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/he_facts/eng_ed/index.php?indexAll
EPICS – Engineering Projects in Community Service
EPICS is a unique program in which teams of undergraduates are designing, building, and
deploying real systems to solve engineering-based problems for local community service and
education organizations. http://epics.ecn.purdue.edu/
15
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math)
Education & Service-Learning. Scotts Valley, CA: Author, 2008.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/he_facts/stem/
Chemistry & Service-Learning in Higher Education
Source: Rachel L. Vaughn, Sarena D. Seifer, and Tanis Vye Mihalynuk,
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, May 2004
Service-learning in the chemistry curriculum provides a rich opportunity for students to
learn while contributing to their communities.Service-learning in higher education
integrates community service with academic instruction. Students participate in organized
curricular projects that address community needs, while enhancing their academic
knowledge and skills and fostering civic responsibility.
Some examples of chemistry service-learning projects at the post-secondary level include:
teaching students about lead poisoning avoidance while assessing and analyzing lead
content in the paint of older homes; mentoring "at-risk" students in chemistry; leading
hands-on science projects at middle and high-schools; and monitoring environmental
quality as a component of environmental improvement projects. Participation in these types
of service-learning experiences may help students gain an understanding and appreciation of
their role as scientists in society at large, while reinforcing core competencies in the
chemistry curriculum. Additionally, service-learning has the power to provide a real world
context for analyzing and applying scientific and professional ethics. In effect,
service-learning may cement ties between future scientists and the community.
Service-learning is one teaching methodology that can play a role in achieving all of the
above goals.
* place course content in the context of real scientific or societal problems
* accommodate different learning styles corresponding to diverse students
* convey interest and intrigue in the field of chemistry
Science Learning in the Community
Reference : National Academy of Sciences (2009, January 19). Science Learning At
Museums, Zoos, Other Informal Settings. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2010, from
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090114114934.htm
Science Learning At Museums, Zoos, Other Informal Settings
ScienceDaily (Jan. 19, 2009) — Each year, tens of millions of Americans, young and old,
choose to learn about science in informal ways -- by visiting museums and aquariums,
attending after-school programs, pursuing personal hobbies, and watching TV
documentaries, for example. There is abundant evidence that these programs and settings,
16
and even everyday experiences such as a walk in the park, contribute to people's knowledge
and interest in science, says a new report from the National Research Council.
"Learning is broader than schooling, and informal science environments and experiences
play a crucial role," said Philip Bell, co-chair of the committee that wrote the report, and
associate professor of learning sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle. "These
experiences can kick-start and sustain long-term interests that involve sophisticated learning.
Think of the child who sees dinosaur skeletons for the first time on a family trip to a natural
history museum, and then goes on to buy dinosaur models and books, do Web searches
about dinosaurs, write school reports on the subject, and on and on."
Reference: University of Wisconsin-Madison (2008, April 8). Using Street Theater To
Channel The Lessons Of Molecules. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7,
Web - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408120117.htm
Using Street Theater To Channel The Lessons Of Molecules
ScienceDaily (Apr. 8, 2008) — Molecules, any chemist will tell you, have lots to teach us.
Giving voice to the lessons of molecules and other props of science, as the lamentable state
of science literacy in the United States attests, is no easy task.
But a novel project by a collaboration of scientists and educators from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison and the Madison Area Technical College (MATC) is making molecules
and atoms the stars of a project to use theater to teach children the basics of science.
The project is really about creating a tool, a model program that can be adapted by teachers
and others to channel basic concepts of science to young children. The idea, says Holly
Walter Kerby, a Madison playwright and an MATC instructor of chemistry and creative
writing/drama, is to adapt the techniques of theater -- theme, character and dramatic
question -- to teaching science to young people.
"Those are skills playwrights use and they transfer nicely to science," says Kerby, who
developed the "Science-In-A-Box" initiative with UW-Madison environmental chemist
Christopher Babiarz. Babiarz described the project at a meeting of the American Chemical
Society.
Designed for younger audiences, children ages 10 and younger, Science-In-A-Box
productions hinge on elemental concepts and conveying the process of scientific discovery.
As its name implies, a main character is a large box, a convenient dispenser of atoms and
other props and, through a slide whistle, dramatic punctuation.
17
A Science-In-A-Box production, say Kerby and Babiarz, isn't just about spectacle. It is more
about conveying overarching ideas about science, and can be tailored to all kinds of science,
not just chemistry.
The key, they say, is keeping things simple and fun, and using a dramatic presentation to
convey specific ideas. For example, children in the audience learn what happens to water
when it boils by acting out the part of water molecules.
Beyond such basic ideas, an emphasis for Babiarz, Kerby and their colleagues is promoting,
in a fun and interactive way, the basics of the scientific method: asking questions, making
observations, forming hypotheses and conducting experiments.
According to Kerby, many teachers already have an ingrained sense of how to use theatrical
techniques to teach, but the Science-In-A-Box model provides a pedagogical framework:
"Teachers already have a sense of these tools. We're just formalizing it."
So far, the approach seems to be working, according to Joanne Cantor, a UW-Madison
professor emerita of communication arts and the evaluator for the project.
"More than twice as many kids understood the concepts after the Science-In-A-Box
performances than before," Cantor says. "They're showing that they get it. The kids aren't
just riveted on the fun part, but on the scientific questions and answers."
What's more, Cantor's evaluations show that children walk away from the performance
with an enhanced appreciation for science. "They significantly increase their belief that
science is fun. The (performance) is teaching them concepts they can appreciate and feel
good about."
The ultimate goal of the project, say Babiarz and Kerby, is to create something that can be
easily adapted to both the classroom and informal settings such as children's museums,
after-school programs, farmers' markets and shopping malls.
"It's not our goal to be a traveling science show," Kerby explains. "People in other
communities can put these shows on rather cheaply and without too much trouble."
The main thing, notes Babiarz, is framing the scientific question, and playing out the
process of science in a way that helps the very young get the big picture of how science gets
done, and that fun can be had along the way.
This research is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)
Story Source: Adapted from materials provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison.
School Gardens
18
Children's Gardens Mushrooming
Reference: American Society for Horticultural Science (2008, May 19). Children's Gardens
Mushrooming.
ScienceDaily.
Retrieved
March
7,
2010,
from
http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/05/080519130953.htm
ScienceDaily (May 19, 2008) — Researchers have discovered the secrets to enhancing youth
participation in school- and community-based garden programs. A 3-year study entitled
"Greener Voices" proves that children will engage in learning more readily when given
responsibility for decision-making and planning.
Children's gardens have mushroomed during the past two decades. Gardens are popping up
in schools, communities, public venues, and informal settings. Despite recent interest in
gardening with children, little credence has been given to what children think about the
experience: what interests them, how they may be involved in decision making and
planning, and how they can benefit from their involvement.
"Adults make many assumptions about children and gardening, and instead of enlisting the
creativity and innovative thinking of young people, they often involve children in the more
mundane tasks of planting, weeding, and watering" notes Marcia Eames-Sheavly, lead
researcher and Senior Extension Associate at Cornell University's Garden-Based Learning
Program.
Researchers set out to understand how children and youth engaged in project planning and
to gain a better grasp of the constraints faced by adults who teach and design gardening
programs. "We learned that ongoing efforts are needed to assist sites and the adult leaders
who work there, including strategies to expand thinking about the capabilities of children
and youth, to help children and youth adjust to new roles, and to identify ways for younger
children to increase their participation", added Eames-Sheavly.
The study will impact educators working with children, and ultimately impact the
experience of children in garden settings, making those experiences more interesting,
relevant, and compelling. Results of the 3-year project are being disseminated through
in-service trainings, conferences, colleagues, and web-based materials.
Summarizing the project's impact, Eames-Sheavly enthused, "In an era in which there is
grave concern over a lack of young peoples' engagement with nature, children's gardens
offer a way in which children and youth can interact with the natural world."
Date: Jan. 14, 2009
Contacts: Sara Frueh, Media Relations Officer
Alison Burnette, Media Relations Assistant
Office of News and Public Information 202-334-2138; e-mail <news@nas.edu>
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12190
19
Museums, Zoos, Other Informal Settings Can Boost Science Learning, Says Report,
Which Offers Guidance for Improving These Experiences
WASHINGTON -- Each year, tens of millions of Americans, young and old, choose to
learn about science in informal ways -- by visiting museums and aquariums, attending
after-school programs, pursuing personal hobbies, and watching TV documentaries, for
example. There is abundant evidence that these programs and settings, and even everyday
experiences such as a walk in the park, contribute to people's knowledge and interest in
science, says a new report from the National Research Council.
"Learning is broader than schooling, and informal science environments and experiences
play a crucial role," said Philip Bell, co-chair of the committee that wrote the report, and
associate professor of learning sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle. "These
experiences can kick-start and sustain long-term interests that involve sophisticated learning.
Think of the child who sees dinosaur skeletons for the first time on a family trip to a natural
history museum, and then goes on to buy dinosaur models and books, do Web searches
about dinosaurs, write school reports on the subject, and on and on."
The report notes that experiences in informal settings can significantly improve science
learning outcomes for individuals from groups which are historically underrepresented in
science, such as women and minorities. Evaluations of museum-based and after-school
programs suggest that these programs may also support academic gains for children and
youth in these groups.
The report outlines six "strands" of science learning that can happen in informal settings,
and these strands could help refine evaluations of how well people are learning in these
environments. For example, learners can experience excitement and motivation to learn
about phenomena in the natural and physical world. They can come to understand and use
concepts and facts related to science. They can learn how scientists actually conduct their
work using specialized tools and equipment. And they can develop an identity as someone
who knows about, uses, and sometimes contributes to science.
CITIZEN SCIENTIST PROGRAMS
Citizen Science Can Renew A Child's Love of Nature
by Mike Mueller
Source: Nature Deficit Disorder Content Contributor
Topics: Citizenship, Nature Deficit Disorder, Camping, Hiking, & Family Outdoors,
Green Living
We all know that humans are making a negative impact on the environment. In fact,
worldwide, we lose plant and insect species at an alarming rate-something on the order of
10,000 species annually. The U.S. ranks high among nations in the loss of biodiversity; the
per capita 'ecological footprint' (a measure of how much land is needed for a population's
20
lifestyle) is almost five times the world's average-far beyond sustainable. Richard Louv,
author of No Child Left in the Woods, attributes our disregard for the Earth to a decreasing
number of children who play outside, build forts, or explore nature.
In 2006, the Kaiser Family Foundation concluded that "the multitasking generation" spends
their time juggling TV/DVD, videogames, music, and computers. When considered
separately, these activities add up to more than a 24-hour day. Childhood experiences with
nature frame how we think about the natural world and how we treat people, the Earth's
other species, and physical environments.
My eldest son knows that I enjoy the outdoors, yet he also knows that I am a busy adult.
Working hard also equates to personal sacrifices, which means my son is exposed to a lot
more television, movies, and video games than I'd prefer. How can we, as parents, help
improve the environment and instill in our children a love for nature and conservation?
Teaching Children to Value Nature
My university life is centered on ways to collaborate with science teachers in order to
promote responsibility for cultural diversity, biodiversity, habitats, and nature's harmony. I
have recently learned how to incorporate these values into my relationship with my son by
collecting data while hiking, playing outside, or bird watching. About a year ago we began
doing citizen science by selecting different methods of investigating, collecting, and
analyzing data on regional birds, insects, plants, and rocks.
What is Citizen Science?
Citizen scientists are predominately involved in monitoring environmental indicators and
the biodiversity of species related to regional climate change, which range in scope from the
micrometer to the cosmos. There are now over 200 citizen science projects available
worldwide, allowing for ordinary adults and their children to collect data that supports
scientific studies and local policymaking. In fact, the longest running citizen science project
is more than 100 years old.
What Are Some Citizen Science Projects I Can Do With My Child?
 Monarch larva and butterfly migration monitoring
 Ant surveys
 Worm and weed watches
 Lake ice and weather monitoring
 Weather reports
 Municipal air and water quality
 Bird surveys
 Bird feeder watches
Citizen Science Projects for Parents, Teachers, and Young Citizens
21
The Citizen Science Toolkit is the most comprehensive clearinghouse for news, project
ideas, and resources in support of citizen science projects worldwide
(http://www.birds.cornell.edu/citscitoolkit).
Citizen Science Canada is an online community for people involved in environmental
monitoring in Canada (http://www.citizenscience.ca).
The Society for Amateur Scientists is an organization to support citizen scientists
(http://www.sas.org/).
The Citizen Scientist is a published bi-weekly by the Society for Amateur Scientists
(http://www.sas.org/tcs/).
A Citizen Science Weblog that connects citizen scientists with the latest news, archival
weblogs, citizen science by category, multimedia, and comprehensive articles on upcoming
events, equipment, and resource books (http://citizensci.com/).
Dynamic Patterns Research Institute supports and guides citizen science, and offers
educational references and opportunities to engage in authentic scientific investigations
(http://research.dynamicpatterns.com/).
National Aeronautics and Space Administration mentoring and inquiry using NASA data
on atmospheric and earth science for teachers and citizen scientists
(http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/citsci_index.php).
The U.S. Youth Network for Sustainable Development is an organization to support young
people advancing sustainable development and youth empowerment in the United States,
with a citizen science paper competition, listserv, and partnership building (
http://sustainus.org/content/view/16/128).
Gardening Citizen Scientist
Engaging Students through Citizen Science
Author: Eve Pranis
http://www.kidsgardening.com/Dig/DigDetail.taf?ID=2298&Type=Art
In schoolyards, backyards, and classrooms throughout North America – and beyond –
students of all ages scan the skies for monarchs, monitor milkweed, document hummingbird
arrivals, snap ladybug photos, notice nests, interview gardeners, report on bursting buds,
and observe the color of firefly flashes. And that’s just for starters. In most cases, their next
step is to go online and send their observations and measurements to a project Web site.
There, their data is combined with input from hundreds or thousands of other observers.
22
These young “citizen scientists” serve as an army of eyes and ears, helping professional
scientists gather data to answer real-world questions and better understand our environment
and how to protect it.
But the classroom sleuths don’t just serve as data collectors. They think and act like
scientists as they make careful observations, ask their own questions, look for patterns, try to
make sense of data, and link their local observations to larger global issues. Some
participants learn geography and mapping skills as they track migrations or other events on
real-time maps. Besides honing their science and technology skills, students are motivated to
read, count, calculate, and communicate. They also learn about being collaborators;
environmental stewards; and engaged local, national, and global citizens. Oh, and they have
fun, to boot! “The children get so involved that teaching is easy,” says one teacher. “It’s the
most motivating type of project you can do.”
Collecting Data That Matters
When students become environmental researchers, they explore and contribute to an
understanding of important issues. An individual or team of professional scientists can only
gather a limited amount of data. But when students and other volunteers from a large
geographic area step in to monitor something in the environment – from worms to water –
much more can be revealed. For instance, citizen-gathered data from the past 40 years of
Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count shows that climate change is indeed affecting birds. In
another example, as students track monarch butterfly migrations through Journey North,
they and their partner scientists explore how changes in habitats and long-term temperatures
could affect the creature’s ability to survive and reproduce. Those students can also
exchange homemade paper butterflies and messages with Mexican peers who live near the
monarch’s diminishing winter habitat. This project and others like it help students make
global connections and think about possible impacts of their lifestyle choices.
Of course, not all citizen science projects tackle burning environmental issues. Consider the
intriguing question asked by Project PigeonWatch: “Why are there so many colors of
pigeons in the world?”
Getting Started
Citizen science is such a hot topic that you should be able find a project to fit your schedule,
curriculum focus, and students’ developmental levels. Some projects, such as Audubon’s
Great Backyard Bird Count, engage lots of participants for just one or a few days. Others are
longer term, involving students for a season or more. Many projects are flexible, allowing
you to participate at whatever level or time commitment you wish. Others have a more
demanding schedule and protocols. Projects such as FrogWatch USA require volunteers to
be trained – in this case through a member institution of the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums. Many investigations have a national or continental, or even global scope, but
others tackle regional or local questions (Students in Washington State are tracking local
cougars and their prey!).
23
The best projects for classrooms feature student materials and instructional resources. In
some cases, students upload data and scientists analyze and interpret it. But a good project
also has tools and support to get students to ask questions, view and try to make sense of
data, and understand how their data connects to the big picture. For instance, some projects
enable students to interact with maps, graphs, or other tools for viewing collaborative data;
identify patterns and pose explanations; compare experiences, questions, and findings with
peers in other locations; or create final reports, presentations, or other products and
showcase them online. Check out Citizen Science Projects We Like to learn more about
some of the national level citizen science programs that are compelling and appropriate for
students.
Activity: Laying the Groundwork for Citizen Science
Questions are at the heart of science inquiry and citizen science. And students' questions
flourish when they make firsthand observations of the natural world. To get students
thinking about the “why” of citizen science, consider this short activity. If you’ve already
selected a citizen science project, you can focus it on the subject that students will be
exploring.
Exploration: Take the class outside, with journals in hand, to observe something that
intrigues students or that they’re already studying: life in the garden or birds at a feeder, for
instance. Give them a set time to observe, say 10 minutes, or have them make short
observations over a few days. Ask students to generate at least one question in each of three
categories: a) questions they could best answer by making simple observations (What types
of beaks do our feeder birds have?), b) questions they could best answer by conducting an
investigation (e.g., Which kinds of seeds do these baby robins prefer?), and c) questions they
could answer if they had information from lots of observers in lots of places (What kinds of
habitats have the most fireflies?)
Back in the classroom, make a master chart of student questions that fit into each category.
Note: If some questions don’t fit those categories, consider adding these options: d)
questions they can best answer by looking at measurable data (Do male eagles travel faster
than female eagles?), e) those they can best answer by reading information from books or
articles (How many times do a hummingbird's wings beat per minute?), f) those they think
scientists could best answer (How do whooping cranes decide who leads the pack?), and g)
questions that are speculative (Why don't more people care about protecting habitat for
migrating birds?).
Making Connections: Focus on questions in category c: Those that could best be answered
with data from lots of observers. Explain that these types of questions drive some scientists
to create citizen science projects. From there, you can introduce the questions that are the
foundation for the project you’ve chosen. Hang on to the student questions that fit in other
categories and use them to inspire concurrent or future research!
24
Learn More:
Citizen Science Projects We Like
Learning Takes Flight: A Passionate Pursuit of Monarchs
Ladybugs Lost and Found: A Tale of Schoolyard Citizen Science
How to Find a Ladybug
Cultivating Keen Observers
PROJECTS FOR CITIZEN SCIENTIST
Citizen Science Projects We Like
Author: Eve Pranis
Engaging ordinary people in science research isn’t something new. In fact, one of the first
formal citizen science projects, the Christmas Bird Count, began in 1900! But in the last 20
years or so, many scientists and educators have embraced this strategy as a winning research
and educational tool. Here we describe some of the projects that just might engage your
young gardeners, habitat sleuths, and environmental stewards. If you don’t find one that fits
your needs – or if you’d like your students to help create or dig into a citizen science project
related to local issues (e.g., water quality) – contact area environmental agencies, centers, or
organizations; zoos; Cooperative Extension; or universities to see if they have active projects
or are willing to collaborate to design one.
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology Bird-Based Citizen Science Projects (spring through fall)
One of the early leaders in citizen science, the Cornell Ornithology lab has fantastic menu of
engaging and accessible projects including the Great Backyard Bird Count, Project
FeederWatch, PigeonWatch, NestWatch, Celebrate Urban Birds, and more. Its Bird Sleuth
program invites students in grades 4 to 8 to carefully observe birds, investigate to try to
answer their own questions, and publish their original research on the Web site. You’ll also
find a Webzine with student work as well as free and fee-based curricula.
Journey North (February-May; September-December)
Another early citizen science leader, Journey North focuses on wildlife migration and
seasonal change. Your K-12 student observers can track the coming of spring (and fall) by
making local and online observations of the migration patterns of monarch butterflies,
robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes, gray whales, and other animals; the budding of
plants; changing sunlight; and other natural events. The program features real-time maps,
lively weekly reports, stunning photos and video clips, downloadable student booklets,
inquiry-based lessons, and an archive of your sightings from year to year. You can
participate in one or more studies, or simply get your feet wet by digging into cool migration
stories or uploading a few signs of spring.
Project Budburst (mainly spring and summer)
25
This project explores the timing of life-cycle events – a study called phenology – for a variety
of plants. You can choose one or more plants to monitor from a long list of wildflowers,
grasses, trees, and shrubs. Students keep an eye out for the first leaf, flower, ripe fruit, and
other life phases. When one of these occurs, the observers record the dates and upload the
data. Each plant has a linked Google map that highlights what has been reported, where.
The data help scientists understand how climate change affects plant phenology and how
that, in turn, can affect ecosystems. You’ll also find identification guides, background
information, lesson plans, interactive student pages, and an archive of your own reports
from year to year.
Minding Monarchs
There are lots of good reasons to keep tabs on monarch butterflies, besides the fact that
they’re brilliant jewels. After all, hundreds of millions of these creatures make a spectacular
and risky flight each fall to a handful of mountaintops in Mexico – having never been there
before! And that’s just part of this species’ annual adventure, which relies on a narrow range
of habitat conditions, food plants, and weather conditions. Each of these three citizen
science projects offers classrooms a different entry point into the lives of monarchs.
* MonarchWatch (late August-October): Volunteers capture, tag, and release adult
butterflies and gather data on their weight, health, and flight. The site also features tips for
raising monarchs and milkweed in the classroom, creating monarch way stations (habitats),
and more.
* Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (spring and fall): Each week, participants visit
patches of the monarch’s host plant, milkweed, to count monarch eggs and larvae and to
assess plant density.
* Journey North’s Monarch Migration Study (spring and fall): Students observe
monarchs during their migration to and from winter grounds in the mountains of Mexico.
They upload data to real-time maps, try to make sense of migration patterns, watch
image-rich slideshows, and get weekly news updates.
(Another butterfly-related project, Butterflies I've Seen, enables you to keep track of all your
butterfly sightings online. The data also enables North American Butterfly Association
scientists to answer questions about butterfly distributions, abundance, and conservation.)
Vegetable Varieties Investigations (gardening season in your area)
You and your students don’t have to have a school vegetable garden to participate in this
project. But you do have to be willing to interview some local gardeners to find out what
they think about different varieties they grow. That means brainstorming questions to ask,
learning interviewing skills and employing them, taking notes, and uploading your findings
via special forms. By looking at data from interviewers across North America, your students
will learn about plants, gardeners, and biodiversity, to boot. They’ll contribute to an online
library that will help scientists and gardeners better understand how a range of edibles
perform in different settings. The project includes a leader and student handbook.
26
The Great Sunflower Project (summer and fall)
Bees are crazy about sunflowers, and the organizers of this citizen science project are
curious and concerned about the health and decline of bee populations. They’d like your
help in tracking who pollinates certain blooms and when they do so. You can get seeds for
Lemon Queen sunflowers through the project or on your own, or use one of the other plant
types they’ve added to this year’s study. Once your plant is blooming, students will spend a
mere 15 minutes observing it and recording when different types of bees arrive (you can do
this as often as you’d like). The Web site has a bee identification sheet and forms for
visitation data and a description of your garden environment. Students upload their data
and a photo if they’ve snapped one. The site has no curriculum, but it does have an online
education forum.
Lost Ladybug Project
What better way to engage youngsters in exploring the natural world and the process of
science than by inviting them to scour schoolyards for a well-loved charismatic creature? It’s
all the better if they’ve already spotted these pest predators in your school garden. Through
this easily conducted project, your students can join others around the country who keep
eyes peeled for all types of ladybugs, photograph them, and upload data and images to the
project Web site. (You can also send them by snail mail.) They’ll have fun doing it and help
scientists discover what types of ladybugs are out there, how the populations of native and
introduced species are changing, and what’s become of three native species that have nearly
disappeared. The site includes tips on how to find, collect, and photograph the creatures;
teaching resources; and interactive kids’ pages.
Students’ Cloud Observations On-Line: S’COOL (ongoing)
In this global study, students and other volunteers make observations of clouds from
schoolyards, field trips, or other sites they choose. They send their information on cloud
types, cover, and weather conditions to NASA, where scientists compare them with satellite
information from the same time and location. The project includes teaching materials,
online maps, posters, and more.
Firefly Watch (summer)
27
This citizen science project, which focuses on another insect that appears to be diminishing,
just might work best as a home-based investigation. After all, keeping an eye on fireflies is a
nighttime endeavor. But when your students do, they’ll discover through an online habitat
demo and their own observations that they can detect firefly species and genders by
interesting flash colors and patterns. Once they upload their habitat descriptions and data
from ten-minute observations, they can use the Google Map to get a bird’s eye view of all
data and compare it from year to year. Scientists use the information to explore how
habitats, light, lawn mowing, and other factors influence populations of these illuminating
creatures. They also post updates about what they’re learning throughout the season.
Wildlife Watch (ongoing)
This global citizen science project from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) enables
students, families, and other observers to share wildlife sightings, photos (via Flickr), and
stories inspired by observations in backyards, schoolyards, and other local spots. If you’d
like to spot wildlife beyond your immediate surroundings, you can use the site’s NatureFind
database to locate other viewing areas near you. The stories and photos your detectives
publish on the Web site will help the NWF track the health and behavior of wildlife and
plant species. Students can also see photos and read stories from other wildlife watchers and
learn about current news and discoveries.
Spider Web Watch (all year)
Eight-legged creatures are quite common among us – but scientists know relatively little
about the more than 4,000 spiders that live in North America. We do know that many prey
on our household pests, but scientists have lots of questions, including how different species
might respond to a changing climate. To learn more, this citizen science projects asks
participants to keep eyes peeled for nine “ambassador” species (none venomous) and report
their observations. The upload interface is a bit challenging, and the project does not have
support for teachers, but it can be an engaging project for older students.
Science for Citizens
This is a brand new Web site that aims to be a one-stop shop for those wanting to advertise
citizen science projects and those seeking to participate. The site’s Project Finder enables
you to search for projects by topic, location, time commitment, difficulty, suitability for
students, and more.
Additional Resources:
Engaging Students through Citizen Science
Learning Takes Flight: A Passionate Pursuit of Monarchs
Ladybugs Lost and Found: A Tale of Schoolyard Citizen Science
How to Find a Ladybug
Cultivating Keen Observers
CULTIVATING KEEN OBSERVERS
Cultivating Keen Observers-Author: Eve Pranis
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Inviting students to closely inspect materials and phenomena in the natural world can spark
their interest and generate compelling research questions.
Observation is also one of the primary tools we use to gather information and make sense of
the world. It is a skill that many teachers assume students have, but without guidance, tools,
and adequate time, student observations often lack detail and precision.
By routinely asking questions during plant investigations such as What did you observe that
leads you to conclude that...? What do you notice about...? How is it different than...? you
can help students become keener observers and distinguish between what they actually
observe (evidence) and what they infer. By focusing on different aspects of observation -details, similarities and differences, sequences, and patterns -- learners develop tools for
making sense of their own experiences.
Consider trying some of the following activities to enhance students' ability to be keen
observers, and in so doing, to think and act like scientists.
SET Volunteers
Types of Volunteers to Target
See
here:
for
types
of
volunteers
to
recruit
http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/practices/17759
for
the
program:
“Traditional 4-H Leaders”: don’t give up on these but provide training in SET materials to
help them. NE offered online training in Robotics, California has the SEAL program to
train volunteers.
Industry Partners: Still looking for research for this. Will follow up with Tanisha English in
Maryland
Teens as Teachers: Lots of research in the lit review. National 4-H Afterschool resources
seem to be one of the best resources to drop in. Case Studies include SERIES, Animal
Ambassadors, TRY Teams, Youth Teaching Youth (YTY) and YES.
States to follow up with: CA, Utah, and Minnesota
Volunteer Recognition
"Letters from 4-H members" as the most meaningful form of recognition
Youth Adult Partnerships: Reference work that 4-H has all ready done with this topic.
http://www.ca4h.org/4hinfo/proginfo/YAPGuide.pdf
http://www.ca4h.org/4hinfo/proginfo/YAPTrainingManual.pdf
Great Urban 4-H Volunteer Clip: scroll down for video clip of Urban Volunteer
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A New Model of 4-H Volunteer Development in Science, Engineering, and Technology
Programs
http://www.joe.org/joe/2009april/iw4.php
Abstract
New initiatives centered on science, engineering, and technology (SET) in 4-H may be
moving away from the long-established adult volunteer delivery model. This shift in
delivery may be due to a lack of availability of adult volunteers who possess the necessary
SET competencies to effectively lead 4-H clubs. One way to offset this trend may be to
blend traditional face-to-face training with continuous training efforts that include
asynchronous on-line training modules, synchronous Web-based meetings, and self-directed
learning. This new 4-H SET Volunteer Competencies Training Model is being tested in the
Nebraska 4-H Robotics and GPS/GIS program.
Volunteer Development in 4-H: Constructivist Considerations to Improve Youth Science
Literacy in Urban Areas
Abstract
The 4-H Youth Development Program can play an important role in targeting improved
science literacy among urban youth in the U. S. However, 4-H volunteers must be trained
effectively in order to be competent in their roles as science educators, and existing methods
of volunteer training in urban areas are inadequate. Lesson study, a professional
development model for educators that uses a constructivist approach to learning, is a viable
option. Lesson study occurs within the context of the specific learning setting, takes place
incrementally over extended periods of time, and has been shown to be effective.
http://www.joe.org/joe/2008august/iw2.php
*Improving County-Based Science Programs: Bringing Out the Science Teacher in Your
Volunteer Leaders
Abstract
4-H programs can play an important role in increasing children's exposure to, and interest
in, science. To be effective, however, specialized training for volunteer leaders is needed. A
method of training adult volunteer leaders to train 4-H teens to be cross-age teachers of an
inquiry-based science program was designed and evaluated. Key components of this method
were specific scaffolding strategies, including modeling, coaching, effective questioning,
promoting group interactions, and encouraging independent investigation and thinking.
Data from focus group interviews and quantitative measures showed improvement at all
levels of project involvement: Adult volunteer leaders, 4-H teens, and participating 4-H
youth
http://www.joe.org/joe/2004december/a5.php
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A Model for Recruiting and Training Youth Development Volunteers in Urban Areas
Abstract
A model for recruiting and training volunteers for 4-H Youth Development Programs in
urban areas was designed and evaluated. Utilizing a formal course at a community college
to recruit and train volunteers, the model was effective in developing and enhancing their
skills. As part of their course requirements, volunteers applied their skills by implementing a
science literacy program with elementary-age children in after-school settings. Their efforts
were effective; participating children's science process skills showed significant
improvements. Academic and community service credit served as rewards for volunteers'
participation.
http://www.joe.org/joe/2005october/a6.php
Urban and Rural 4-H Adult Volunteer Leaders' Preferred Forms of Recognition and
Motivation
Abstract
The article describes a study comparing the motives of urban and rural volunteers and
identified differences in recognition preferences. A survey sent to 714 leaders across urban
and rural Nebraska yielded 326 usable responses. Urban and rural respondents identified
affiliation as their primary motivation. Urban respondents were more positive about the
state and county 4-H programs. Rural volunteers were less interested in recognition at the
county fair. Both groups identified "Letters from 4-H members" as the most meaningful
form of recognition. The article presents recommendations for broader volunteer
recruitment strategies and more personalized 4-H volunteer recognition
http://www.joe.org/joe/2003june/rb1.php
http://www.joe.org/joe/1964spring/1964-1-a5.pdf This report was written in 1964. Still
extremely relevant to what urban 4-H needs are.
Training 4-H Teen Facilitators in Inquiry-Based Science Methods: The Evaluation of a
"Step-Up" Incremental Training Model
Abstract
A "Step-Up" Incremental Training Model for teen curriculum facilitators implementing
inquiry-based science activities was designed and evaluated. This model involves a sequence
of three training workshops that alternate with curriculum implementations. The model was
evaluated using data from focus group interviews, surveys, and direct observations. Key
elements in the model's design include: workshop organization; introductory session;
multiple increments; effective modeling and practice; "safe" environment for reflection and
review. The teens trained during the development of this model were effective in
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implementing curriculum activities with young children. The authors believe that this
method would be transferable to other teen-led Extension programs.
http://www.joe.org/joe/2002december/a3.php
Staff Capacity and Professional Development in Afterschool STEM
http://afterschoolscience.org/pdf/coalition_publications/Staff%20Capacity%20and%20Pr
ofessional%20Development.pdf
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