Interested in applying for an NCSTA grant? Visit the Grant Headquarters (www.ncsta.org/grants/) for more information and an application form.

As an applicant for a NCSTA Innovative Curriculum Grant two years ago, I took the title of the grant literally. If I could receive financial support for an innovative curriculum or approach, what would I choose? Could I try some novel teaching methods that I may not have used in my “traditional” classes such as Freshman Biology and Advanced (AP level) Biology?

Fortunately, it did not take long to settle on the idea of a North Carolina Environmental Science course. While my students are aware of many global environmental issues (e.g., ozone depletion and global warming) taught in traditional environmental or earth science courses, they usually have little idea of the number and types of environmental challenges facing our own state. In a state where we have “ozone action days,” an expanding population, shrinking natural wetlands, sewage treatment issues, and the hog farming controversy among others, I felt it was important to turn our attention a little closer to home. Unfortunately, I found little in the way of existing educational materials for this approach.

Upon receiving the NCSTA grant, I designed a one trimester elective offering for our juniors and seniors who would not necessarily opt for Advanced Placement science course here at Cary Academy. The course featured authentic research on an area of our campus, was project-based (no tests), and utilized current, up-to-date information (i.e., no textbook). The grant helped me purchase materials primarily for the research component, including GPS units, a dissolved oxygen meter, worm composting kits, North Carolina maps, NPK test kits, and other such materials.

The course that I developed included an introductory component on environmentalism, how environmental scientists investigate the environment and basic ecological concepts. Students then began to research, primarily online, North Carolina environmental problems and challenges. Among the issues they identified: threats to wetland and coastal resources, pesticide use, eutrophication, urban and suburban sprawl, water pollution, erosion, invasive species, air quality, and Pfiesteria. We then used risk analysis to rank the issues and considered what impact North Carolina’s growing population would have on each of these areas of concern.

Water emerged as an unifying environmental area from our discussions. Students performed stream sampling of a local creek, examined hog farming for its water impacts, including a visit to a hog farming operation, and visited a nearby sewage treatment plant. We also conducted an experiment on eutrophication and algae growth in the lab, examined the potential impacts of leaking underground storage tanks (USTs) by using state data of leaking USTs on-line, considered the causes of erosion, and examined the prevention of catastrophic effects of hurricanes. By using resources such as state databases and websites on either side of the hog farming debate, the course certainly seemed more topical and contemporary than traditional classes.

A significant portion of the course was devoted to an authentic environmental project. We are fortunate to have on our campus a small tract of undeveloped wooded land (about 3 acres) designated as a “preserved area.”. The class undertook a study of the preserved area to identify current and future uses of this tract, environmental concerns (e.g., erosion, soil quality, and invasive species), the potential placement of a campus composting site, possible expansion of this tract, wildlife and plant surveys, the potential for a nature trail, and present and future human impacts. The three-week study culminated in a presentation by the class to the school’s Grounds Committee, which readily accepted their recommendations. Parts of the plan such as expansion of the area, and spreading wood chips for soil reconditioning have already been implemented. Subsequent classes will continue to execute the plans of this initial class and re-evaluate the proposal.

The final element of the course required students to identify a North Carolina environmental issue and present the complete picture to their classmates. As part of this presentation, they were required to generate a “teaching lesson” including background resources for teachers and a hands-on teaching demonstration. While the quality of these presentations and demonstrations was somewhat lacking, I felt it was important for students in this class to be able to teach about the North Carolina environment as well. Some felt the teaching of their classmates was the most challenging part of the course!

At the conclusion of the course, students were asked to evaluate this class and if their interest in environmental science was greater now than when they enrolled. In the initial interest survey of the class, the class average was 5.2 (on a scale of 0 - no interest to 10 - highly interested in environmental issues). At the conclusion of the class, the class average was 8.0, and 85% of the class rated the project-based, topic-driven approach of this class as good or excellent. Among the comments I received: “this was the most ‘real’ course I have ever had,” “the hog farm trip was my highlight! It wasn’t anything like I thought it would be” and “it was challenging to put everything we learned into practice with the preserved area study…the environment seems so simple to study but it really isn’t.”

While this approach may not work for everyone, I was gratified to see this type of project-based, student driven, and North Carolina focused environmental course succeed. I do not expect the course I taught with this grant to be replicated exactly by other institutions. However, I think the deliberate inclusion of any local or state environmental concerns into existing environmental curricula is terribly important. I also believe students have to be engaged in as much as authentic environmental research as practical. I am developing a website for that will have more information about this project on it: http://web1.caryacademy.org/classes/biology/nces/ I would be happy to answer any inquires about this class. Apply for a NCSTA grant!

Interested in applying for an NCSTA grant? Visit the Grant Headquarters (www.ncsta.org/grants/) for more information and an application form.