Environmental Inquiry: Learning Science as Science is Practiced

9618142 Krasny这个建议是开发一套深入的，跨学科的，9-12年级的教学模块，重点是四个过程标准（来自国家科学教育标准）的应用——科学作为探究，科学的历史和本质，科学和技术，以及个人和社会视角的科学——到环境毒理学的主题。这个问题对生活在城市、郊区和农村社区的学生很重要，所有使用这些材料的学生都将调查与他们自己生活相关的问题。这些模块包括旨在让学生参与三个层次探究的活动：1)开放式实验室练习，侧重于培养技能和理解科学概念；2)探索性调查，让学生有机会调查与他们最初的实验室练习相关的变量；3)控制实验研究，使用探索结果定义具有自变量的控制实验。学生们学会在科学家群体和更广泛的外行群体之间交流他们的研究成果。环境毒理学是康奈尔大学研究项目的一个重点，来自这些项目的科学家将与教师和教育工作者一起开发材料。成果包括旨在帮助教师过渡到以探究为基础的科学和科学改革运动的其他方面的教师材料。

9618142 Krasny This proposal is to develop a set of in-depth, interdisciplinary, grade 9-12 instructional modules that focus the application of the four process standards (from the National Science Education Standards) -- Science as Inquiry, History and Nature of Science, Science and Technology, and Science in Personal and Social Perspectives -- to the topic of environmental toxicology. This issue is important to students living in urban, suburban and rural communities and all students using the materials will be investigating problems relevant to their own lives. The modules include activities designed to engage students in three levels of inquiry, 1) open ended laboratory exercises that focus on building skills and understanding science concepts, 2) exploratory investigations that give students the opportunity to investigate variables related to their initial laboratory exercise, and 3) controlled experimental research that uses the results of explorations to define a controlled experiment with independent variables. Students learn to communicate their results among communities of scientists and to the wider lay community. The topic of environmental toxicology is a focus of Cornell research programs and the scientists from these programs will join with teachers and educators to develop the materials. The outcome includes teacher materials designed to assist teachers in making the transition to inquiry-based science and to other aspects of the science reform movement.