Enhancing middle school ecosystem health education through hands-on experiences

Background/Question/Methods: Exposure to environmental toxicants of humans and wildlife is well-documented genetically, physiologically, and behaviorally. Integrating ecosystem health, environmental toxicology, and human health helps non-scientists to understand and value science, and evaluate evidence-based policy decisions and risk communication messages.  To achieve the best pedagogy or risk communication messages for target audiences, science modules utilizing live animals as experimental models have been developed for use in middle school science curricula and include significant training of and on-going support for teachers by scientists and educators.  While the focus of these modules is to enhance understanding and appreciation of human environmental health issues, human interaction with an ecosystem is fundamental to a full comprehension by both teachers and students of the dangers of chemical contamination.  Due to their inherent flexibility to direct student learning to ecosystem health or human environmental health, these modules may be used to integrate these concepts equally into the middle school curriculum.  Results/Conclusions: Teachers attend an intensive, one-week summer workshop to receive background information on module construction, environmental issues, e.g., environmental toxicology, that apply to those modules, hands-on experience utilizing the module, and pedagogical skills necessary for the successful module completion.  Currently, ten modules either have been fully developed or are in various stages of development in a collaborative effort between scientists, educators, and professional evaluators.  To assist teachers in enhancing their classroom experience, additional materials beyond the workshop notebook are provided, e.g., DVDs, brochures and posters.  Throughout the year, scientists and educators are available for teacher support.  Student interest is piqued because both ecological and environmental health are explored for possible relationships to students’ health.  The modules tap many academic areas including both scientific and non-scientific as well as Gardener’s Multiple Intelligences so that “no child is left behind.”   By preparing teachers and meeting students’ interests the modules create a zest for learning science and prompt students to use multiple learning styles. All the modules lay the foundation for further student-designed investigations. Thus, the SEPA (Science Education Partnership Award) Program allows us the opportunity to expand upon children’s multiple intelligences while increasing the levels of science literacy and understanding.  Independent surveys of both teachers and students conclusively demonstrate success in both cognitive and affective areas of learning.  In several schools, students have taken their new appreciation of environmental issues and translated it into their own community outreach projects.  Supported by: NIH grant ES-04184; NIH-National Center for Research Resources grant RR014267-06.