Project-based and student-driven learning continue to be at the forefront of school reform efforts. Technology is a significant bridge and tool used empower and leverage student projects. Geospatial technologies continue to be underutilised in the middle grades. There are many cutting edge, free geospatial tools available through the ESRI School Bundle. This article is aimed at bridging the gap in the practitioner literature about how free geospatial technologies can be used in the project-based, science classroom. Numerous example products and recommendations are made to encourage teachers to consider these technologies. This manuscript also explains one example of a geospatial project educators could recreate in a science classroom.

Our program seeks to introduce middle school students to a range of STEM topics and careers. We planned and enacted a five-lesson unit themed around the contributions of trees/green spaces to ecological and community health. Humans thrive in ecologically healthy communities; however, not all communities have access to healthy ecosystems. Students were introduced to basic ecology tools and concepts, investigated urban parks to make ecological and sociological observations, and analyzed and interpreted the data for shared patterns of interest. The centerpieces of this unit were field work in parks where we followed a question-driven, observational study with scientific investigations into the effect of tree canopy on surface temperature, followed by independent student research to create final products allowing students to blend creativity, technology, and their newly-acquired ecological understanding towards making a lasting impact.

Secchi Dip-In citizen science project for Science Scope

In this article, we use the strategies listed above to engage students in a 5E lesson on static electricity (partially addressing MS-PS2-3). We start the engage phase by using a “magic trick” as a hook to engage students about static electricity. During the explore phase, students get the chance to interact with a variety of static electricity phenomena and write down what they are curious about. Next, we help students make sense of the experiences through teacher questioning in the explore phase. In the elaborate phase, we encourage student speculation and questions by having them generate their own research questions. In the evaluate phase, we use novel scenarios related to what students learned to assess their thinking and maintain curiosity. Throughout all of the 5E, we strive to model curiosity by looking excited, asking speculative questions, and being interested in students’ ideas (Clough et al., 2009).

Helping our students make sense of data while they are working with phenomenon can be an excellent way for students to build critical 21st-century data skills in engaging and authentic ways. Here I outline an instructional strategy we can use when integrating data visualizations in our phenomenon-based units. Additionally, I recommend two reflection exercises to consider when thinking more broadly about the intersection of data, communication, and phenomenon in your current curriculum

Focus on Physics

Fact or Faux?

Editor's Corner

This article discusses an innovative approach to science education focused on engaging students through authentic learning experiences and hands-on activities. It emphasizes the importance of linking classroom instruction with real-world science research practices, particularly in the context of coral reef ecosystems through an authentic learning opportunity. The article shares insights from piloting a coral reef ecosystem lesson with high school biology students, noting their enthusiastic engagement and skill development in data interpretation and communication. The lab activity is an opportunity for students to simulate underwater research techniques and analyze authentic data to assess the health of coral reef ecosystems. The article underscores the urgency of educating students about threats facing coral reefs, including climate change, pollution, and human activities. Whether we live near an ocean or far away it is important to help students understand how the ocean is connected to our daily lives. By integrating ocean literacy principles into the curriculum, educators can empower students to understand the interconnectedness of marine ecosystems and human behaviors, encouraging informed citizenship and environmental stewardship. This article advocates for transformative science education that cultivates critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

Student activities based on deposition in a beaker introduce Walther’s Law, which states that, if uninterrupted, vertical deposition is duplicated in the horizontal. When gravel, sand, and clay (mud) are stirred in a beaker of water, they settle out predictably. The heaviest (gravel) deposits first, then sand, and, finally, clay. This is Walther’s Law in the vertical. The same sequence is seen in streams flowing into the sea. Gravel settles out first, followed by sand and clay. This is Walther’s Law in the horizontal. Activities in this article use Walther’s Law to introduce high school Earth-science students to stream deposition, shifting shorelines, and regional deposition.