ERIC Number: EJ1120778
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Jul
Pages: 8
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8555
EISSN: N/A
A Day in the Field
Turrin, Margie
Science Teacher, v82 n5 p35-42 Jul 2015
Data and data analysis are central to science and the complex world in which people live. Students need to practice working with data--addressed in the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States 2013)--starting with small, self-collected data sets and moving on to larger, remotely collected data assemblages. Small data sets are the foundation, and firsthand data-gathering experiences are the building blocks, for working with data collected by others, known as secondary data sets. Making a strong connection between self-collected and secondary data sets improves student understanding. This article describes "A Day in the Life of the Hudson River Estuary," a field-based, collaborative, multischool project designed to be a stepped entry to data analysis and meaning making. The project begins with students gathering their own data in a complex estuarine system. They use their observations to analyze this authentic data, recognizing patterns and identifying the association to specific Earth processes and interactions. Examples include an increase in salinity connecting to a rising tide from the ocean or a spike in dissolved oxygen--despite the increase in temperature--correlating with a midday sun and increased photosynthesis. Students then add their results to the larger "Day in the Life of the Hudson River Estuary" collaborative project, extending the data coverage spatially and allowing them to examine variability in a larger system. Finally, students use local and global real-time data portals to compare their understanding to a much larger set of processes.
Descriptors: Science Education, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Experiential Learning, Natural Resources, Observation, Earth Science, High School Students, Secondary School Science
National Science Teachers Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: http://www.nsta.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive; Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A