Title: Teaching Research in the High School: Scientific Research as a Course
1Teaching Research in the High School
Scientific Research as a Course
Teaching Research in the High School
Scientific Research as a Course
Ryan Templeton
Ryan Templeton Mathematics and Science High
School at Clover Hill Chesterfield County Public
Schools, Midlothian, VA
Mathematics and Science High School at Clover Hill
Chesterfield County Public Schools, Midlothian, VA
2The Math and Science High School at Clover Hill
- A school-within-a-school
- Approximately 400 students inside a 1500 student
comprehensive school - Grades are taught by a team of core teachers
math, science, English, social studies - Electives are taken in the comprehensive school
(band, sports, chorus, etc.)
3Our Research Program A Past View
- Freshmen complete a research project within their
biology class - Sophomores complete a research project in their
chemistry class - Juniors have a choice complete a science
research project in physics, or take Historical
Research as a separate class - Seniors have no research requirement
4Our Research Program Recent Changes
- Freshmen and Sophomores still complete a research
project within their science classes - Juniors now have a third option take Scientific
Research, which exempts them from their physics
class research - Seniors can also choose this new class if they
wish to continue research
5Advantages of a stand-alone research course
- Allows for a deeper and authentic research
experience - Students are paired with mentors in the community
- Students receive research and technology credit
- Competition skills are emphasized
6Challenges to creating a stand-alone course
- Administrative
- Generating the buy-in
- Making allowances in curriculum
- Logistical
- Curriculum what to teach?
- Time fitting it into existing schedules
- Resources what materials are needed?
- Expectations students must commit to
significant after-school time
7Influences
- NCSSSMST
- Science Research in the High School
- Science Experiments and Projects for Students
Cothron, Giese and Rezba - Integrated research in current science courses at
Math/Sci
8Course Design
- Student-centered design emphasis on sharing
information - Lecture component diminished
- Peer-review central to the process
9Curriculum Outline
- 1st Semester
- 1st 9 weeks
- Present of summer assignment
- Select of a topic
- Introduce database resources
- Learn presentation and visual design
- Select of a mentor
- Complete research plan / safety check
10Curriculum Outline
- 1st Semester
- 2nd 9 weeks
- Learn Data Notebook formatting
- Meet with mentors and students
- Discuss preliminary data
- Conduct portfolio and notebook checks
- Begin writing the research paper
- Discuss data for competitions
11Curriculum Outline
- 2nd Semester
- 3rd 9 Weeks
- Complete competition applications
- Prepare competition visuals
- Slideshow presentations
- Poster board displays
- Conduct oral presentations
- Attend competitions
- Regional and State ISEF
- State JSHS
12Curriculum Outline
- 2nd Semester
- 4th 9 Weeks
- Continue research projects
- Continue data seminar
- Plan and execute school research symposium (early
June) - Prepare portfolio for final check
- Juniors prepare applications for
Siemens-Westinghouse and Intel STS
13A Typical Classroom Day
- Students arrive and questions are answered
regarding competition forms - Students scheduled to present that day ready
their slides on the computer - Students offer oral and written feedback
- On some days, computer lab time is scheduled
allows individual conferencing and writing groups
14A Typical Lab Schedule
- Some students work as much as 4 days a week for
1-3 hours - Others work for 1-2 days a week, 3-4 hours at a
time - Students drive to their mentors lab after school
- Many attend lab meetings and participate as
members / share data
15Starting bare bones
- Start-up costs were negligible
- No textbook
- Statistical knowledge of the instructor was
minimal - All of these points represent potential areas of
improvement
16Mentor matching
- We proceeded with an informal matching process
some programs have personnel devoted to this - A contact at Virginia Commonwealth University
served as a liaison - Students interests were considered first, then
matched to scientists - Some students worked with private organizations
17Things We Learned
- Software standards
- Digital media storage
- Student work load
- Scheduling stick to your plan!
- Competitions data determines participation
18Our first class
- Eleven students
- 55 Female 45 Male
- Juniors 73 Seniors 27
19A Few of Our Students
- Erin Kim
- Engineering of Staphylococcus aureus Sortase A
(Srt A) by directed evolution
20A Few of Our Students
- Hannah Meredith
- A wound with no scar perfecting the wound
healing process - 3rd Place Virginia Junior Science and Humanities
Symposium Outstanding Research Award
21Please contact us
- Ryan Templeton
- ryan_templeton_at_ccspsnet.net
- www.mathsci.info