Author

Sara Peterson

Term

Summer 2019

Capstone

Capstone Project

Degree Name

MAED: NSEE

Facilitator(s)

Laura Halldin

Content Expert

Dustin Haug and Tarah Dahl

Abstract

Research has shown that on average, student motivation for secondary sciences, especially physical sciences, decreases from ages nine to seventeen due to a perceived lack of connection to content. The curriculum designed for this project focuses on using socio-scientific issues (SSI) to relate an introductory knowledge of chemistry to environmental examples. Using SSI and real world, environmental examples has been shown to increase student understanding and interest in secondary science content. The project has combined the two to create a curriculum which lends to both socio-scientific issues and environmental examples to increase scientific relevancy in students. The curriculum will be used for a 9th grade level physical science course in an urban, public charter school. The goal of the project is to increase student motivation, interest in learning, and continual pursuit of secondary sciences. It is also meant to help students take a scientific approach to becoming environmentally responsible citizens in a democratic society.

Keywords

Curriculum, Environmental Studies, Science, Teachers/ Teaching

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Projects

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Education Commons

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