Term

Summer 2022

Capstone

Capstone Project

Degree Name

MAT

Facilitator(s)

Tia Clasen

Content Expert

Brittany Berres

Abstract

The purpose of this capstone was to create a two-week long ecology unit for high school biology students rooted in culturally relevant practices. The project sought to answer the question “How can utilizing a culturally relevant ecology curriculum help students see intersections between their scientific and cultural identities?” Data shows that people of color and women are underrepresented within the sciences. Disengagement and lack of interest in the sciences begins in middle and high school, suggesting students feel the material is irrelevant or disconnected from their lives. To address this gap, this project utilized a culturally relevant lens to create an ecology curriculum. Research showed that culturally relevant pedagogy increased student engagement with and retention of science concepts. The created curriculum draws on students’ pools of knowledge and integrates historical and cultural data into the practice of science. Students engage in a variety of learning activities including laboratory experiments, inquiry based activities, and reflective journaling. This project acts as a model for educators looking to engage in culturally relevant practices within the sciences as a mechanism to increase student engagement.

Project Type

Curriculum

Keywords

Curriculum, Science

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Projects

Included in

Education Commons

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