Benefits of Being a Student of the Teacher Researcher ...Benefits of Being a Student of the Teacher...
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Benefits of Being a Student of the Teacher Researcher Experience (SoTRE) Elizabeth D. Eubanks M.Ed Hayley Bigerton, Matthew Bigerton, Emily Guinan, Anthony Zaleski, Kaeli Smith, Michael Agostinelli Steven F. Oberbauer, Ph.D. Suzanne Kohin, Ph.D. St. Mark Catholic School , 730 Northeast 6th Ave. Boynton Beach, Florida (561) 732-9934 www.stmarkboynton.com Florida International University NOAA Fisheries Students Comment on Benefits of Being a SoTRE: “Science comes alive.” -Matt B. “ We take advantage of the latest technology and follow experiments taking place from the Arctic to the Tropics.” -Anthony Z. “We see how interconnected we all are and how we can work together for a better tomorrow.” -Hayley B. “We get to learn things that other kids might not be able to, and this makes school more fun.” -Alondra R. “We get to present a poster at the State of the Arctic meeting, which is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” -Emily G. Not at all important Somewhat important Very Important Pre-Expedition May 2008 8.9% 41% 50% Post- Expedition May 2009 3.4% 32.8% 63.8% Change -5.5% -8.2% 13.80% This survey shows that St. Mark students have more appreciation for the polar regions after Mrs. Eubanks’s PolarTREC expedition than before it. Our students are working with Dr. Oberbauer and Paulo Olivas on a project measuring the growth of the White Mangrove trees in The Mangrove Park behind our school using dendrometers. We are tracking weather patterns using a weather station and an Open Top Chamber (OTC) donated by Dr.Oberbauer. Data provided by A. Larson of Goldstream Group for PolarTREC Evaluation Shark month included learning about aspects of all sharks, daily morning announced facts, maritime flags, life aboard a research vessel and dissecting sharks. Our Finale: Shark-O-Ween. The entire school year we celebrated the International Polar Year (IPY). We began and concluded this event with surveys. We had morning announcements, monthly Arctic themes, and a Polar Earth Day celebration. Each middle school student wrote a research paper. In small groups, we prepared displays and oral presentations to teach the younger students (PK- 5th grade) what we had learned about Polar regions. We participated as both students and teachers. You might wonder why middle school students in South Florida would be so interested in the Arctic or sharks in Southern California. It’s because our middle school science teacher, Mrs. Elizabeth Eubanks, is always reminding us “we are all connected, we are all affected.” She has participated and involved us in several interesting and exciting projects involving the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Polar TREC (Teachers & Researchers Exploring & Collaborating). These unique relationships are called Teacher Researcher Experiences (TREs), which makes us Students of Teacher Researcher Experiences (SoTREs). What’s a SoTRE (SO-tree)? Students of teachers involved in Teacher Researcher Experiences. I am a SoTRE. For additional information Elizabeth Eubanks [email protected] Working with FIU Scientists Paulo Olivas Dr.Oberbauer The Entire School (PK-8) participated in Shark Month Shark-O-Ween Ocean to Classroom In 2007 Mrs. Eubanks spent two weeks at sea off the coast of California aboard the NOAA ship David Starr Jordan as part of NOAA’s Teachers at Sea Program. She worked with NOAA researcher Dr S. Kohin to study sharks. All of her students followed her adventure by reading her daily journals that were posted on the Internet. During the next school year students followed the movements of the sharks that were tagged. We also evaluated the catch rate of sharks using a “circle hook” compared to a “J hook”. We used real science data. In 2008, Mrs. Eubanks went to Barrow, Alaska, with Dr. Steven Oberbauer, a professor from Florida International University (FIU) and Paulo Olivas, a doctoral student from FIU. They studied the effects of carbon fluxes on the Arctic tundra. Once again, we followed the project through Mrs. Eubanks’s online journal entries. There were two webinars during the summer. Some of the students took part in a cross-continental germination experiment with alfalfa seeds. Polar Earth Day Extravaganza Icebergs Northern Lights Depth Hoar Blanket Toss Alaskan Games Ear Pull Students Teach Students
Transcript of Benefits of Being a Student of the Teacher Researcher ...Benefits of Being a Student of the Teacher...
Benefits of Being a Student of the Teacher Researcher Experience (SoTRE) Elizabeth D. Eubanks M.Ed Hayley Bigerton, Matthew Bigerton, Emily Guinan, Anthony Zaleski, Kaeli Smith, Michael Agostinelli Steven F. Oberbauer, Ph.D. Suzanne Kohin, Ph.D. St. Mark Catholic School , 730 Northeast 6th Ave. Boynton Beach, Florida (561) 732-9934 www.stmarkboynton.com Florida International University NOAA Fisheries
Students Comment onBenefits of Being a SoTRE:
“Science comes alive.” -Matt B.
“ We take advantage of the latest technology and follow experiments taking place from the Arctic to the Tropics.” -Anthony Z.
“We see how interconnected we all are and how we can work together for a better tomorrow.” -Hayley B.
“We get to learn things that other kids might not be able to, and this makes school more fun.” -Alondra R.
“We get to present a poster at the State of the Arctic meeting, which is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” -Emily G.
Not at allimportant
Somewhatimportant
VeryImportant
Pre-ExpeditionMay 2008
8.9% 41% 50%
Post-ExpeditionMay 2009
3.4% 32.8% 63.8%
Change -5.5% -8.2% 13.80%
This survey shows that St. Mark students have more appreciation for thepolar regions after Mrs. Eubanks’s PolarTREC expedition than before it.
Our students are working with Dr. Oberbauer and Paulo Olivason a project measuring the growth of the White Mangrovetrees in The Mangrove Park behind our school usingdendrometers. We are tracking weather patterns using aweather station and an Open Top Chamber (OTC) donated byDr.Oberbauer.
Data provided by A. Larson of Goldstream Group for PolarTREC Evaluation
Shark month included learning about aspects of all sharks, dailymorning announced facts, maritime flags, life aboard a researchvessel and dissecting sharks. Our Finale: Shark-O-Ween. The entire school year we celebrated the International Polar Year
(IPY). We began and concluded this event with surveys. We hadmorning announcements, monthly Arctic themes, and a Polar EarthDay celebration. Each middle school student wrote a research paper.In small groups, we prepared displays and oral presentations to teachthe younger students (PK- 5th grade) what we had learned about Polarregions. We participated as both students and teachers.
You might wonder why middle school students in SouthFlorida would be so interested in the Arctic or sharks inSouthern California. It’s because our middle schoolscience teacher, Mrs. Elizabeth Eubanks, is alwaysreminding us “we are all connected, we are all affected.”She has participated and involved us in several interestingand exciting projects involving the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Polar TREC(Teachers & Researchers Exploring & Collaborating).These unique relationships are called Teacher ResearcherExperiences (TREs), which makes us Students of TeacherResearcher Experiences (SoTREs).
What’s aSoTRE
(SO-tree)?
Students ofteachers
involved inTeacher
ResearcherExperiences.
I am aSoTRE.
For additional informationElizabeth [email protected]
Working with FIU Scientists
Paulo Olivas
Dr.Oberbauer
The Entire School (PK-8) participated in Shark Month
Shark-O-Ween
Ocean to Classroom
In 2007 Mrs. Eubanks spenttwo weeks at sea off the coastof California aboard theNOAA ship David StarrJordan as part of NOAA’sTeachers at Sea Program. Sheworked with NOAAresearcher Dr S. Kohin tostudy sharks. All of herstudents followed heradventure by reading her dailyjournals that were posted onthe Internet. During the nextschool year students followedthe movements of the sharksthat were tagged. We alsoevaluated the catch rate ofsharks using a “circle hook”compared to a “J hook”. Weused real science data.
In 2008, Mrs. Eubanks went toBarrow, Alaska, with Dr.Steven Oberbauer, a professorfrom Florida InternationalUniversity (FIU) and PauloOlivas, a doctoral student fromFIU. They studied the effectsof carbon fluxes on the Arctictundra. Once again, wefollowed the project throughMrs. Eubanks’s online journalentries. There were twowebinars during the summer.Some of the students took partin a cross-continentalgermination experiment withalfalfa seeds.
PolarEarth Day Extravaganza
Icebergs
Northern Lights
Depth Hoar
Blanket Toss
Alaskan GamesEar Pull
Students Teach Students
