*ISSN 1045-4772

The Earth Scie

Volume XXXVII • Issue 1 • Spring 2021 $10.00*

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

From the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Guest Editor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

It’s Elementary! Earth Day at Cottage Lane: A Local, Affordable, 

Outdoor‐Education-Day Model for Your School or Setting . . . . . . . . . . 

It’s Elementary! Refuse Plastic: Save the Seas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Runaway Carbon Cycle: Reducing Carbon Emissions through 

Understanding and Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Leveraging Student Interest and Community Partnerships to Drive 

Learning in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences ..

The Great Water Design Challenge: A NOAA Planet Stewards and 

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) Collaboration . . . . 29

Measuring Carbon Sequestration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

A Deep Sense of Hope: Engaging Students in Coral Restoration . . . . 37

Examining Experiential Learning Impacts on Student Understanding 

and Skill Building through the Watershed Flood Modeling Project . . . 43

25 Years Ago in TES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Advertising in TES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

NESTA Membership Dues Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Manuscript Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

Cleaning up your local shoreline or even just your neighborhood can help 

prevent trash from becoming marine debris and can help to create a healthy 

ocean that we can all enjoy. Pictured here is debris cleaned up by the NOAA 

Marine Debris team from the shores of Midway Atoll cleaning the waters of 

Papahˉanaumokuˉakea Marine National Monument. 

Photo Credit: CREP/NOAA
Page 2 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

From the President

Engaging in Science

This edition of The Earth Scientist showcases projects supported by NOAA and the Planet 

Stewards Program. While I have not participated actively with Planet Stewards in the last 

few years, I was honored to be in the first cohort as a high school teacher and then a few 

years later I was lucky enough to receive support to engage students in science through 

“Citizen Science” with the Sea Urchins for Reefs Future (SURF) Project. This project, 

highlighted environmental stewardship, as well as place-based, experiential learning. It 

provided five K-5 classrooms with a saltwater fish tank, several dozen baby “collector sea 

urchins and limu, seaweed species and a wide variety of marine algae for food.

The students’ task was to raise 

the urchins provided by the 

Hawaii Department Natural 

Resources Sand Island Urchin 

Hatchery. Each semester we 

started with 125 baby urchins, 

roughly 5 mm in diameter with 

the plan to grow them to 35 

mm size for release on reefs that 

had been cleaned of invasive 

algae. Let’s just say that raising 

urchins in an elementary classroom has challenges that were unexpected, but these challenges led to some amazing problem-solving on the part of the participating teachers and 

students. Yes, we had about 90% mortality in our first attempt, but with the help of the 

school principal, the custodial staff, and teachers who lived close to the school, we were 

able to decrease our mortality to 50% in the second attempt and by the third and fourth 

iterations we were hovering around 35% mortality. We were able to place 70 to 80 urchins 

out on the reef at Waikiki in December and June giving the students, their teachers, and 

their school the opportunity to help the ensure the future of the reefs off Oahu. 

Putting 70 to 80 urchins on a reef is not a lot in the grand scheme of things but the 

parent project, now in its tenth year, aims to put 60,000 urchins out on 227 acres of reef 

in Kaneohe Bay and in the reef adjacent to the Waikiki Aquarium in the Waikiki Marine 

Life Conservation District each year. While the contribution to the overall project might 

have been minimal, the experience for these elementary students and their teachers 

provided maximum opportunity to “Engage in Science”, help to control invasive algae, 

and to learn that they have the ability to truly be Planet Stewards.

Richard Jones, President 2020-2022

richard.jones@hawaii.edu

NESTA

EXECUTIVE BOARD

President

Dr. Rick Jones

Past-President

Belinda Jacobs

President-Elect

John-Henry Cottrell

Secretary

Dr. Missy Holzer

Treasurer

Howard Dimmick

Board of Directors 

Representatives

Kimberley Norris-Jones

Parker Pennington, IV

Interim Executive Director 

and Association Contact

Vacant

NESTA Webmaster

Julia Genyuk

NESTA’S MISSION

To facilitate and advance 

excellence in Earth and Space 

Science education

NESTA Address:

PO Box 271654

Fort Collins, CO 80527

Visit the NESTA website at 

http://www.nestanet.org
Page 3

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

NESTA

REGIONAL DIRECTORS

Region I - ME, MA, NH, RI, VT

Vacant

Region II - NY

Vacant

Region III - DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA, 

DC, WV

Billy Goodman

Region IV - AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, 

MS, NC, PR, SC, TN

Chris Campbell

Region V - IN, KY, MI, OH

Jay Sinclair

Region VI - IL, IA, MN, MO, NE, 

ND, SD, WI, KS

DeEtta Anderson

Region VII - AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, 

NM, OK, TX, UT

Matthew Haverty

Region VIII - AK, CA, HI, WA, OR

Laura Orr

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

Andrea Starks

Elizabeth Torres-Rodriguez

Kimberley Norris-Jones

Diane Tom-Ogata

APPOINTED DIRECTORS

Elaine Bohls-Graham

Ardis Herrold 

Pradip Misra

David Thesenga

Deborah Ezell 

Enrique Reyes

Angela Rizzi (NASA liasion)

Tom Ervin

Eric Pyle

Parker Pennington, IV

Joe Monaco

Guest Editor’s Corner

Celebrating Over a Decade of Stewardship

A bit more than ten years ago when Peg Steffen and I created NOAA Planet Stewards (https:/

oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/planet-stewards/) I couldn’t have imagined what the program 

would become. We started out with a dozen or so educators sitting around a conference room 

table, discussing how to engage students in solving real world environmental problems through 

hands-on stewardship. Since then, Planet Stewards has supported over 200 stewardship projects 

across the country, engaging thousands of students, educators, family members and volunteers, 

in tens of thousands of hours of educational and hands-on stewardship activities. Through our 

workshops, book club discussions and especially our bimonthly newsletter, The Watch, the program 

now reaches over 22,000 educators across the country and the world! Be sure to sign up to receive 

our newsletter to get the latest information about educator and student opportunities, new classroom resources, professional development workshops, grants, articles on science, stewardship 

and education, and more! https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNOAANOS/subscriber/

new?topic_id=USNOAANOS_139

Over the years, we have sponsored many informative webinars on environmental science and science 

pedagogy. You can find a selection of some of our best at: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/

planet-stewards/webinars.html.

While NOAA Planet Stewards Program activities have evolved 

over the years, the program’s goals have always remained the 

same; to build science literacy among educators and students so 

they can:

n	 understand concepts in ocean, climate & Earth 

science,

n	 assess the scientific credibility of information,

n	 make informed and responsible decisions,

n	 initiate actions in their communities.

NOAA Planet Stewards recognizes that every community, 

school, and classroom is unique although they may face similar 

challenges. That is why we keep our focus broad in the types of 

stewardship projects we support. We want to provide opportunities for success that best suit the needs of every educator’s 

community that applies. In this issue of The Earth Scientist you’ll 

read stories about educators and students tackling tough environmental issues from carbon footprint and marine debris 

reduction, to watershed flood modeling and coral habitat 

restoration.

I hope you’ll read this issue and be 

inspired to expand your students’ 

or communities’ awareness and knowledge of ocean, climate and Earth 

science, but also to take action, and empower your students and community to make a difference effecting real change in their world here and now. 

Bruce Moravchik

NOAA National Ocean Service Education Coordinator

NOAA Planet Stewards 

Book Club Meeting Dates 

and Selections 

(8:00-9:00 p.m. Eastern Ti

Monday, September 13, 2021: 

Hoot

Monday, October 18, 2021: 

How to Avoid a Climate 

Disaster

Monday, November 15, 2021: 

Under a White Sky

Monday, December 13, 2021: 

The Omnivore’s Dilemma

Monday, January 10, 2022: 

Sustainable

Monday, February 7, 2022: 

Our Changing Menu

Monday, March 7, 2022: 

Girl Warriors

Monday, April 11, 2022: 

The Soul of an Octopus

Monday, May 16, 2022: Cod
Page 4 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

NESTA Coordinators

Conference Logistics 

Coordinator

Howard Dimmick

Merchandise Coordinator

Howard Dimmick

Procedures Manual 

Coordinator

Parker Pennington IV

Rock Raffle Coordinators

Parker Pennington IV

Membership Coordinator

Joe Monaco

E-News Editor

Dr. Rick Jones

It’s

Elementary!

Jacob Tanenbaum, Janet Fenton, Carol Knudson, Nicole Laible, 

Brianna Rosamilia, Margie Turrin and Laurel Zaima

Abstract

In his book “Last Child Left in the Woods,” Richard Louv coined the term “Nature Deficit 

Disorder,” which he thinks of as “... not a formal diagnosis, but a way to describe the 

psychological, physical and cognitive costs of human alienation from nature, particularly 

for children in their vulnerable developing years.”(Louv, 2008) In the years that followed 

the publication of Louv’s first book, schools began to think more deeply about how to give 

children authentic outdoor learning experiences. In 2010, our 3rd through 5th grade school, 

Cottage Lane Elementary in Blauvelt, New York, began an outdoor education event where 

we take our entire school to a local state park for a day. Once there, each class rotates 

from learning center to learning center to work with scientists, outdoor educators, local 

environmental groups and other volunteers to learn more about and experience the environment around them. What follows is a brief summary of what we have learned in the 10 

years that we have been doing this work. We hope that it may serve as a model which other 

schools could replicate in their own way. Please visit this site http://jacobtanenbaum.com/

outdoored.html for learning center activities that can be replicated if you want to try your 

hand at implementing a day of your own.

Where We Go

Tallman Mountain State Park in Sparkill, New York offers much that one should look for when 

selecting a location for an outdoor education event. To put it simply, there is a lot to talk about, 

do and study. A variety of habitats are present in the park. It is located along the western shore of 

the Hudson River estuary near the widest section of the River. Deciduous forest makes up much 

of the 700-acre park. The forest includes several freshwater ponds and streams that flow into the 

Hudson just below the park. The Piermont Marsh is a 1017-acre wetland that forms the eastern 

park boundary. (www.dec.ny.gov/lands/92365.html) It is one of the five remaining brackish tidal 

marshes in the Hudson River estuary (New York, 2018). The Piermont Marsh is part of the Hudson 

River National Estuarine Research Reserve and so it has been well studied over the years. The park 

provides a home to a variety of animals, birds and plants as well as aquatic life. Bald eagle and 

Earth Day at

Cottage Lane

A Local, Affordable, Outdoor-EducationDay Model for Your School or Setting
Page 5

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

The Earth Scientist

EDITOR

 Peg Steffen

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Peg Steffen

Carla McAuliffe

Howard Dimmick

Tom Ervin

Billy Goodman

Dr. Rick Jones, E-News Editor

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Spencer Cody

Janet Fenton

Derek Hagen

Holly Hereau

Carol Knudson

Nicole Laible

Letitia Manning

Liz Martinez

Shannon Othus-Gault

Brianna Rosamilia

Matt Strand, Ph.D.

Beth Szijarto

Jacob Tanenbaum

Margie Turrin 

Laurel Zaima

The Earth Scientist is the journal of 

the National Earth Science Teachers 

Association (NESTA). It is published 

quarterly (January, March, June, 

September) and distributed to NESTA 

members. 

To become a member of NESTA visit 

nestanet.org.

To get more information about NESTA 

or advertising in our publications, 

contact, nestaearthscientist@gmail.com.

©2020 by the National Earth Science 

Teachers Association. All rights thereunder 

reserved; anything appearing in The Earth 

Scientist may not be reprinted either wholly 

or in part without written permission.

DISCLAIMER

The information contained herein is provided as a service to our members with 

the understanding that National Earth 

Science Teachers Association (NESTA) 

makes no warranties, either expressed or 

implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the 

information. Nor does NESTA warrant 

that the use of this information is free 

of any claims of copyright infringement. 

In addition, the views expressed in The 

Earth Scientist are those of the authors and 

advertisers and may not reflect NESTA 

policy.

DESIGN/LAYOUT

Patty Schuster, Page Designs

osprey are frequently seen in the area. We make use of the several miles of roads and 

hiking trails as well as restrooms and picnic areas in the park. The roads and trails 

roughly parallel one another allowing us to have some flexibility when we have individuals in our community with mobility issues.

The park also has some interesting geology. It is located along the Palisades cliffs. 

These basalt cliffs formed in the late Triassic when an intrusion of magma into an 

earlier layer of sandstone solidified below the ground, forming a sill. Erosion of the 

softer layers around the cliffs caused them to be exposed and they are a defining part 

of the Hudson river landscape in this region. (https://njpalisades.org/nature.html) 

Ice sheets scraped along the exposed rock during the ice ages, leaving striation marks 

which can still be seen today in some places.

When searching for a location to work outdoors with children, having access to a park 

which offers so much gives us the flexibility to have a wider range of learning centers 

placed strategically around the area so that children can directly interact with the 

subject that is being taught.

Finally, the park is just a 10-minute drive from our school. Less time on the bus means 

the students spend more time in the park. It also means the buses can make two trips 

each, cutting the largest expense of the day in half. 

Volunteers and Centers

Examples of learning centers include: Forest Ecology, Mud Core Sampling, Bee 

Keeping, Plankton, Salt Marsh Ecology, Geology, Art in Nature, Hiking, Recycling, 

Macro-invertebrates, Local Turtle Protection, American Eels, Native plants vs. Invasive 

plants, Composting, 

Plankton Study, 

Meditation in Nature, 

Yoga in Nature, 

Geocaching and 

many more. 

Outside volunteers 

or school staff with 

unique expertise run 

all of the learning 

centers. Volunteers 

have included different 

local environmental 

groups, local scientists, 

environmental educators, our local water and electric companies and several community members; for example, a local bee-keeper created a center for us. Over the ten years 

we have been running this program, the group of volunteers has increased dramatically. 

Many come through my work with NOAA’s Planet Stewards program, NOAA’s Teacher 

on the Estuary program as well as through networks of outdoor educators around the 

community. We are fortunate to have many universities and scientific institutions in 

our area. Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, a research arm of Columbia University is 

just minutes from the park, and the participation of many of their scientists and staff 

has been invaluable. Local environmental groups, such as Keep Rockland Beautiful 

Figure 1. The Piermont Marsh with Tallman Mountain in the Background

Photo credit: Jacob Tanenbaum
Page 6 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

have also donated time as has the Rockland County Soil and Water 

Conservation District. 

Each year we work closely with new center providers to create an 

activity that is age appropriate, hands on and that will fit in to the time 

constraints. This is critical, since many of our volunteers are not accustomed to working with third through fifth graders. Once developed, 

activities can be refined and repeated from year to year. Those new to 

outdoor education may need help with some of its unique features. One of 

the most important aspects of working with a group of volunteers is giving 

lots of advanced notice. We typically begin reaching out to volunteers in 

January for an event that takes place in June.

Examples of centers that you can use are found at http://jacobtanenbaum.

com/outdoored.html and include: 

n	 Composting by Janet Fenton

n	 Eel Game by Brianna Rosamilia and Nicole Laible

n	 Piermont Marsh by Margie Turrin and Laurel Zaima

n	 Plankton Nets by Carol Knudson

Logistics

An important part of keeping a program like this going is having wellthought-out simple logistics. Each classroom teacher and each center 

provider are given a map of the park with the centers clearly indicated. The 

map includes roads and trails as well as the location of picnic areas for 

lunch, water and restrooms. One of the critical parts of creating the map is 

paying attention to the amount of time it takes students and staff to walk 

between centers. We kept travel times to 10 minutes by clustering grades 

around the park. Centers are geared for one grade only. This way they can 

be repeated from year to year with no chance that students visited the 

center in previous years. 

The day is divided into five 35-minute periods. We allow 20 minutes for 

center activities, 5 minutes for questions and 10 minutes for transition. 

Each group of students visits four centers and eats lunch during one of the 

five 35-minute periods. (See schedule below)

Addressing Teacher Concerns

For most teachers, their responsibilities for the day consist of guiding 

the students from center to center. Some teachers create learning centers 

Figure 2. Earth Day 2019 – Creating Plankton Nets

Photo credit: Courtesy of South Orangetown Central School District

Grade 3 Schedule 9:20 10:00 10:35 11:10 11:45 12:20 12:55

Class 1 BUS Art and Poetry Walking Center Lunch Garden Center Grade 3 Marsh Center Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 2 BUS Garden Center Grade 3 Marsh Center Lunch Mindfullness Forest Center Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 3 BUS Cornell Garden Center Lunch Forest Center Mindfulness Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 4 BUS Mindfullness Art and Poetry Garden Center Grade 3 Marsh Lunch Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 5 BUS Grade 3 Marsh Forest Center Art and Poetry Cornell Lunch Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 6 BUS Mindfulness Forest Center Art and Poetry Lunch Cornell

Class 7 BUS Cornell Mindfullness Lunch Garden Center Forest Center

Class 8 BUS Walking Center Cornell Lunch Art and Poetry Garden Center

Class 9 BUS Walking Center Grade 3 Marsh Center Lunch Cornell Mindfulness

Marsh and Art/Poetry

Grade 4 Schedule

Class 9:20 AM 10:00 AM 10:35 AM 11:10 AM 11:45 AM 12:20 PM 12:55 PM

Class 1 Bus Hudson River Riddles Capture the Recyclables Lunch Bee Center Suez/O & R Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 2 Bus Sugar in our World Walking Center Lunch Geology Bee Center Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 3 Bus Plankton In the River Geology Lunch Suez/O & R Sugar in our World Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 4 Bus Forest Center (GRADE 3) Sugar in our World Suez/O & R Lunch Capture the Recyclables Return to Bus - Depart 1:10

Class 5 Bus Suez/O & R Hudson River Riddles Bee Center Lunch Plankton in the River Return to Bus Depart 1:10
Page 7

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

and staff them for the day. Although we initially had to address many concerns, this event is now a 

favorite tradition for many teachers. 

Teaching in the outdoors is often more reactive than proactive. This is hard for teachers trained in 

traditional techniques who like a more predictable set of circumstances. We try to show staff how 

to take joy in what is unpredictable. Many traditionally trained teachers are uncomfortable with 

questions they do not know the answer to. Naturalists and outdoor educators are accustomed to 

using guide books and apps because they often see things they can’t identify right away. We try to 

model taking joy in not knowing as well as the process of using dichotomous keys and other tools 

to identify something we have not seen before.

Teachers may struggle with a lack of experience on trails. The first 

year we did this, we got together with a group of staff members on 

a Saturday before the event and we hiked around the park to help 

alleviate some of their concerns. 

Students or staff may have mobility or medical issues that impact 

their experience and comfort levels. Having the choice to walk 

on roads as well as trails alleviates some concerns since the roads 

may be easier to manage than a rough trail. Staff may have fears 

about animals, ticks, weather or poison ivy. Each year we send 

out a guide to help staff recognize poison ivy in its many forms 

and remind students and staff how to dress appropriately for the 

forest to minimize issues from weather, ticks and insects. Concerns 

regarding those issues have faded over time. 

Hands on nature-based activities can often be tailored to address specific Next Generation Science 

Standards (NGSS) Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) applicable to a particular grade. For example, the 

unique geology of our area is well suited for teaching the DCI’s in the fourth grade related to earth 

systems, which talk about patterns in rock formations that help us recognize changes over time. 

Days like this are also an opportunity to go into some depth on NGSS Crosscutting Concepts 

related to patterns, scale, proportion, and quantity, structure and function as well as stability and 

change. All of those important goals are naturally addressed in a high-interest setting that cannot 

be duplicated in the classroom. The same is true of NGSS Scientific Practices such as asking questions, defining problems, analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations, engaging in 

argument from evidence and obtaining, evaluating and communicating information. 

That said, it is important to note that we are committed to doing hands-on nature-based activities 

even if they do not connect directly to the standards, simply because they are worth doing.

Costs to the District

Keeping costs down is essential in public education. For this activity, all centers are staffed by 

volunteers. There are some minor material costs. The district also pays for an extra nurse to be on 

duty in the park for the day. We ask the local ambulance corps to keep their rigs in the park when 

they are not in use. They kindly do this at no cost to us. The major expense is busing the children. 

We minimize this by busing half the school to the park and then having the buses return for the 

second group of classes. This cuts the cost in half. All in all, this is one of the least expensive field 

trip activities that we run during the year. 

Figure 3. Learning along the 

Hudson River

Photo credit: Jacob Tanenbaum
Page 8 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

A Note on 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we created a virtual Earth Day event in June of 2020. We did this 

by scheduling a volunteer to meet with each class via video-conference for 20 minutes with time at 

the end for questions. There are some outdoor educational activities that lend themselves well to 

video conferencing. For example, we had a local bee-keeper connect using a cell phone and show 

the children the bee-hives close at hand. In general, though, we are all happy to return to hands-on 

outdoor education for 2021, though it will be in our schoolyard, since we cannot travel by bus to 

the park. Nature-based hands-on activities cannot be duplicated on a screen.

Conclusions

Outdoor education does not need to be expensive and often does not require long-distance travel. For 

10 years running we have managed to bring 650 children to the outdoors for a day of learning from 

experts – though we were forced to do this virtually in 2020 due to the pandemic. For many students, 

it is their first time in Tallman Mountain Park even though it is just a few minutes from their homes. 

In the last few years, we have introduced more diverse and eclectic activities, such as yoga, meditation, 

poetry and art. Those have gone well and will be continued and expanded in the years to come. Future 

plans include adding a center devoted to the music of the natural world around them. After all, how 

can we teach about the Hudson River without singing a little Pete Seeger? 

References

Louv, Richard (2008). Last Child in the Woods. Algonquin Books, Old Chapel Hill.

New York - New Jersey Trail Conference (2018). “Tallman Mountain State Park”, www.nynjtc.org/park/

tallman-mountain-state-park

About the Authors

Jacob Tanenbaum teaches science and computer technology in the South Orangetown schools 

located in Rockland County, just north of New York City. Mr. Tanenbaum has been an educator for ove

30 years. In addition to schools in the New York area, Mr. Tanenbaum has taught in Tucson, Arizona

Buffalo, New York; Alabama; Georgia, Guatemala City; Guayaquil, Ecuador and Bogotá, Colombia. More

information, as well as a list of his awards, grants, talks and publications appears on his website, 

www.jacobtanenbaum.c

Janet Fenton is a Master Gardener Volunteer through Cornell Cooperative Extension: Rockland, New 

York since 2010. She has conducted several presentations on gardening, especially composting and

vermicomposting to children and adults. Additionally, she oversees the management of the Garden

of Faith at Marydell Faith and Life Center which has produced thousands of pounds of fresh produce 

which is distributed through the St. Ann’s Food Cupboard. She also serves as a volunteer garde

educator at the Children’s Garden at Marydell during the summer. She retired in 2014 after teaching

for over 27 years

Carol Knudson is a Research Assistant at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia

University. Since 2008 she has been working on the Hudson River Water Quality Project with
Page 9

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Riverkeeper. She is an alumna of Tappan Zee High School (class of 1981) and through her children,

has been involved in South Orangetown Central School District activities since 2005

Nicole V. Laible currently works as the Environmental Programs Manager for the Rockland County 

Division of Environmental Resources in New York. As Environmental Programs Manager, she leads

four environmental boards and manages several professional water resources research projects

She also works with colleagues to host Conservation Field Day’s and other environmental education 

programming for K-adult audiences. Nicole is on the leadership team for the Minisceongo Cree

Watershed Alliance and Rockland Environmental Educators Working Group. She received the

“Environmental Educator” award from Keep Rockland Beautiful in 2017 and the “Next Generation 

Leadership Award” from Strawtown Studio in 2018. She also serves as a board member on the

Hudson River Watershed Alliance, working on the Finance and Governance committees. Nicole has a

Master’s in Public Administration and Policy from American University and a B.Sc. from SUNY Ston

Brook University where she double majored in Marine Sciences and Coastal Environmental Studies

Brianna Rosamilia is the Conservation District Technician at the Rockland County Soil and Water 

Conservation District in New York. In her current role she leads education programs focused on water

quality and trains volunteers to collect scientific data for community science programs. She earned

a bachelor’s of science in environmental science from Marist College and a master’s of science in 

environmental interpretation from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She

started working in the environmental education field as a seasonal environmental educator with 

the Student Conservation Association. Since then, she has educated thousands of youth and adults

in nonformal education settings on topics relating the Hudson River Estuary, its tributaries, and the 

Hudson Valley. In her free time, she likes to paint, look for birds, and take long walk

Margie Turrin is Director of Educational Field Programs at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of

Columbia University where she has researched, developed, implemented and published on field-based

educational work for students, teachers and faculty for over 20 years. She has been part of bringing

thousands of students and educators to the Hudson to collect and analyze their own data, using the 

estuary as a classroom. She is an advocate of using data to pose and answer questions, focusing on

incorporating authentic data into stories and activities that provide key insights about the environment

Her work spans from local to global with projects in both the Arctic and Antarctic that focus on climate 

change and sea level impacts

Laurel Zaima is the Education and Outreach Coordinator at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

of Columbia University. Laurel has substantial experience working with youth, teaching students

through informal education about the natural environment through hands-on experiences since 201

At Lamont, she works on education initiatives that communicate science research to the general 

public, K-12 and undergraduate school groups, and New York and New Jersey teachers. Her primar

educational focus is on connecting people to the Hudson River and their local waterways by using a 

place-based instructional approach with an emphasis on field explorations. She also teaches abou

sustainability, climate change, and sea level rise with a strong emphasis on the changes occurring in 

the polar regions
Page 10 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

It’s

Elementary! Tish Manning

Refuse Plastic:

Save the Seas

Abstract

The coast of Maine provides our students with views of rocky beaches, sea birds and the 

beautiful ocean, but not many students get to see the fish, sea turtles and whales which live 

in the Gulf of Maine. Even fewer understand that their actions on land can have an impact 

on the animals in the Atlantic Ocean. BRRRR (Belfast Refuse Reduce Reuse Recycle) is a 

group of dedicated third, fourth and fifth graders who volunteer their time to reduce waste 

in the school to protect the ocean. With funding from the NOAA Planet Stewards Project, 

our group focused on reducing waste by raising awareness about, and access to, reusables 

in school and home lunches. Students gathered data about cafeteria waste, learned about 

the impacts of plastic on the ocean and experienced positive choices students can make to 

reduce waste. Finally, they educated their school community and held a Zero Waste Lunch 

Campaign. Refuse Plastic- Save the Seas was designed to encourage a love of the ocean and 

an understanding of how simple choices can help our ocean friends. We can all be ocean 

heroes!

Introduction

A healthy ocean is important to the tourism and fishing industries and the enjoyment of all 

Mainers. On my daily walks I see plastic of all types on the roads, along sidewalks, even on our 

school grounds and our city park. Much of this waste ends up in the ocean, where it degrades into 

smaller and smaller particles, posing a threat to all marine wildlife (Le Guern, 2019). The garbage 

that makes it to the Belfast City, Maine, transfer station is sent to an incinerator. When plastic is 

incinerated it releases CO2 (Center for International Environmental Law [CIEL], 2019), contributing to climate change and ocean acidification. Incineration also creates a toxic ash, which must 

be landfilled (Connett, 2013). Clearly, our students could make a big impact on the health of our 

community and the ocean by using less plastic. Learning to use less plastic is a valuable habit which 

can be practiced over a lifetime and is an action even young children can take. Research shows that 

environmental education boosts academic skills, knowledge gains, community engagement and 
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Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

leadership. Furthermore, environmental education increases environmentally-friendly behavior in 

students (Ardoin, 2018). Educating a small group of students about environmental issues had a big 

outcome for our entire school.

The Process

BRRRR students meet weekly during lunch to learn about the issue of waste and how to help the 

ocean. Our school projects for this year included encouraging students to reduce cafeteria waste 

by bringing zero waste lunches to school and hosting an ocean celebration for the entire school to 

promote stewardship.

After learning about the effects of plastic on the ocean and ways to reduce waste, BRRRR students 

set out to raise awareness and educate their peers about how to tackle this problem. Students 

collected, measured and recorded the cafeteria lunch waste. Students used the data as a baseline 

and analyzed the data after each zero-waste lunch (ZWL). With the help of NOAA Planet Stewards 

funding, stainless steel water bottles were purchased for K-1 students to ensure our youngest 

students could choose reusable bottles. BRRRR students made videos, posters, announcements and 

presentations to the entire school to promote ZWLs. Student volunteers helped to coordinate the 

ZWLs and actively took part in the cafeteria. Although this project was done at the elementary level, 

it could be adapted for any grade.

Desired Outcome(s)/Specific Effects of Project

n	 Created a Sustainability Committee involving a variety of staff and faculty.

n	 Reduced the cafeteria use of plastic dressing cups and lids by 100%.

n	 Switched from single-serve one-use breakfast cereals to bulk cereals served in reusable 

bowls.

n	 Raised awareness about problems of plastic through posters and announcements.

n	 Measured trash from one lunch to get baseline data. Had 5 Zero Waste Lunch days to 

try for no waste.

n	 Instituted school-wide marker recycling program.

n	 Created a website about our campaign to reduce single-use plastic in our school.

n	 Held World Oceans Day Celebration.

Learn-Create-Educate-Make a Difference

The model developed for the BRRRR group uses lunchtimes to provide a time for interested 

students to meet. Most of the teaching was done in a very short time, but true student understanding comes from discussions and from working on their projects with feedback from teachers 

and peers.

Learn

In order to understand the issue, students explored the effects of plastic pollution, lunch waste and 

each of the four Rs, with an emphasis on refusing single-use items, as it is the action most beneficial 

to the environment. Plastic pollution resources for every grade are readily available online. The 

sources used for this project were the Washed Ashore Integrated Arts Curriculum (NOAA, 2017) 

and the Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators (NOAA, 2017). Students learned the 

harmful impacts of marine debris, and the benefits to ocean life if we reduce the debris. 
Page 12 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Create – Educate

The next step is to connect the issue to the 

students. Students looked at their own 

school and noticed factors contributing to 

the use of plastic. Students were encouraged to design their own response to these 

local factors.

Students also watched inspiring videos. 

They saw other young people making a 

difference for the ocean or people taking 

a creative approach to raising awareness 

about plastic pollution. These videos 

motivated the students to get involved 

and to think creatively about the problem.

Students work on projects during recess 

or club time, at home or during our few weekend work sessions. Student work is reviewed to 

include 3 components: 1) a statement of the issue; 2) information, examples or effects of the 

issue; 3) an action which kids can take. BRRRR students work to communicate positive and 

empowering messages of change, connecting science and data with local action.

Make a Difference – Zero Waste Lunch Project

Presenting to the entire school, BRRRR students explained what Zero Waste Lunches 

were and why they mattered. Fourth grade teacher, Dana Bierwas, created flyers to 

explain the project to families, the purpose of the water bottles and how to pack a ZWL. 

BRRRR student videos and messages were shared with the school via emails to teachers, 

and announcements on the school Facebook page before each ZWL. Bierwas created a 

BRRRR website which all families could access to learn about the group’s mission and 

campaigns. A local news station featured the campaign on the evening news.

Gathering Data – Determining Next Steps

Partnering with Malia Demers, our Food Corps service representative, we planned and 

coordinated our data collection process. To establish a baseline, Demers worked with all third 

graders to collect waste from one lunch day in the cafeteria. After sorting the waste into categories, 

each type of waste was then measured and recorded. BRRRR students analyzed the results, and 

focused on two waste streams to target: trash and food waste.

After learning about the effects of plastic and food waste, and gathering data about the waste generated at our own lunch, students were ready to lead the way. They created a variety of educational 

materials including:

l	 posters showing what kids can do to help the ocean

l	 jingles to encourage reusables

l	 videos demonstrating why and how to pack a ZWL

l	 why to skip using straws

l	 the meaning of the 4 Rs

l	 negative effects of food waste on the climate

Figure 1. Ms. Demers checks in with

student helpers.

Photo Credit: Tish Manning

Figure 2. Third grader separating food from trash at the 

baseline waste audit

Photo Credit: Tish Manning

Figure 3. Students were excited 

to use reusable napkins

Photo Credit: Tish Manning 
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© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Cafeteria Set Up

A cloth napkin drive in the community secured a cloth napkin 

for each student and most were handmade. On ZWL days 

all students were given a cloth napkin. Bins of clean napkins 

replaced the paper napkin dispenser. Students separated waste 

into the following categories: 1.) dirty napkins, 2.) liquid milk, 

3.) milk cartons, 4.) food waste, 5.) paper products, 6.) recyclables, 7.) recyclable plastic, 8.) nonrecyclable drink containers, 

9.) waste. Two 4th grade boys were taught how to wash, dry, and 

then fold the napkins for the next lunch. Students assisted with 

waste separation, and measured and recorded it after each lunch. 

Many students outside of BRRRR were eager to participate in 

the data collection and to volunteer to assist with ZWLs.

Results

After each ZWL, students studied the results, and brainstormed ways to improve the outcome for 

the next one. Early on, single-use plastic drink containers became a target for waste reduction. 

One strategy the students came up with was to count and publish the exact number of juice boxes 

after each lunch to bring the number down. Another was to create a giant bar graph composed of 

the actual containers collected. We did not meet our goal for containers, but we did see that when 

we had ZWLs for 2 days in a row, the older students remembered to bring their reusable bottles 

to lunch. This indicates that regular reinforcement is necessary to establish the habit of waste 

reduction behaviors. The students speculated that it might be harder for K-3 students to pack their 

own lunches.

Another waste reduction target was to reduce trash from school lunches by 50%. By recycling the 

paper waste we reduced the amount of trash by at least 90%. It was a clear illustration of the power 

of recycling to reduce waste.

Additionally, single-serve breakfast cereals were eliminated and replaced with bulk cereal served in 

reusable bowls, and the cafeteria use of plastic condiment cups was reduced 100%, by simply placing 

any desired condiments directly on student lunches. These changes affect all 

lunches and breakfasts, and are a huge benefit to our environment.

There are two relevant Next Generation Science Standards performance expectations (NGSS, 2013) for this project. 

5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual 

communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources 

and environment. 

4-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and 

fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the 

environment.

Students were able to investigate solutions to a problem caused by human activities 

that have had major effects on the ocean. They learned that individuals and communities can do things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments. Students 

also learned about energy and fossil fuel resources and how their use affects the environment in many ways. This project allowed students to investigate ways to reduce 

the waste coming from the school and to see positive behavior change. 

Table 1. CASS Zero Waste Lunch Data

Total Waste For Each Category

Date

Compost 

(lbs)

Trash 

(lbs)

Milk Cartons 

Recycled 

(lbs)

Juice 

Pouches

(count)

1/3/19 10.38 10.26 N/A N

1/31/19 21.36 11.46 N/A N

2/28/19 27.72 9.96 N/A

4/30/19 25 14 N/A 11

6/4/19 24 1.24 6.2

6/5/19 23.32.78 6.8

Figure 4. After pausing to 

consider how our waste causes 

problems for animals in the 

ocean, students and staff pass 

through garlands of waste, then 

enter a hallway lined with trash 

dumped on school property, 

eventually finding the “clean” 

ocean with art, information and 

activities

Photo Credit: Malia Demers
Page 14 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Celebrate

BRRRR students helped plan and run 

our World Oceans Day celebration. 

Packaging and container waste from 

our school population was carefully 

collected and cleaned and then strung 

to create garlands hanging across the 

entryway into the “ocean” hallway. 

Trash cleaned up off the school 

grounds, including bottles, an old 

hose and a broken shovel, was strewn 

around the hallway entrance. Students 

wrote a script to introduce each class 

into the hallway showing the impacts 

of marine debris on the ocean, and 

asking them to imagine how it feels to have to live in marine debris. After passing 

through the “dirty ocean” classes emerged into a clean ocean, decked with oceanthemed artwork and lights, where they could touch and taste seaweed, learn about ways 

to help the ocean and finally, make a pledge to help it. At the World Oceans Day event 

many students waited in line to be able to make an ocean pledge, and first and second 

graders began asking if they could join BRRRR.

Go Team!

A big part of the success of the project was building a team of stakeholders. A 

Sustainability Committee, including the principal, was created and met regularly. 

Kitchen and custodial staff support were critical, and their input influenced all decisions. Our art teacher guided all students to create meaningful ocean-themed artwork, 

and our school librarians curated ocean books and transformed the library for our 

Oceans Day. Community and parent volunteers mentored students to create artwork 

from discarded cardboard to decorate the halls.

Conclusion

This project was unique in that these young students volunteered their time to learn 

and make a difference in their community. The students raised awareness about plastic 

pollution and zero waste lunches, and became advocates for change. The following year 

Zero Waste Lunches continued weekly until the pandemic. Students learned they can 

create an ocean of change.

Supporting Documents

Student Project Suggestions and Guidelines https://docs.google.com/

document/d/1BeVCu7snoGElqytIeKU3hH0vju-qFNAYuCBWU8_kIuc/edit?usp=sharing

Plastic Waste Survey and Follow-Up https://docs.google.com/

document/d/1106V3scXX672ECIk0Zz02WuHtq6fv_Hrni0G-Xr_PJE/edit?usp=sharing

Figure 5. Students used visuals to raise 

awareness about our lunch waste

Photo Credit: Tish Manning

Figure 6. The entire school collected used 

markers for recycling – diverting 82 pounds of 

plastic from the incinerator

Photo Credit: Tish Manning

Figure 7. Fifth graders handing out Maine seaweed 

samples to celebrate the ocean

Photo Credit: Tish Manning
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Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

References

Nicole M. Ardoin, Alison W. Bowers, Noelle Wyman Roth & Nicole Hothuis (2018). Environmental 

education and K-12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research, The Journal of Environmental 

Education, 49:1, 1-17, DOI: 10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155

Also see https://naaee.org/eepro/research/eeworks/student-outcomes

CIEL (2019). Executive Summary Plastic and Climate. Center for International Environmental Law. Retrieved 

February 14, 2021, from https://www.ciel.org/plasticandclimate/

Connett, P. (2013). The Zero Waste Solution. Green Press Initiative. (pp. 67-72).

Le Guern, C. (2019). When the Mermaids Cry: The Great Plastic Tide. Coastal Care. Retrieved February 14, 2021, 

from https://plastic-pollution.org/

NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, DC: The National 

Academies Press. http://www.nextgenscience.org/

NOAA. (2017). Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators. NOAA Marine Debris Program. Retrieved 

February 13, 2021, from https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/publications-files/

MarineDebrisMonitoringToolkitForEducators.pdf

NOAA. (2017). Washed Ashore Integrated Arts Curriculum. NOAA Marine Debris Program. https://marinedebris.

noaa.gov/curricula/washed-ashore-integrated-arts-marine-debris-curriculum.

About the Author

Tish Manning has been teaching for 25 years at the elementary and middle school level. She has taught in

Puerto Rico and Hawaii, but has spent most of her teaching years in Maine. She led a group of middle and

high school students, parents and teachers to the Amazon rainforest to study rainforest ecology in the late 

1990’s. She has dedicated the last 5 years to helping students learn how to protect the ocean. Her wor

earned the New England Aquarium’s School Group award for Ocean Stewardship in 2019. She has received

two NOAA Planet Stewards Project awards. She can be reached at tgmanning31@gmail.c
Page 16 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

Students in rural schools can produce substantial gains in environmental literacy through 

engaging activities on the carbon cycle and stewardship activities. The following article 

describes a NOAA Planet Stewards project that was intended to be one year in duration 

but is on-going into its second year due to the pandemic. Survey results document that 

substantial attitudinal and behavioral changes can be gained in areas of the country not 

normally served by curbside recycling programs through stewardship activities focused 

on recycling, reducing, and reusing materials in relation to saving atmospheric carbon. 

While the pandemic initially disrupted and delayed the project, it also forced the project 

to explore new ways to recycle materials that provided interesting insights into future 

approaches concerning environmental stewardship.

Introduction

It can be a challenge to relate something as complex as the carbon cycle to climate change, and 

it can be an even bigger challenge to relate a tenuous understanding of the carbon cycle to environmental stewardship that retains a meaningful, long-lasting impact on a student to motivate 

attitudinal and behavior change. While it may be easier to relate carbon cycle issues to students in a 

community that is well served by recycling and conservation programs, the potential gains in places 

that are lacking such programs provide remarkable opportunities to substantially shift opinion. If 

one really wanted to move the needle toward climate literacy, perhaps, there is no place better than 

rural South Dakota with its limited availability of drop-off recycling, nearly non-existent curbside 

pickup of recyclables, and, not surprisingly, low rates of recycling. Now, more populated regions of 

the country may wonder why this is the case. Think of all the times there was a bin for a certain type 

of recyclable conveniently placed there for you or neatly arranged curbside bins for sorting recyclables or various drops-offs located nearby for your convenience. Now imagine taking all of that 

away. You may think you would still recycle, and you would probably be wrong. The reality is that if 

you did not have these programs and convenience, recycling would be just as alien to you as it is to 

most of my students. I, myself, and my family used to burn our trash along with all of my burnable 

Runaway Carbon Cycle: 

Reducing Carbon Emissions through 

Understanding and Action

Spencer Cody
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Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

recyclables since I lived in a farmhouse during my early years of teaching and did not have trash 

pickup services like many rural residences. Because of these limitations, the tradition of a burn pit 

or burn barrel is engrained in many parts of rural America. When we moved to town and burning 

was no longer an option, we decided to save recyclables and drop them off in the nearest recycling 

center 85 miles away in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Recyclables were dropped off before the beginning 

of shopping trips in town making our trip carbon neutral many times over. This is a cumbersome means of recycling but is the only 

available option to many rural South 

Dakotans. Replicating this strategy 

among students was a key aim of the 

stewardship component of this project 

made possible by funding from NOAA 

Planet Stewards.

The Three Rs

The stewardship activity was coupled 

with an education component tied to 

our textbook’s unit on ecology and 

environmental science to relate carbon 

emissions to climate change for 7th grade 

Life Science students and 10th grade 

Biology students; however, components 

of the stewardship project were implemented in all grades in 6-12. 

This education component was paired 

with stewardship activities that focused 

on how students could individually 

decrease their carbon footprint through 

the three Rs of reduce, reuse, and recycle. While the concept of the three Rs in 

conservation may seem a bit worn out, in reality for those students who are 

at the beginning of their environmental stewardship, this is actually an ideal 

place to start. The concepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle are not tired phrases 

for students who are not actively engaged in environmental stewardship. In 

fact, one will find that students unfamiliar with stewardship often get these 

concepts confused. That is why each student that participated in the project 

had to identify at least 10 items that could be recycled at home. These items 

would need to be brought into school, approved for local recycling drop 

off in Aberdeen, and weighed to determine the environmental impact of its 

production and its recycling. 

Having students bring in their recyclables for documentation allows the 

teacher to verify what is being recycled and allows students to apply specific 

calculations to determine the amount of carbon dioxide produced in the 

production of various items and how much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere will be saved if it is recycled. It has been my experience in working with 

middle and high school students that there is little awareness of what is thrown out in their homes 

and even more confusion over what is and is not locally recyclable. Frequently, when students bring 

in items to be vetted and measured, they bring in items such as single-use plastics or plastics that 

Table 1. Earth and Human Activity

Performance Expectation

MS ESS3-5. Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the 

rise in global temperatures over the past century.

Dimensions Classroom Connections

Science and Engineering Practices

Asking Questions and Defining Problems

• Asking questions and defining problems in 

grades 6–8 builds on grades K–5 experiences 

and progresses to specifying relationships 

between variables, and clarifying arguments 

and models

• Students collect and analyze materials to 

determine the amount of carbon dioxide 

produced in the production of various items 

and how much carbon dioxide from the 

atmosphere will be saved if it is recycled

Disciplinary Core Idea

SS3.D: Global Climate Change

• Human activities, such as the release of 

greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, 

are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s 

mean surface temperature (global warming)

• Students identified an act of reducing and 

reusing in their daily life, document it, 

and calculate its impact over the course 

of a month and project that impact into a 

full year in terms of atmospheric carbon 

dioxide saved

Cross-Cutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

• Cause and effect relationships are routinely 

identified, tested, and used to explain change

• Students investigated the relationships 

of carbon dioxide emissions and climate 

change

Figure 3. A sophomore biology student calculates the amount 

of carbon dioxide produced for the production of each of his 

recyclable items and how much atmospheric carbon dioxide 

would be conserved if these same items were recycled.

Photo credit: Spencer Cody
Page 18 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

have resins that are only recyclable in a few circumstances 

beyond our local means. These do not count toward their 

ten items. 

The goal of the project is not to fix the issue of all of our nonrecyclables or de facto non-recyclables but to get recycling 

items that are relatively easy to recycle such as cardboard, 

paperboard, paper, newspaper, magazines, resins #1 and #2 

plastics, aluminum, and steel/tin cans. This alone should 

reduce trash by roughly half in most cases. The trick is to get 

students to recognize what they throw away, what could be 

recycled, what the environmental impact is, and get them in 

the practice of recycling.

Discovering Reducing and Reusing

Additionally, students were required to identify an act of 

reducing and reusing in their daily life, document it, and 

calculate its impact over the course of a month and project 

that impact into a full year in terms of atmospheric carbon 

dioxide saved. Again, documentation and verification by 

the teacher was important. Frequently, students demonstrated their perception of reality about 

what could be reduced and it was not realistic. For example, a student trying to explain how much 

carbon dioxide they are going to save by using a cold-water cycle to wash a load of towels versus 

a warm-water cycle can yield almost comedic level responses from a student who obviously has 

never washed clothes. It is important to cut through this perception gap since, unlike most adults 

who have had to stretch resources for financial means at some point through reducing or reusing, 

these thoughts do not come naturally to many students. It can be a difficult 

process for them to brainstorm ideas for reducing and reusing, but when 

they start to realize the many different possibilities and what could be saved 

environmentally and financially, it becomes valuable information to them.

Contained Environments and Biosphere 2

Our Planet Stewards project started without a hitch in October of 2019 

with the initial administration of pre-surveys to capture pre-knowledge of 

climate literacy (Climate, 2009) and levels of environmental stewardship. As 

the pre-surveys cycled through the classes, there were many misconceptions 

concerning the carbon cycle and climate change. The surveys were based on 

similar surveys administered in a prior NOAA Planet Stewards project by the 

same investigator but now with an expanded set of questions on the carbon 

cycle, reducing, and reusing. Additionally, recycling was sporadic to nearly 

non-existent depending on what was being recycled. Practices of reducing 

and reusing were limited. Since there were a lot of misconceptions and 

questions surrounding the carbon cycle and sources of greenhouse gases, 

students began projects relating research into Biosphere 2 and developing 

their own contained environment while monitoring carbon dioxide levels. 

Students were given a 2-liter Vernier gas chamber and allowed to fill the 

chamber with potting soil and a variety of seeds then watered the chamber 

before placing the sealed lid back on. A Vernier carbon dioxide probe was 

Figure 4. Sophomore Biology students weigh their recyclable items in order to 

calculate the environmental impact production and recycling of each item.

Photo credit: Spencer Cody

Figure 5. Students experiment with sealed environments by 

monitoring carbon dioxide levels over a three-week period to

document levels as seeds germinate using cellular respiration 

and then begin to utilize photosynthesis.

Photo credit: Spencer Cody
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Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

attached to the sealed environment allowing for students to monitor levels within the container 

without opening it. 

As one would expect, the container initially registered carbon dioxide levels comparable to what 

would be found in a classroom, about 400-1,000 ppm, depending on how long and how many 

students had been in the classroom. The sealed environments and carbon dioxide probes were 

placed under grow lights that were left on for 24 hours a day. Within a day the carbon dioxide 

levels would usually spike due to microbial activity in the soil. Then within two to three days 

when cellular respiration from the germinating seeds began, a massive increase carbon dioxide 

levels would be detected. Bird seed often works well for cheap and quick germinating plants for 

many investigations, including this one. Once germination is fully underway, it is not unusual to 

have some containers peak beyond 20,000 ppm, levels that would cause serious health problems 

in humans. The carbon dioxide levels do not begin to level off until photosynthesis overtakes the 

cellular respiration rate. Usually, this happens about one to two weeks into the experiment. The 

level then declines to an elevated level of a few 1,000 ppm. These results usually shock students 

into realizing how delicate and complex the carbon cycle really is and why carbon is always at the 

forefront of environmental issues. The project then related these results to the Biosphere 2 and the 

human experiments on contained scientists from the early 1990s. To heighten the interest level of 

students in the results of the Biosphere 2 experiments (Zimmer, 2019), 13 students were selected 

among applicants in grades 6-12 to visit Biosphere 2 in March of 2020 to work with scientists on 

site and tour the facility to learn about current and past research relating to climate issues. These 

selected students became the motivational core around our stewardship and research efforts. Of 

course, March of 2020 had other plans.

Pandemic of Possibilities

Sealed environments, Biosphere 2 research, and carbon dioxide levels would pave the way toward 

the stewardship aspect of the project. As has been described before, students would need to document recyclable items, apply that recycling to a 30-day time period, and project the carbon dioxide 

savings out over a year. The same would need to be true with their documented acts of reducing and 

reusing. Stewardship activities began in December of 2019 and went well until March 13, 2020. It 

was a Friday, of course, when it was announced 

that schools throughout the state would be 

closed indefinitely. This canceled our field trip 

to Biosphere 2, which was to be the next week 

during our spring break. This also halted our 

recycling efforts since all drop off sites were 

closed to the public. Even aluminum cans were 

temporarily no longer recyclable. While we 

were able to continue with most of our efforts 

of reducing and reusing, our recycling stewardship ground to a halt. All the recyclables 

that we had collected were held in storage 

until later that fall once drop off sites started 

to open. What were we to do in the meantime 

to meet our recycling goals? In looking at our 

options, I noticed that a scrap metal recycling 

facility in Aberdeen was still accepting scrap 

metals with no aluminum cans. With this 

information I discussed scrap metals with 

Figure 2. A sampling of the data collected from the pre- and post-surveys from the projec

indicate a significant shift in reducing, reusing, and recycling behavior. While data on a wide range

of recyclables was collected, aluminum cans and newspapers represented the two extremes in 

what was already and what was not recycled. Similar shifts were experienced in all other areas of

recyclables.

Photo credit: Spencer Cody
Page 20 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

those students still trying to meet recycling goals. With a little socially-distanced coordination, 

we were able to easily exceed our recycling conservation goals by recycling scrap aluminum from 

junked ramps, platforms, rails, posts, siding, gutters, and downspouts. In fact, students were very 

interested in the idea of taking in scrap for money. The idea of finding shelterbelts (linear plantings of multiple rows of trees or shrubs) filled with junk, a typical place for rural families to discard 

old equipment, having profit potential and a major impact on conserving carbon really got their 

attention and may be a key area to explore for stewardship activities in the future. Without our 

participation in NOAA Planet Stewards, we would never have organized such an effort and would 

not have discovered such useful insights into recycling scrap through students’ stewardship.

Conclusion

Our goals of conserving at least 466 kg of 

carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through 

acts of reducing, reusing, and recycling were 

met. While the stewardship component has 

been restarted and will run until our rescheduled Biosphere 2 field trip in June, we have 

successfully conserved 952 kg of atmospheric 

carbon through documented acts of reducing, 

556 kg through reusing, and 7,125 kg through 

recycling. Additionally, short-term shifts in 

attitudes concerning climate change and 

stewardship were documented. Some key documented gains included a more than doubling 

of students indicating that the Earth’s climate 

is changing, a nearly quadrupling of those 

indicating that climate change is caused by 

human activity, and a 65% increase in students indicating that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

References

Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science. (2009) United States Global Change Research 

Program. https://downloads.globalchange.gov/Literacy/climate_literacy_lowres_english.pdf

Zimmer, Carl. (2019) The Lost History of One of the World’s Strangest Science Experiments. New York Times. 

March 29, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/sunday-review/biosphere-2-climate-change.html

Figure 1. A sampling of the data collected from the pre- and post-surveys from the projec

indicate a significant shift in understanding the carbon cycle and climate change.

Photo credit: Spencer Cody.

About the Author

Spencer Cody teaches 7-12 Science at Edmunds Central Middle and High School in the Edmunds Central

School District in Roscoe, South Dakota. He holds a BA degree in Middle School and Secondary Biology

Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and an MS degree in Chemistry Education 

from South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. He has taught for 15 years in the middle

and secondary sciences and is the recipient of numerous awards for his teaching including the 2018 

Sanford Inspire Teacher of the Year for South Dakota, 2020 North Central Section Outstanding Earth Science 

Teacher, 2020 EPA Presidential Award for Environmental Education, and 2021 Region Four Teacher of the 

Year for South Dakota. Spencer can be reached at Spencer.Cody@k12.s
Page 21

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Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Abstract

This high school project, supported by NOAA Planet Stewards, developed a learning 

community with shared goals of explaining a phenomenon and finding a solution to a 

local watershed problem. Students completed community environmental inventories, 

identified strengths and weaknesses in their community, selected an issue in need of a solution, and then researched and planned a stewardship action project to address the issues 

identified. Questions that students needed to answer were recorded and investigations 

were planned to help them design a solution to the problem they identified. We sought 

out community partnerships to provide learning experiences that helped answer those 

questions and the deeper questions that also emerged. We sought out cross-curricular and 

cross-grade partnerships within our school and district to draw the attention and interest 

of a wider range of students. Students presented their work within the district by creating 

videos for the morning announcements, presenting at school board meetings, and hosting 

groups of 5th grade classrooms for a field trip. Additionally, students reached beyond our 

district by presenting their work at conferences, submitting grant proposals, and entering 

journalism competitions. 

Introduction

Professional learning: In the summer of 2017 I attended several transformative professional learning 

experiences. The first was the B-WET funded 3-day Great Lakes Watershed Field course where I was 

introduced to the Earth Force framework to authentically engage students in stewardship action. I also 

attended the week-long “Learn While Teaching” workshop at Northwestern University where I gained 

understanding about creating units of instruction that are coherent from the students’ point of view 

while also thinking deeply about how to make my classes more equitable by creating lessons where ALL 

students are part of the knowledge building. (National Research Council, 2012) and (Berland et al, 2015). 

Lastly, I attended another NOAA B-WET Program – “Promoting Healthy Watersheds and Communities 

by Integrating Ecosystem Science, Transportation Networks, and Stewardship,” hosted by Michigan 

Natural Features Inventory with support from River Raisin Institute. This heightened my awareness of 

many invasive species impacting our watershed and how they spread; this workshop also introduced 

Leveraging Student Interest and Community 

Partnerships to Drive Learning in Meaningful 

Watershed Educational Experiences 

Holly Hereau
Page 22 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

me to the Vernal Pool Patrol (https://vernal-pool-patrol-mnfi.hub.arcgis.com/). These 

combined experiences gave me the content knowledge and pedagogical confidence to 

apply for funding from NOAA Planet Stewards and to facilitate this authentic, studentled stewardship action project. The Earth Force framework gave clear guidance for how 

to help students work through this process and come to a consensus on the action 

project to undertake. The first two steps served as an extended anchoring phenomenon 

routine (https://www.nextgenstorylines.org/) and ensured the experience met the qualities of a good anchor (Penuel & Bell, 2016).

School: Lee M. Thurston High School is in Redford, MI which is a suburb that 

borders Detroit. Most students that attend this school live in Redford, and many 

students live in Detroit and other surrounding areas as well. The socioeconomic 

makeup of our school is such that 62% of students received free or reduced lunch 

during the 2018-19 school year. 

Student Learning: The Earth Force framework makes space for students to practice thinking about what they need to consider when undergoing any large design 

project; defining a problem, research existing solutions, working within criteria and 

constraints, and identifying and reaching out to stakeholders. I used ideas I learned 

from NGSS Storyline design to ensure students were using the science and engineering practices to uncover important science ideas necessary and developing and using the Cross 

Cutting Concepts to construct detailed explanations of the phenomena underlying the issues they 

identified to design an effective solution. Typically, when designing a unit, first choose the performance expectations you want to build toward, then unpack the DCIs (disciplinary core ideas) to 

understand the ideas that students will need to figure out. Then, think about candidate phenomena 

that may get students to figure out these ideas (Reiser, 2014 and Reiser et al. 2015). If students are 

in charge of choosing the phenomenon/problem the instructor needs to be purposeful in determining a way to facilitate learning that provides three dimensional experiences that help students 

dig deeper and discover new connected ideas. Instead of unpacking the DCIs first, the teacher needs 

to work backwards from the phenomenon to the ideas necessary to explain the phenomenon or 

solve a related problem. These ideas inform the performance expectations that are selected to build 

toward for the unit.

Community Environmental Inventory 

and Issue Selection to Identify 

the Problem

The purpose of the anchoring phenomenon routine in 

the storyline process is to ensure all students have a way to 

directly engage with the phenomenon or problem, voice 

their initial ideas publicly, think about related problems 

or phenomena, and finally record questions they have that 

will drive their learning throughout the unit. This process 

brings the class together as a learning community with 

shared goals of explaining a phenomenon and/or finding 

a solution to a problem. (Reiser et al., 2017)

Students completed the community environmental inventory by walking around outside the school, on the roof, 

through the hallways, in classrooms, and in the cafeteria. 

While there wasn’t yet a specific problem that would lead 

Figure 1. The Earth Force 

Framework (https://earthforce

org/caps/)

Figure 2. Students attempt to enter the patch of Phragmites before realizing it is 

too thick to get through. As some students are measuring some of the physical

characteristics of the area, other students record the data they are reporting

Photo Credit: Holly Hereau
Page 23

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

to our project development, these inventories helped students begin 

to explore all the phenomena related to human activity and connect 

these to their own lives. They valued this experience more than I 

anticipated. Several students made comments such as “I’ve learned 

more in the first two weeks of this class than I have ever learned in 

any class for the whole year”, which I attribute to the fact that these 

activities made students feel personally connected to this learning. 

There were several problems that students identified as they 

discussed the data they collected from their inventories: Food 

waste in our cafeteria, electricity/energy waste throughout the 

building, lack of convenient recycling opportunities for both 

plastic and paper, several areas on campus where water pooled, lots 

of impervious surfaces that ran directly into the sewer, a humanmade pond that was in disrepair and covered in duckweed and 

algae, and a retention pond/drainage ditch that was overrun by 

invasive Phragmites. Students presented information about potential solutions, the impact of the solution, and logistics involved 

with project implementation. Once all solutions were presented, 

the class discussed the options and came to a consensus on the 

project they would adopt.

Students split into groups to research these issues and possible 

solutions so they could present their findings to the whole class. 

The class worked together to formulate a list of criteria and 

constraints that could help them decide which project to choose 

and each group agreed to consider and address each of these 

criteria and constraints when presenting their group proposals:

Each group presented their ideas to their classmates, and the class 

came to a consensus on finding a solution for the Phragmites-infested 

retention pond. They noticed it had low biodiversity which did not support pollinators, there were 

reports that the dense reeds were providing habitat for undesirable mammals (namely rats), the reeds 

were also trapping a lot of trash which was an eyesore, and the water was “dirty”. 

Students formulated some goals for this project that went beyond solving the environmental problems they identified. Several times since the start 

of this project, and again during this consensus 

discussion, different students brought up the idea 

that they couldn’t believe they were not aware of 

“any of these issues in their environment” and they 

were upset that they were not learning about this 

until they were 11th or 12th grade. Another student 

responded with “right, but we’re the only people in 

this class – the rest of our school probably doesn’t 

know about these problems either”. Project goals 

allow for coherence from the students’ perspective. 

At any point during these learning experiences if 

students are asked “Why are you doing that?” they 

would be able to answer by listing one of their goals.

Figure 3. Small groups worked together to do preliminary research on one 

of the identified issues to present to the class.

Photo Credit: Holly Hereau

Table 1. Criteria and constraints that the class considered to inform 

project selection

Figure 4. The project goals were identified and are listed next to the additional personal 

goals I had for this project
Page 24 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

By the same token, if an observer asked me “Why are they doing that” I would be able to list something from each list (Berland et al, 2015).

Creating the Driving Questions Board and Listing Ideas 

for Investigations

As students added questions to the Driving Questions Board, they realized there was still a lot of 

information they didn’t know and would need to figure out before forming a plan. 

l	 What do we need to figure out to be able to do this?

l	 What plants do we want?

l	 Why do we need a pond there? What does it do? Where would the water go otherwise? What 

are all these big things that look like drains?

l	 What made the pond show up? Where is the water coming from? (several teachers told 

students that the pond is “new” and that area used to be a dry field).

l	 Retention pond/rain garden design - How big will it have to be? Where are all the areas the 

water drains from, and how much water enters after rain events? Is there a way to figure out 

how much water needs to be held there?

l	 How will we find the information? Are there others in the community we can partner with?

l	 How will we know if our project works?

l	 Do we need permission to do this? If so, who do we need to ask? Where do we start?

l	 How can we involve more people in our project?

Students formed task committees to attempt to answer some of these preliminary questions by 

investigating: 

l	 Soil type and characteristics

l	 Native plant selection to ensure staggered and overlapping flowering times to support 

pollinators

l	 Equipment budget – determine best vendors for tools and other materials we will need.

l	 Effective and safe methods for Phragmites removal and disposal

l	 Meeting with the Superintendent for project approval

As students began to dig deeper into these investigations, they discovered they had 

even more questions. Their research also uncovered some organizations in our 

community that could help us learn more about how to assess our project area. 

Forming Community, Cross-Curricular, and CrossGrade partnerships

Student groups came back with some clear first steps. We needed to remove the 

Phragmites. This proved to be a much larger job than anyone would have imagined. 

While students were still involved in the seemingly never-ending thankless task 

of removing Phragmites we were also busy forming exciting partnerships to help 

us learn more about our watershed. Partnering with different community groups 

in our county and state also allowed students to contribute data to different 

long term monitoring projects. We partnered with Friends of the Rouge (https://

therouge.org/rouge-education-project/) and worked with the Rouge Education 

Project to help learn how to collect physical, chemical, and biological data that 

indicate the health of streams and rivers. We used this knowledge and skill set 

Figure 5. Students collecting more data on the area 

overgrown with Phragmites to help figure out a solution

Photo Credit: Holly Hereau
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© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

to collect data along a section of the Rouge River near our school to help with the Friends of the 

Rouge long-term monitoring project. Then students used what we learned to help decide what data 

we would need to collect and keep track of in our body of water. 

Students also identified the need to visit a wetland that was more similar to our wetland, rather 

than a river that has quickly flowing water to learn about the differences between still and running 

water to define target values for our ecosystem. We partnered with the Michigan Natural Features 

Inventory (https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/) and folks from Nankin Mills (http://www.nankinmills.org/) 

to collect data about the health of the vernal pools located there. Students learned about the importance of these wetlands for biodiversity and wondered if our target ecosystem would ever be able to 

support so many different species. Finally, students worked with Inland Seas Education Association 

to apply what we learned from monitoring streams and pools to collect data aboard Schoolship on 

Lake Michigan in Suttons Bay (https://schoolship.org/). 

The students studied wetlands and open bodies of water to compare their vastly different size and 

important characteristics. However, students successfully used patterns in data to figure out that 

similar phenomena have similar causes in these systems - and that all these systems are connected. 

Students also wrestled with scale and the kinds of allowances we need to make to account for scale, 

proportion and quantity when investigating these different bodies of water, especially considering 

Figures 6 and 6a. Students are in the forest studying a vernal pool to learn about what and how to measure characteristics of pools; students collected data 

to monitor the health of a nearby stream in the Rouge river watershed

Photo credit: Holly Hereau

Figure 7 and 7a. Students ready to embark on the Inland Seas vessel Schoolship to collect data that monitors the health of Lake Michigan in Suttons Bay

Photo Credit: Kara Clayton
Page 26 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

the differences we noticed in areas way upstream in the Rouge river compared to downstream. 

Students consistently used NGSS Science and Engineering Practices to uncover Disciplinary Core 

Ideas and were also developing the ability to use the Cross Cutting Concepts to fully explain the 

complex interactions that contribute to the problems they noticed. (Schwarz, et al. 2017)

To get more students in our school aware and involved, we reached out to the video productions 

teacher and co-wrote a grant proposal to support the addition of environmental journalism and 

reporting to our project. We were awarded the grant from Michigan State’s Knight Center for 

Environmental Journalism (https://knightcenter.jrn.msu.edu/) and began planning ways to draw 

more students to this project who may not have initially been interested in the science alone. This 

provided an avenue to create media to share with students and others in our school and beyond. A 

student wrote a grant proposal and was awarded the prize from kidsgardening.org which allowed 

us to move forward with the work we planned to include hosting 5th grade students in learning 

stations and inviting them to join us when we finally installed our plants. Another student won 

2nd place in the “hard news” category of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters student awards 

for a submission about the stewardship action project and how it has a positive impact on student 

learning, and a group of students presented their work at an Environmental Journalism conference 

at Michigan State University. 

Data Collection and Results

As the project continued into the following year, new students had the same opportunity to 

complete the community environmental inventory and issue selection process. They also came to 

a consensus on continuing this project. They worked to develop protocols for data collection and 

then began to record and collect baseline data. (James Hutton Institute, 2011) Students used the 

iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ths-rain-garden) app to collect information for 

our project, and also used the Midwest Invasive Species Information (MISIN) app (https://www.

misin.msu.edu/) to help identify and report native and invasive species they found in the different 

areas we investigated. The ArcGIS app (https://www.arcgis.com/features/apps/) enabled students to 

collect and enter real-time information about the vernal pools we studied into a state database. The 

information they learned and the data they collected during these experiences helped them understand more about wetlands and our watershed overall and helped contribute data to the body of 

information researchers use to notice new patterns and identify areas of concern.

Each year, students answered several open-ended survey questions before we started this class and 

again after the class was completed. For the 2018-19 school year, the survey showed that only 24% 

Figures 8 and 8a. High school students host 5th grade classes at learning stations

Photo credit: Holly Hereau
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© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

of student answers reflected a positive attitude about Participation in Environmental Stewardship 

and at the end of the class 53% of student answers reflected a positive attitude about Participation 

in Environmental Stewardship.

Figure 9. There was a dramatic increase in species diversity and abundance in a two-year time spa

Type of Data Data Collection 

Method

Results 

Fall-Spring of 2017-18

Results 

Fall-Spring of 2018-19

Plant 

Biodiversity

Quadrats

(student data 

was ambiguous 

regarding 

distribution and 

abundance)

Aquatic/Emergent: 

Abundant: Narrow leaf/hybrid 

cattail. Phragmite

Terrestrial: 

Patchy: (edges) perennial sow 

thistle, dandelions

Rare: Canada goldenrod, 

Horseweed, 

late goldenrod, common milkweed

Aquatic/Emergent: Abundant: Duckweed, narrow leaf/hybrid cattail

Patchy: Phragmites

Terrestrial: 

Abundant: Yellow nutsedge, Prickly Sow thistle, barnyard grass, 

Patchy: Devil’s beggar ticks, Pink weed, Horseweed, Interior Sandbar Willow, 

creeping thistle, Bull thistle, Ribwort Plantain, Greater plantain, shepherd’s 

purse, lady’s thumb, bittersweet nightshade, Canada goldenrod, field thistle, 

prickly lettuce, American pokeweed, cursed crowfoot, perennial sow thistle, 

late goldenrod, common milkweed, annual fleabane, Philadelphia fleabane, bog 

yellowcress

Installed and established: Swamp milkweed, Black eyed Susan, Scarlet bee balm, 

wild bergamot, Blue flag iris, Great blue lobelia, false nettle, golden alexander, 

rough blazing star, pickerelweed, cardinal flower

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates

D-nets, hand

picking from 

sampling pans 

and jars with mud 

and vegetation

Abundant: daphnia, mosquito 

larvae, midges, Ostracods (seed 

shrimp), Copepods, leeches, 

unidentified flatworms (Planaria)

Abundant: daphnia, mosquito larvae, midges, Ostracods (seed shrimp), Copepods, 

leeches, unidentified flatworms (Planaria)

Rare: water boatmen, predaceous diving beetle, dragonfly nymphs (Libellulidae), 

mayfly nymphs (Baetidae)

Terrestrial 

Invertebrates

Scouting, sweep 

nets, pitfall traps

Abundant: earthworms, mosquitos, 

midges,

Abundant: earthworms, mosquitos, midges,

Rare: Ground beetles, Field slugs, Yellow-legged Mud-dauber Wasp, Spotted Lad

Beetle, Hoverfly, Various unidentified ant species, various unidentified spiders, 

field cricket (Gryllus), Spur throated grasshopper, banded wing grasshopper, Horse 

Fly, eastern yellowjacket, Sowbugs, Unidentified beetle larvae/grubs, Monarch 

butterfly, cabbage white butterfly, common Whitetail dragonfly, Eastern forktail 

dragonfly, red admiral

Protists and 

Algae

Water sample 

observation using 

microscopes

Vorticella, amoeba, unidentified 

ciliates, paramecium (some of 

these were a result of my students 

extended study of the pond water 

succession into the winter.

Vorticella, amoeba, unidentified ciliates, paramecium (some of these were a result 

of my students extended study of the pond water succession into the winter.

Amphibians, 

Reptiles, Birds, 

and Mammals

Direct observation Red wing blackbirds, European 

starlings, Canada geese, rabbit, 

brown rat, field mice

Red wing blackbirds, European starlings, robins, Canada geese, Mallards, kildeer, 

green frogs, a garter snake, rabbits, brown rat, field mice, deer (reported by early 

morning custodian) painted turtle (the superintendent told me he “transplanted”

I did not observe the turtle and asked Brian to refrain from any other “rehoming” 

activities

Water quality Chemical tests 

and E. coli plate

High nutrient levels, high levels of 

harmful E. coli, high particulate

High nutrient levels, high levels of harmful E. coli, high particulates (no change

Measurements 

of area of 

runoff pond is 

catching

Direct 

measurement and 

Google Maps

Roof is 31.25m x 38.5m, Roo

often gathering area for Canada 

Geese, and some even build nests 

up there

Roof is 31.25 m x 38.5 m, Roof often gathering area for Canada Geese, and som

even build nests up there (no change)

Measurements 

of Retention 

area

Direct 

measurement

North side “dry side” – deepest 

part ranged from 10-18 cm in fall

measurements (dry for much of 

last spring/summer)

South side “pond side” – deepest 

part ranged from 42-49 cm in fall

measurements

North “dry side”– never dried throughout the entire spring before school ended. Still

25cm deep in the center. Water disappeared over summer for about a week before

heavy rains caused it to fill again. Standing water remained still all through the

summer and fall. There were no days this year where that side of the “pond” was dr

South “pond side” – Measurements in the spring were as high as 90 cm after the 

snow melt and now in August is back to around 60 cm

*Due to the removal of all aquatic emergent species there is less vegetation to absorb 

water. This is a temporary problem that will hopefully be solved as more natives are 

re-established. We did anticipate this, but due to the wetter than normal spring water 

was present all summer and prevented us from planting the species we intended.
Page 28 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Conclusion: Designing and Facilitating Units of Instruction 

with a Student-Chosen Phenomenon or Problem

The long-term success of our project will be determined from seasonal biodiversity 

audits and water quality monitoring results downstream of our site. Our initial inventory 

revealed very low species diversity, and the Phragmites provided habitat for an undesirable population of rats in addition to other invasive plants and animals. As the garden 

matures, we expect to see an increase in diversity and abundance of bees, butterflies, 

and other insects as well as amphibians, songbirds, and small mammals. Additionally, 

students hope to see the restored wetland used by students and members of the community of all ages for learning and enjoyment. The real success however is the level of 

engagement from students. Using a process that ensures each student’s voice is heard as 

they participate in the planning and decision-making increases students’ interest in this 

project and provides them a strong scaffold to broaden their environmental awareness 

and increase the likelihood to seek out other stewardship experiences.

References

Berland, L. K., Schwarz, C. V., Krist, C., Kenyon, L., Lo, A. S., & Reiser, B. J. (2015). Epistemologies 

in practice: Making scientific PRACTICES meaningful for students. Journal of Research in Science 

Teaching, 53(7), 1082-1112. doi:10.1002/tea.21257 

James Hutton Institute, (2011) Handbook of field sampling protocols for biodiversity. https://www.

hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/A%20Handbook%20of%20biodiversity%20monitoring%20

protocols(1).pdf

National Research Council. (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, 

and core ideas. Washington DC: The National Academies Press.

Penuel, W. & Bell, P. (2016). Qualities of a Good Anchor Phenomenon for a Coherent Sequence of Science 

Lessons. STEM Teaching Tools Initiative, Institute for Science + Math Education. Seattle, WA: 

University of Washington. Retrieved from http://stemteachingtools.org/brief/28

Schwarz, C. V., Passmore, C., & Reiser, B. J. (2017). Helping students make sense of the world using next 

generation science and engineering practices. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press, National Science Teachers 

Association.

Reiser, B. J., Novak, M., & Fumagalli, M. (2015). NGSS storylines: How to construct coherent instruction 

sequences driven by phenomena and motivated by student questions. Illinois Science Education 

Conference 2015, Tinley Park, IL.

Reiser, B. J., Novak, M., & McGill, T. A. W. (2017). Coherence from the students’ perspective: Why the vision of 

the framework for K-12 science requires more than simply “combining” three dimensions of science learning.

Paper commissioned for the Board on Science Education workshop “Instructional materials for 

the Next Generation Science Standards”. Retrieved from http://sites.nationalacademies.org/cs/

groups/dbassesite/documents/webpage/dbasse_180270.pdf

Figure 10. Open-ended survey questions about student participation in environmental stewardshi

About the Author

Holly Hereau is a Science Educator 

at BSCS and an Adjunct Biology 

instructor at Macomb Community 

College in Warren, MI. She previously

taught high school biology, chemistry 

and environmental science in Redford, 

Michigan for 15 years and was a 

member of the Achieve Inc. Peer

Review Panel for Science. Hereau has

worked with educators across the 

country to support implementation 

of high-quality NGSS designed units

developed by the Next Generation 

Science Storylines and inquiry Hub 

teams in addition to working with 

those teams to develop Biology and 

Chemistry High School Storyline 

units. She holds a bachelor’s degree

in biology from Grand Valley State 

University and studied Entomology 

at Michigan State University before 

earning a master’s degree in 

secondary education at the University 

of Michigan. She was named the 2019

Michigan High School Teacher of the 

Year and a recipient of the Presidential 

Award for Excellence in Mathematics 

and Science Teaching in 2019. Holly

can be reached at hhereau@gmail

com and found on Twitter @hhereau 

2018-2019 Pre- and Post-Survey Comparison
Page 29

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Abstract

Through generous NOAA Planet Stewards funding, schools in the Northern Illinois area 

had the unique opportunity to participate in a one-day design challenge that focused 

on local and state environmental issues. Student teams, which ranged from fifth grade 

through high school, engaged in research and design thinking to create innovative 

responses and solutions to address their selected water challenge. Subject matter experts 

were available, both virtually and in person, for questions, conversations, and insights as 

teams worked. Simultaneously team sponsors engaged in their own professional development related to the NOAA Planet Stewards Program. Students showcased their work at the 

end of the day to experts and educator mentors.

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA, imsa.edu) is located roughly 40 miles west of Lake Michigan. When NOAA Planet Stewards contacted IMSA regarding developing 

and hosting a Planet Stewards workshop, we immediately thought of the Lake and named the event 

after Michigan, which means large or great lake, thus the name, The Great Water Challenge. 

Planning the event was a team effort between NOAA 

Planet Stewards and IMSA’s Statewide Educator Initiative 

Team (SEI). SEI’s mission is to impact mathematics and 

science education by supporting educators with relevant 

professional development in areas such as technology, 

problem-based learning, the Next Generation Science 

Standards (NGSS, 2013), and a micro-credentialing 

program. SEI and NOAA Planet Stewards engage with 

formal and informal educators as well as students to 

increase scientific literacy. NOAA’s focus on climate 

literacy (NOAA, 2006) and water-related issues closely 

aligns with IMSA’s focus on the United Nations 

Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2015), particularly 

goals 13-15. Earth and human activity, as well as engineering and design performance expectations from the 

Next Generation Science Standards, of which Illinois has 

adopted, are also interrelated. 

The Great Water Design Challenge:

A NOAA Planet Stewards and 

Illinois Mathematics and Science 

Academy (IMSA) Collaboration

Table 1. Event Goals

Source Goal

United Nations Sustainable 

Development Goals

https://sdgs.un.org/goal

Goal 13: Climate Action

Goal 14: Life Below Water

Goal 15: Life on Land

Essential Principles of Climate 

Literacy

https://www.climate.gov/teachin

essential-principles-climate-litera

essential-principles-climate-litera

Essential Principle 6: Human activities are 

impacting the climate system

Essential Principle 7: Climate change will 

have consequences for the Earth system 

and human lives

Next Generation Science 

Standards

https://www.nextgenscience.org

Middle School

Earth and Human Activity:

MS-ESS3-2, MS-ESS3-3, MS-

Engineering and Design:

MS-ETS1-1, MS-ETS1-1, MS-

High School

Earth and Human Activity:

HS-ESS3-1, HS-ESS

Engineering and Design:

HS-ETS1-1, HS-ETS1-2, HS-

Liz Martinez
Page 30 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Allowing student choice, using local issues, and connecting learners with experts in the field were 

the best pedagogical practices used as criteria for the project development. These led us to employ a 

modified design sprint. The function of a design sprint is to identify a problem and solve it within 

a short amount of time, usually five days, through research, discussion, ideation, and prototyping. 

As this was a one-day event, teams were not expected to complete a significant portion of the design 

sprint process. Teams would identify a local environmental problem they wanted to mitigate, 

research the issue, and develop a plan of action or solution. In order to narrow the field of issues for 

the students and the teachers, a focused list of locally relevant topics was developed. Categories were 

selected based on local environmental issues, recent events, appropriate resources, and availability 

of subject matter experts. Research questions were then developed for each of the categories. Below 

is the list of topics and questions.

Algal Blooms, Pet Illnesses 

l	 How does the Midwest contribute to harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico and how 

can we lessen the impact? 

l	 How do harmful algal blooms affect plants, animals (including pets), and humans? 

l	 What are potential solutions to reducing harmful algal bloom events?

Algae

l	 Why are algae necessary for the biosphere?

l	 How can uses of algae positively impact climate change or sustainability?

Biodiversity/Invasive Animal Species 

l	 How is climate change affecting the spread of invasive species (such as zebra mussels)? 

l	 What are the impacts of invasive species (such as zebra mussels)? 

l	 What actions can be taken to control invasive species (such as zebra mussels)?

Biodiversity/Invasive Plant Species 

l	 How is climate change affecting the spread of invasive plant species (such as purple 

loosestrife)?

l	 What are the impacts of invasive species (such as purple loosestrife)? 

l	 What actions can be taken to control invasive species (such as purple loosestrife)? 

Marine Debris, Microplastics, Plastics

l	 What are the trends in the use of microplastics and what actions can be taken to reduce 

what ends up in the ocean?

l	 Document the presence of marine debris in the Great Lakes and what communities can do 

to reduce the input. 

Human Health Issues, Vector-borne Disease 

l	 How is climate change affecting the incidence of vector-borne diseases?

l	 What actions can be taken to reduce the incidences of vector-borne diseases?

Nuisance Flooding, Weather Incidents, Shoreline Changes 

l	 What are the impacts of flooding events in Illinois and what strategies are communities 

using to protect citizens and property?

l	 Document how climate change may affect the incidences of severe weather. What actions 

should citizens take to prepare for the new climate future? 

During registration for the project, student teams selected the question they wanted to investigate, 

subject matter experts they wished to hear, and submitted questions they wanted to ask each of the 

subject matter experts at the event.
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Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Teams were provided with resources to use for 

preliminary research prior to the event. Many 

student teams came prepared with extensive background knowledge about their chosen issue. This 

allowed them to focus on having final questions 

answered from the experts and to develop solutions and evidence to support their choice.

Planning for a one-day event that provides an 

immersive experience for students requires 

an attention to detail. Scheduling for the day 

included general sessions and customized 

sessions for each school to meet with their subject 

matter experts of choice. Identification of and 

communication with subject matter experts 

was critical. Presentation materials, topics and 

questions from teams, schedules, and technical 

platforms needed to be developed and shared. 

School and student permissions, schedules, and 

other logistics for the day also needed to be sent 

in advance. Some of the responsibilities for the 

hosting SEI team included facility reservations 

for large and small group work, food, check in, 

moderating sessions, obtaining and providing 

materials for teams, and supervising students. We 

also wanted to provide the sponsoring teachers 

with their own professional development. NOAA 

Planet Stewards Program, NOAA resources, 

implementation ideas, and other related topics 

were presented at an educator-only session during 

the event while the students worked with the 

subject matter experts. 

The day of the Great Water Challenge began 

with all participants gathered in the auditorium. 

Subject matter experts introduced themselves, 

briefly spoke about their jobs, and shared their 

areas of expertise. From there teams moved 

following their individual schedules as they met with the subject matter experts either in-person or 

virtually, who presented additional background information regarding their topics and answered 

student questions.

Each team then began developing ideas to mitigate their selected issue, as well as a presentation and 

materials for the poster session in the afternoon. For the final session, student teams were divided 

into groups A and B. This allowed group A teams to present and group B teams to move about and 

listen to group A team presentations. Roles were reversed so group B teams presented for group A 

teams. The day wrapped up with awards that recognized creative efforts, scientific accuracy, and 

clarity of solutions. Teams were also presented with Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever 

Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken, water bottles, and metal straws. 

Table 2. Sample of Student Developed Questions

• How do you think AI can help solve the issue of invasive species? 

• Do invasive species cause long term human health issues? If so, what kind and what have we 

done in the past to prevent / stop them?

• What does marine debris encompass? Please provide categories or examples

• Is it possible to introduce catalysts that will re-polymerize microplastics so they can be

combined into larger molecules that are easier to extract?

• Are there any projects where algae or bacteria are being used to breakdown plastics or marine 

debris?

• In what ways do algae benefit the ecosystem compared to what they take away? 

• How do algae compare to other marine/aquatic plant life?

• Could there be blooms of any other plant species that cause as much harm as algal blooms?

• What is the main cause of algal blooms? Where is it most prevalent? 

• If algae is helpful to ecosystems, how does it also cause harm? 

• Could the impact of algae blooms extend as far as the Midwest and affect our drinking water 

supply?

• Once an aquatic system is thrown off-balance, can it fully recover, and how

• What types of laws or regulations have been put in place to regulate the use of fertilizers?

Figure 1. Dennis Liu talks with a student 

about biodiversity and invasive species

Photo credit: Angela Rowley

Figure 2. Students engage with a virtual expert 

to learn more about their chosen topic

Photo credit: Angela Rowley
Page 32 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Impact

The impact of the Great Water Challenge is largely anecdotal in nature. Participant numbers 

included 25 educators, 87 students, 6 subject matter experts, and 10 IMSA SEI Team members. 

Comments during the day were very positive from the students, the participating educators, and the 

subject matter experts. 

Participant comments included 

l	 “Our students thoroughly enjoyed the day. They have been talking about their idea to all of 

their teachers.” – Educator

l	 “I didn’t know that what we do here bothers the ocean.” – Student

l	 “Why aren’t there laws to stop that? ” – Student

l	 “This is the best day of my life!” – Student

l	 “I met real scientists.” – Student

l	 “Students were well prepared. They asked really good questions and had great ideas.” – 

Subject Matter Expert

l	 “They are persistent.” – Subject Matter Expert

l	 “It was refreshing – their perspective.” – Subject Matter Expert

As a pilot project, the design challenge may provide a spring board for more opportunities so that 

students may interact with subject matter experts regarding a wide range of environmental issues. 

References 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (2006). The Essential Principles of Climate 

Literacy. NOAA Climate.gov. https://www.climate.gov/teaching/essential-principles-climate-literacy/

essential-principles-climate-literacy

NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Retrieved April 09, 2021, from 

https://www.nextgenscience.org/search-standards

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2015). THE 17 GOALS: Sustainable 

Development. Retrieved April 09, 2021, from https://sdgs.un.org/goals

About the Author

Liz Martinez is a curriculum and professional development specialist for The Center for Teaching 

and Learning at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora, IL. Before she

joined IMSA she was a middle school science teacher for 29 years. Liz is a past president and current

secretary of the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association. She has been a NOAA Climate

Planet Steward for many years and is appreciative of the support provided by the project. She can be

reached at emartinez@imsa.ed
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© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Abstract

Carbon sequestration by plants is one of the most important short-term processes that 

removes the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As humans continue 

to release carbon from long term geologic sinks, through the burning of fossil fuels for 

example, understanding how carbon can be removed from the atmosphere by plants 

through photosynthesis is an important concept for students to understand. One way to 

attempt to measure this process is by measuring dry and ash weights of a plant to estimate 

the amount of carbon sequestered by the plant during its lifetime. This laboratory activity 

can be paired with the creation of a community garden that allows students to measure 

how much carbon can be sequestered through the creation of an individual green space 

and can connect to individual action on climate change. The green space used during the 

creation of this laboratory activity was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) Planet Stewards Program in 2018 (https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/

education/planet-stewards/). 

Introduction 

The atmosphere is made out of many gases and some of those trace gases are referred to as greenhouse gases. These gases are important for the atmosphere because they absorb infrared and emit 

their own infrared, heating the lower atmosphere. The heat given off by greenhouse gases creates a 

livable climate on Earth, a whole 330C warmer than it would be without the presence of greenhouse 

gases (ESRL, 2005). One of the most important greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide 

is also an important gas in terms of plant growth. Plants use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere 

during the process of photosynthesis to create biomass (NOAA, 2019). This process of obtaining 

carbon from the atmosphere and holding it in solid form is referred to as carbon sequestration. 

Carbon sequestration has become more important in recent years with the increase of carbon 

dioxide in the atmosphere creating an enhanced greenhouse effect and contributing to the warming 

of our atmosphere. In fact, historical levels of carbon dioxide remained below 300 ppm (parts per 

million) over the past 400,000 years; yet, since the 1950’s, carbon dioxide has increased to over 400 

ppm (NASA, 2016).

Measuring 

Carbon Sequestration

Shannon Othus-Gault
Page 34 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

All humans can help to sequester carbon from the atmosphere by creating their own gardens and 

increasing biomass on Earth’s surface. This goal of this laboratory activity was to teach students 

about important atmospheric processes, including the greenhouse effect and how atmospheric 

carbon can be sequestered by plants. Another goal of this activity was to measure the amount of 

carbon that can effectively be sequestered in a small green space as an example of what they can do 

in their own home and/or yard. 

Methods

Prior to performing this lab activity, my students were provided information on the greenhouse 

effect and the carbon cycle and also participated in class activities related to biogeochemical cycles 

and greenhouse gases, such as those provided by the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) 

through the EarthLabs project (SERC, 2016). This base knowledge was provided to allow students 

to connect the related lab activity to much larger Earth systems and processes. After finishing 

pre-lab work, students began to measure carbon sequestration by obtaining a whole-plant sample, 

including the root system. A sample can be collected from a school garden (as was done for this 

project) or can be collected from any appropriate place noted by an instructor or 

even parent. Once the sample was obtained, the whole plant was cleaned to remove 

as much excess soil as possible so that the most accurate dry weight of the plant 

sample could be measured. Once cleaned, the plant was dried. I allowed samples 

to air dry over several weeks; however, you could attempt to dry the plants more 

quickly in a low temperature, drying oven. Once these samples were dried, they were 

used by students to measure the carbon sequestered by the plant. To do this, the 

dried plant was weighed and that weight recorded. Next, the dried plant matter was 

burned in a controlled manner so that ash can be collected and weighed. 

By subtracting the weight of the ash from the weight of the dry sample, students 

were able to roughly estimate the amount of carbon that was sequestered by that 

plant. This activity works by essentially combusting the carbon matter in the plant 

and creating carbon dioxide, which is transferred to the atmosphere, and leaving 

behind the rest of the noncombustible matter of the plant. By comparing the dry 

weight with the ash weight, we can make a rough estimation of the carbon that had 

been contained in the plant sample.

Although measuring the carbon sequestered by a single plant can be useful, 

students can use plant counts within a 

garden to calculate how much carbon a 

larger green space or garden can sequester. 

During this activity with my own class, we 

obtained the amount of carbon sequestered 

by our garden by creating a garden map and 

counting the number of the different plants 

present in the garden.

Once students created their map and 

finished their plant counts, they multiplied 

the number of each example plant counted 

by the measurement of the carbon that type 

of plant sequestered. These final carbon 

calculations were added together to create 

a rough estimate of how much carbon was 

Figure 1: Picture shows the author demonstrating to 

students how to combust plant samples

Photo Credit: Shannon Othus

Figure 2: Picture showing the community garden and the distribution of plants used to measure 

carbon sequestration

Photo Credit: Shannon Othus
Page 35

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

sequestered by our garden during that year’s sampling. These easy measurements can potentially allow students to plan for future growing seasons to 

maximize carbon sequestration with evidence-based observations from past 

growing seasons. 

Materials and Suggestions

This is clearly a lab activity that needs to be well supervised by an instructor 

due to the fact that fire is involved. Also, after students performed this lab 

activity for the first time in my classroom, I learned several tricks and tips 

for what materials are more successful for this activity and how to use those 

materials to fully incinerate the dry plant material. One of the most important materials you will need is a receptacle to burn your dry plant material. I 

obtained large food cans from the kitchen on our campus and they were big 

enough to allow for full combustion. You will also want to make sure that 

there are ventilation holes in these receptacles so that air can mix with the 

plant material during combustion. Also, make sure that the holes aren’t big 

enough to lose ash material. Another possible tip to allow for combustion to 

occur more rapidly would be breaking the plant into smaller pieces prior to 

incineration so the volume of the plant is more compact. I have also found 

that stem lighters are best for keeping appendages away from the flames but 

are also useful in continuing the combustion of materials if they need to be set 

alight more than once. Lastly, I would suggest heat resistant gloves to protect 

student hands. 

Student Assessment

Due to the current pandemic, I have only 

been able to run this lab activity with 

two classes using mature plants from my 

campus’s community garden. However, 

students were able to work together to 

calculate some estimates of carbon sequestered by the plants in our garden. Some of 

the dried plants were not able to be fully 

burned leading to a low overall calculation 

for the carbon sequestered by plants in the 

garden, kale plants in particular. Results 

based on student calculations from the 

Spring of 2019 can be found in Table 1.

Once students had finished calculating their measurements, they were then asked to answer several 

questions to put their carbon measurements into greater context of the greenhouse effect and 

climate processes, i.e., how does growing plants change the atmospheric concentration of carbon 

dioxide and, therefore, affect the greenhouse effect? The questions that I posed are as follows:

n	 How does carbon dioxide behave in the atmosphere (hint: what type of gas is carbon 

dioxide)? How can an abundance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere become a problem for 

Earth’s biosphere?

n	 Vegetation is considered a carbon sink. Based on the word “sink”, what do you think that 

suggests in terms of the carbon that was sequestered by the plants you measured? In other 

Figure 3: Map shows the placement and number of plants 

found in the Yamhill Valley Campus Community Garden

The plant counts found on the map were used by students 

when calculating the total carbon sequestered in the garden 

through multiplying the number of plants present with the 

carbon measured by students

Table 1: Data collected and calculated by students to calculate carbon 

sequestered within the Yamhill Valley Campus community garden from the 

2019 General Science Earth System Science class

Year and

Season

Age of 

Plant

Plant

Type

Dry 

Weight

(g)

Ash 

Weight 

(g)

Carbon 

Weight 

(g)

Number of

Plants

Total Carbon

Sequestered 

(g)

Spring 2019 Adult *Kale 23.6 22.3 1.3 6

Spring 2019 Adult Peppers 80.6 11.9 68.7 5 3

Spring 2019 Adult Zucchini 310.0 128.0 182.0 5 9

Spring 2019 Adult Tomatoes 271.1 39.0 232.1 5 11

Spring 2019 Adult Eggplant 97.6 17.3 80.3 3 2

Total carbon sequestered by adult garden: 2662.7

* Incomplete burn of specimen
Page 36 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

words, how is the carbon sequestered by plants related to the carbon dioxide found in the 

atmosphere?

n	 How can sequestered carbon change the composition of the atmosphere? How could this 

sequestration affect the greenhouse effect?

n	 Knowing that this garden was used for food production, how can the harvesting of food 

from the garden affect the carbon weight measured? How does harvesting food from the 

garden affect the number that you calculated for the total carbon sequestered by the garden?

n	 Can you think of any other sources of error that could have affected the calculations you 

made for carbon weights and the amount of carbon sequestered by the plants in the garden?

These questions allowed students to think deeply about how plants and atmospheric composition are directly linked and how the greenhouse effect can be affected by plant growth. It also asks 

students to think about errors in their calculations since this activity is truly, a very rough estimation of carbon sequestration. 

Conclusion

Allowing students to connect their own personal activity to atmospheric composition and the 

greenhouse effect is an important lesson to learn as we begin to tackle the effects of anthropogenic 

climate change. This is a lab activity that is hands-on and allows for teachers and students to use 

green spaces, whether at school or at home, and for scientific exploration and data collection, which 

are important aspects of inquiry-based science learning. 

A list of materials, methods and lab questions, can be found at: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eXa3vbX7uncsJr0hh37Kxz4MOQHbFwPrB1IOLAV

qK0A/edit?usp=sharing

References

NOAA Earth System Research Laboratories. Basics of the Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect. 2005. https://www.

esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/education/carbon_toolkit/basics.html

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Carbon Cycle. 2019. www.noaa.gov/

resource-collections/carbon-cycle

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Relentless Rise of Carbon Dioxide. 2016. https://

climate.nasa.gov/climate_resources/24/graphic-the-relentless-rise-of-carbon-dioxide/

Science Education and Resources Center at Carleton College. EarthLabs. 2016. https://serc.carleton.edu/eslabs/

index.html

About the Author

Shannon Othus-Gault began teaching as an outdoor school and science camp instructor at the 

age of 16 and has worked in the states of Oregon, Washington, California, New York and Wisconsin

Shannon has been teaching geology and Earth sciences for ten years at several Community Colleges 

but has committed to a single location, Chemeketa Community College at the Yamhill Valley Campus 

in McMinnville, Oregon. Prior to teaching, Shannon worked as a natural resource scientist for the

Washington Department of Natural Resources in the Forestry department mapping landslides and 

making landslide hazard maps. She can be reached at othussm@gmail.c
Page 37

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Abstract

This article describes a NOAA Planet Stewards Education Project where students dive 

deeply into environmental science and stewardship. The Colorado Coralition focuses on 

the science of climate change, coral decline, and reef restoration. Middle and high school 

students from Fort Collins, Colorado worked for an entire year to take part in the learning 

experience of a lifetime: helping the Coral Restoration Foundation in their efforts to stem 

the tide of coral reef decline in the Florida Keys. For the culmination of their 2019 project, 

Coralition students used their scuba diving skills to contribute to ongoing coral restoration research in an in-depth citizen science project at the bottom of the ocean. 

An Introduction to Deeper Learning

Jaya, a 7th grader, hovers above a golden thicket of staghorn coral. Below her, purple sea fans wave 

softly in the current. She checks her regulator before sinking closer to the young corals clinging to 

the live rock substrate. She finds an algae-encrusted tag affixed 

to the coral and records the following data on her dive slate:

Genotype: U 41

Cluster: 185

Using her citizen science training, she counts the number of 

corals in the cluster and observes how many are alive and how 

many have fused with other coral fragments — both important indicators that out-planting efforts are succeeding on 

Carysfort Reef.

Alive: 10

Dead: 0

Fused? Yes

She swims over to Mikaela, her dive partner, who is monitoring 

another cluster nearby. They point enthusiastically to the positive data they have collected. Back on the dive boat, these two 

A Deep Sense of Hope: 

Engaging Students in 

Coral Restoration

Matt Strand, Ph.D., Derek Hagen

Ryan and Larson, two 9th grade 

Polaris students, collect data 

on the health of out-planted

staghorn corals at Carysfort Reef 

as part of the Colorado Coralition 

citizen science project

Photo credit: Matt Strand

Figure 1. Jaya assesses coral fragment survivorship at Carsyfort Reef

Photo credit: Matt Strand
Page 38 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

middle schoolers are as exhilarated as the rest of the Coralition 

students in spite of this being their final dive before returning 

home to Colorado.

Coral Decline in the Florida Reef Tract

The Florida Reef Tract is the third-largest barrier reef in the world, 

covering over 3,800 square miles (NASA, 2012). This expansive 

ecosystem is home to over 6,000 marine species (Florida Museum 

of Natural History, 2021). It provides vital coastal protection as 

well as a significant economic draw for recreation and tourism 

(NASA, 2012). However, the Florida Reef Tract has faced a precipitous decline in coral cover. Over the last 40 years, this reef system 

has lost approximately 97% of two of its most dominant shallowwater reef-building coral species: staghorn and elkhorn coral 

(Bruckner, 2002). 

Climate change, the biggest threat to coral reefs around the world, 

is a primary driver of this decline. Thermal stress events from increasing temperatures cause coral 

bleaching and mortality. Additionally, global increases in CO2

 compound these stressors, causing 

the ocean to acidify, which results in severe degradation of coral calcification rates (NOAA, 2020). 

But there are regional contributors to the rapid decline of staghorn and elkhorn corals as well. The 

Florida Reef Tract’s proximity to the southern Florida watershed has intensified the loss of native 

coral cover. Agricultural, urban, and suburban runoff results in a toxic blend of fertilizers, sewage, 

and pollution reaching this important ecosystem, resulting in catastrophic eutrophication and 

disease (NASA, 2012). 

The Coral Restoration Foundation 

In Key Largo, Florida, the Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF), a nonprofit focused on reef conservation and recovery, is leading the charge to reverse this precipitous decline. CRF works to support 

the natural recovery processes of reefs around the world through the large-scale cultivation, outplanting, and monitoring of genetically diverse, reef-building corals. In Florida, this is accomplished 

by growing finger-sized elkhorn and staghorn corals in offshore nurseries. Corals are grown and 

harvested for out-planting in the wild on carefully selected out-planting sites. Once on-site, these 

coral fragments are glued to the live rock substrate using a marine 

epoxy. Each out-planted coral is tagged with genetic, species, and 

location information for monitoring purposes. This allows CRF 

to identify genotypes that are resilient to the many global and 

regional threats to coral reefs. Since 2012, CRF has out-planted 

more than 120,000 critically endangered staghorn and elkhorn 

corals back onto the Florida Reef Tract. Many of these corals have 

now grown into thriving colonies with the ability to spawn, encouraging the reef’s natural process of propagation. 

Carysfort Reef is the northernmost of eight CRF out-planting sites 

in the Florida Keys. Much like the iconic lighthouse that sits atop 

this reef, Carysfort is a beacon of hope for coral restoration. At 

the close of 2020, CRF has out-planted over 35,000 new corals on 

Carysfort Reef. Active monitoring and data collection demonstrate 

an impressive 93% survivorship of staghorn and elkhorn corals at 

Figure 2. Jaya and Mikaela compare their coral monitoring data at 

Carysfort Reef

Photo credit: Matt Strand

Figure 3. A healthy cluster of elkhorn coral observed on Carysfort Reef

Photo credit: Matt Strand
Page 39

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

this site, as well as evidence of increased coral cover (Coral Restoration Foundation, 2019). CRF’s 

success with reef restoration has drawn attention from all over the world, including a teacher and 

his students from Fort Collins who call themselves the Colorado Coralition.

The Colorado Coralition

The Colorado Coralition (https://spark.adobe.com/page/GreDo3zPQVV70/) is a year-long environmental science project at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School (https://pol.psdschools.org/) 

in Fort Collins, Colorado. Polaris, a K-12 public school in Poudre School District, fosters learning 

through student-centered, standards-based projects that rely on experts, fieldwork, and real-world 

application. While Polaris teachers use this experiential project model in the day-to-day curriculum, 

they also develop week-long enrichment projects, called Intensives, that take place three times a 

year (in September, February, and in May). Intensive Weeks allow teachers a way to share passions 

beyond their content area with multi-age groups of students. Polaris students in 6th - 12th grade 

select their top “Intensive” choices from a menu of options. These experiences typically incorporate 

the arts, career exploration, adventure, technology, and/or service learning. Whether one teaches 

math, social studies, foreign language, or music, Polaris teachers are given wide latitude to create 

powerful learning experiences for kids. It is this invitation to innovate that led Dr. Matt Strand, the 

7th and 8th grade English teacher at Polaris, to develop the Colorado Coralition. In 2013, Matt was 

awarded a grant from Fund For Teachers (https://www.fundforteachers.org/), which supported his 

efforts to earn his scuba certification and travel to Florida to volunteer with CRF. He participated 

in multiple dives, seeing firsthand the degradation on the Florida Reef Tract. It was a moving experience, one that gave him a blueprint for designing a similar life-changing opportunity for Polaris 

students. To make his dream of diving with students a reality, Dr. Strand designed the Coralition so 

the same cadre of students could participate in all three of his Intensive Weeks throughout the year. 

Scuba Certification

The middle and high school students selected to join the Coralition, which has a maximum acceptance of twenty students, start with rigorous study for their Open Water Certification. Divemasters 

from Colorado Scuba Diving Academy train students in dive theory and practical skills such as 

buoyancy control. During September Intensive Week, students spend a great deal of time studying 

in the classroom and practicing in the pool; the week culminates in a trip to Homestead Crater in 

Utah, a geothermal crater with a depth of 65 feet, for their final diving exams. As regular classes 

resume at Polaris, these newly certified divers attend weekly after-school meetings focused on 

research and fundraising. This is where the power of the NOAA Planet Stewards Education Project 

really takes hold. 

Curriculum and Student-Led Presentations

The Colorado Coralition was accepted as a NOAA Planet Stewards funded project during the 2018-

2019 school year. Participation in this federally funded program created an opportunity to bolster 

this third iteration of the Coralition with diverse scientific frameworks and resources. Throughout 

much of the school year, Dr. Strand and his students met weekly for after-school workshops that 

focused on an integrated approach to scientific inquiry and literacy. Many of these workshops 

centered on coral biology, global and regional stressors to coral reefs, rates of decline, and 

evaluating coral restoration solutions. Educators interested in Next Generation Science Standards 

(NGSS, 2017) and Cross Cutting learning opportunities that relate to coral decline and restoration 

practices can look to the following Disciplinary Core Ideas:

n	 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics in Ecosystems (MS-LS2-5, HS-LS2-7)

n	 Earth and Human Activity (MS-ESS3-2, MS-ESS3-3, HS-ESS3-1, HS-ESS3-4, HS-ESS3-5)
Page 40 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Coral studies provide unique opportunities to integrate an NGSS-based curriculum with Ocean Literacy 

Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts 

(National Marine Educators Association, 2020). These 

include Principles 3, 5, 6 and 7. Combining NGSS with 

the Ocean Literacy Framework provides a robust curricular springboard that inspires students to take decisive 

action.

The Planet Stewards program also bolstered the scientific depth of the Coralition by providing increased 

access to NOAA resources, data, and experts. Dr. Strand 

organized live video conferences with experts such as 

Dr. Mark Eakin, coordinator of NOAA’s Coral Reef 

Watch, as well an in-person visit by Zack Rago, who was 

featured in the Emmy-awarded 2017 Netflix documentary Chasing Coral. After these interviews, students chose 

from subtopics related to coral science and restoration 

engineering and prepared presentations that took place 

during the February Intensive Week. As part of the OtterCares Closed2Open (https://ottercares.

org/closed2open) campaign, volunteer employees from Fort Collins-based OtterBox visited Dr. 

Strand’s classroom to give tips and feedback to students as they rehearsed their presentations. This 

experience helped Coralition students lead an immersive event in the 360° OtterBox Digital Dome 

Theater at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. In front of a large audience that included Dr. 

Joanie Kleypas of the National Center for Atmospheric Research and US Congressman Joe Neguse, 

Coralition students provided in-depth details on topics such as the biology of coral, the ecology of 

coral reefs, the impact of climate change, regional stressors in the Florida Reef Tract, restoration 

techniques, and ways to reduce the collective carbon footprint on Colorado’s Front Range. Clearly, 

the backing of the NOAA Planet Stewards program had a definitive impact on students’ depth of 

knowledge, confidence, and commitment to environmental stewardship. 

Trip Preparation

While researching and preparing presentations for their topics, students also focused on fundraising to support their trip to Florida. Some students started crowdfunding campaigns, while 

others started small businesses. Group fundraising events such as T-shirt sales and ocean-themed 

school dances gave students yet another opportunity to work as a team. These students also 

had additional opportunities to hone their scuba diving skills throughout the year (video of the 

Christmas tree dive challenge – http://bit.ly/coralitiontraining). These yearlong efforts, combined 

with the Planet Stewards program, helped make dreams of diving in Florida a reality. 

Planet Stewards Project and Results

Upon arriving in Key Largo, Coralition students deepened their scientific knowledge at the CRF 

Exploration Center, a hub for promoting engagement in coral science and restoration. The CRF 

website (https://www.coralrestoration.org/) also provides a vast array of information about coral 

restoration methodology, free standards-based classroom activities, national STEM competitions 

and challenges, and the OK Coral app-based citizen science program. Coralition students spent 

half-days engaged in customized lessons and hands-on training with marine biologists before 

heading out for the CRF dive program.

Figure 4. Quinn, a 7th grader, cleans algae from a coral tree in the Coral Restoration 

Foundation offshore nursery

Photo credit: Matt Strand
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© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Coralition students descend 

in small teams, led by marine 

biologists and accompanied 

by dive masters, to tackle 

a variety of tasks on the 

ocean floor, such as coral 

nursery maintenance and 

coral monitoring.The most 

powerful learning takes 

place through these dives. 

Underwater Gardening 

In the coral nursery, CRF’s 

innovative “coral trees” — 

large PVC structures with monofilament for hanging coral fragments 

— allow coral farming to take place. However, much like weeds take to 

a garden, algae can take over a coral tree. To keep young corals healthy, 

the trees and monofilament must be regularly cleaned. Coralition 

students learned how to scrub these underwater structures free from 

algae and other biofoul. They also learned how to tag fragments with 

identifying information and “harvest” them from the trees for outplanting. Students did several dives in the nursery, working hard to 

clean eight coral trees to ensure hundreds of corals would grow healthy 

and strong.

Citizen Science Data Collection

Coralition students also used their citizen science training to collect 

data on outplants at Carsyfort Reef. Working in pairs, students spread 

out across the reef and studied coral clusters carefully for signs of 

disease, mortality, and fusing (coral fragments growing together 

to form more structural complexity). Students carefully collected 

Figure 5. Jaya and a recently out-planted elkhorn cluster on Carysfort Ree

Photo credit: Matt Strand

Genotype Cluster # Alive #Dead

Fused/

Not Fused

U75 112 10 0 NF

U75 114 11 0 NF

U63 145 10 0 NF

M20 44 9 0 NF

U44 165 11 0 NF

K2 428 11 0 NF

B10 97 10 0 NF

B8 90 10 0 F

U41 185 10 0 F

J41 183 7 0 NF

MS 38 11 0 NF

MS 385 10 0 F

Ull 185 10 0 NF

NA NA 1 0 NF

NA NA 0 1 F

B8 91 9 0 F

J41 184 9 0 F

UNK UNK 3 2 F

NA NA 0 4 F

NA NA 11 0 F

NA NA 13 0 F

Kl C671 11 0 F

NA NA 7 5 F

NA NA 4 9 F

C91 B8 3 0 F

NA NA 6 0 F

NA NA 2 0 NF

NA NA 3 0 NF

NA NA 4 0 NF

NA NA 1 0 F

NA NA 5 2 F

NA NA 8 2 NF

NA NA 2 0 NF

NA NA 2 0 NF

B10 96 8 0 F

U35 129 11 1 NF

Ul00 107 10 0 NF

U30 50 11 0 NF

U106 42 9 0 NF

B8 112 10 0 NF

U44 164 10 0 NF

U44 165 9 0 NF

UlS 132 11 0 NF

KW16 35 10 0 NF

KW16 36 11 1 NF

U17 12 9 0 NF

U41 206 9 0 NF

NA NA 3 5 NF

Ul00 107 10 0 NF

U39 50 10 0 NF

U106 42 9 0 NF

Results

Total Recorded Coral Fragments: 435

403 Corals Alive 

32 Corals Dead

92.64% Survivorship

Total Number of Clusters: 51

33 Clusters with No Fusion Observed 

18 Clusters with Fusion Observed

64.7% Observed Fusion

Table1. Colorado Coralition Monitoring Data: Carysfort Reef (May 31st, 2019)
Page 42 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

identifying information from each coral tag to produce reliable data. During their citizen science 

project, Coralition students assessed the health of 435 individual coral fragments, observing 92.64% 

survivorship on Carysfort Reef. These student dive teams also observed that 33 of 51 (62.7%) of 

observed coral clusters demonstrated fusion. 

These student-generated data were compiled by CRF and reported to the NOAA Florida Keys 

National Marine Sanctuary, the NOAA Restoration Center, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife 

Conservation Commission. Additionally, the data is available to researchers who utilize CRF 

facilities, corals, or data to promote coral reef research. Coral monitoring plays a critical role in 

determining the resilience of specific genotypes and the success of coral propagation. Therefore, 

Coralition students participated in one of the most essential tasks in bringing endangered reefs 

back from the brink.

Conclusion

To date, over 50 middle and high school students have participated in the Colorado Coralition. 

Several have gone on to major in marine biology at the postsecondary level. It is this type of experience 

that impacts participants in lasting ways. As Noah, a 7th grader in the Coralition shared on the last 

night of the trip, “The Coralition is something I will never forget, and I will carry the lessons and skills 

I learned throughout my entire life.” Why are real-world problems such powerful learning experiences? 

Perhaps it is simple as this: there is no answer in the back of the book. Somewhere along the fault 

lines of the unknown lies the opportunity for meaningful learning for students and their teachers, 

a place where concern for the state of the natural world inspires a desire for knowledge, innovation, 

and shared purpose. When students and teachers have the courage to face humanity’s most pressing 

dilemmas, a deep sense of hope fuses with the brilliant light of possibility. 

References

Bruckner, A.W. (2002). Proceedings of the Caribbean Acropora 

Workshop: Potential Application of the U.S. Endangered Species Act 

as a Conservation Strategy (NOAA Technical Memorandum 

NMFS-OPR-24). NOAA.

Coral Restoration Foundation (2019). Annual Report: 2019.

https://3a33729f-d81c-4cd6-9541-8bf1b5bd6ec5.filesusr.com/

ugd/60a969_fd15db98d13a4d1887634588c31f9120.pdf

Florida Museum of Natural History (2018,). Conservation of the 

Florida Keys. Retrieved February 1st, 2021 from https://www.

floridamuseum.ufl.edu/southflorida/regions/keys/conservation/

NASA (2012). Detecting detrimental change in coral reefs. Retrieved 

January 30th, 2021 from https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/

features/coral-damage.html

National Marine Educators Association (2020). Ocean Literacy 

Guide. Retrieved April 15th, 2021 from https://static1.squarespace.

com/static/5b4cecfde2ccd188cfed8026/t/5eb99cc530a3d76767dc

7aea/1589222614314/OceanLiteracyGuide_V3_2020.pdf

NGSS Lead States (2017). DCI Arrangements of the Next Generation 

Science Standards. Retrieved April 15th from https://www.

nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/AllDCI.pdf

NOAA (2020). How does climate change affect coral reefs? Retrieved 

January 30th, 2021 from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/

coralreef-climate.html

About the Authors

Dr. Matt Strand teaches 7th and 8th grade English and serves as 

the middle school team leader at Polaris Expeditionary Learning 

School in Fort Collins, Colorado. He has also served as a national

coach for EL Education’s Better World Project. He earned his M.Ed. 

2001 in Educational Research and Collaboration from Texas Christian 

University with an emphasis on experiential models of school reform.

He went on to earn his Ph.D. in 2013 in Education and Huma

Resource Studies from Colorado State University with a focus on 

authentic professional learning. He has used experiential, projec

based, and student-centered assessment models to engage learners

for over twenty years. He can be reached at mstrand@psdschools.o

Derek Hagen is the Education Program Manager of the Coral 

Restoration FoundationTM, leading the internship and volunteer force

With over 1200 hours of public speaking engagements and over 100 

educational activities published, his goal is to inspire others and train 

others to improve the health of the world’s reefs, using CRFTM work as 

an example. Previously, he worked as a professor at Oak Ridge Military

Academy teaching courses such as Zoology and Oceanography. He

can be reached at derek@coralrestoration.or
Page 43

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Abstract

Students collaboratively researched and designed an intelligent spatial map that helps 

predict flash flood damage for the Cuyahoga River Basin. Using Kolb’s experiential 

learning theory, students were given the opportunity to build their skills, understand the 

connections between the classroom and community, and acquire knowledge. Middle 

school students developed real-world solutions by researching flash floods before 

constructing 3D models and geospatial technology. Statistically significant results 

suggested that there was evidence of an increase in learning and skill building. Students 

also increased their willingness to problem solve through complex issues and improved 

their application of technology skills by using 3D modeling and geospatial applications. 

As a capstone activity, a student leadership team was formed to present innovative prototypes of the predictive maps to the National Weather Service to offer solutions that help 

warn the public of flash floods.

Introduction 

As Planet Stewards, middle school students from both private, rural and suburban schools, Ashland 

Christian School and Saint Ambrose Catholic School respectively, believe that it is important to 

take responsibility to care for the environment. Educators within Christian schools have conveyed 

successful implementation of experiential learning methods in a school-wide capacity, including 

real-world problem solving (Hedin, 2010). Kolb’s experiential learning is a cycle that utilizes 

different learning styles (Healey, 2000). By engaging with experiential learning, students learn how 

organizations work, engage in career exploration, and increase leadership skills with the ability 

to adapt to change (Lee, 2008). It has also been reported that self-directed learning and life-long 

learning skills emerge through experiential learning implementation (Jiusto, 2013). Other benefits 

resulting from Kolb’s experiential learning theory include students’ ability to better understand 

inquiry through authentic problems and reflection (Morris, 2020). Experiential learning has been 

reported to be effective through empirical research (Gosen, 2004). However, additional research is 

needed to study experiential learning by using a treatment and control group to further understand 

learning and effectiveness (Burch, 2019). 

Examining Experiential Learning Impacts on 

Student Understanding and Skill Building 

through the Watershed Flood Modeling Project

Beth Szijarto
Page 44 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

An experiential learning study was implemented through two 

schools that utilized a treatment engagement as well as a pre/posttest. Students met with one meteorologist and one hydrologist 

from the National Weather Service. These scientists worked with 

the children collaboratively to research and design an intelligent 

spatial map that helps predict flash flood damage for the Cuyahoga 

River Basin. Currently, the National Weather Service is not using a 

geospatial solution. Students implemented a spatial analyst model 

to predict the effects of rainfall on specific elevation levels using a 

digital elevation model (DEM) file. By using this model, the public 

might be able to make informed decisions for their safety. The 

National Weather Service has taken the simulated geospatial model 

and 3D prototypes as a suggestion that could be implemented in 

the future to help warn the public of impending floods. 

Desired Outcomes of the Project

1. Private, suburban and rural middle school students engage in experiential learning to 

increase their knowledge, skills, and problem-solving approaches.

2. The prototype solutions help prepare citizens for potential flash flood 

damage, which could help save lives and residential/commercial property.

3. The National Weather Service may use the geospatial model to help 

warn citizens prior to any flooding. Currently, the NWS only calls citizens to inquire if they had flooding damage. 

Program Development & Implementation 

Ninety middle school students completed a pre-survey assessment to create 

a baseline of current flash flood knowledge, tool usage, and problem-solving 

execution. Students selected which geospatial and 3D modeling tools they 

had used previously and were comfortable showing someone else how to use. 

Additionally, students were asked if they knew how to develop 

a solution to help prepare the public for flash floods. Overall, 

students were trying to solve the problem of how to create a 

geospatial model to warn the public of flash floods. Students 

also answered a secondary research question that focused on 

survival options for individuals in a car without a cell phone 

during a flood.

While students conducted research, they learned about 

weather careers and flash floods from a hydrologist through 

the National Weather Service. Students learned about the 

requirements needed for 3D and Geographical Information 

System (GIS) models. They began building 3D prototypes using 

TinkerCAD (TinkerCAD, 2021) and constructed ArcGIS (ESRI, 

2014) geospatial layers (churches, residents, schools, hospitals, 

and businesses). Students engaged in developing a geospatial 

model by specific rainfall and elevation levels from DEM files 

and used spatial analyst extensions and math logic functions to 

produce flash flood predictions. 

Image 2. Middle school students from Ashland Christian School 

develop prototypes that could help people survive a flash flood 

while in their cars without cell phones. Photo Credit: Beth Szijart

Images 3 and 4. Middle school students from Saint Ambrose Catholic School 

developed prototypes that could help people survive flash floods. Students

created cars with innovative extensions that filled with air to allow floating of 

vehicles, tools to break a window, and jetpacks to help people get out of their 

cars and fly away from the flash floods. Photo Credit: Beth Szijart

Image 1. The ArcGIS 10.0 (ESRI, 2014) flash flood model above

demonstrated 3ft, 5ft, 10ft, 15ft, 20ft, 30ft and above simulation to help the 

National Weather Service understand flash flood vulnerable areas based on 

terrain. Photo Credit: Beth Szijart
Page 45

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

To assist with geospatial simulation construction, data was collected through a geodatabase, from 

within ArcGIS, where records coordinated locations for specific layer details. This data was collected 

for potential use by the National Weather Service that could help warn the public of rainfall levels 

according to elevation. Students took a post-survey assessment through Google Surveys to demonstrate that learning had resulted from the experiential learning treatment engagement. 

This project allowed students to demonstrate proficiency in asking questions, developing and using 

models, and planning and carrying out investigations. The Next Generation Science Standards 

(NGSS, 2013) performance expectations highlight many societally relevant aspects of earth system 

science (resources, hazards, environmental impacts) as well as related connections to engineering 

and technology. Students were able to use the crosscutting concepts of stability and change as they 

designed a model to warn populations about flash flood hazards. This project most closely provides 

the development of skills associated with performance expectation of MS-ESS3-2: Analyze and 

interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects. 

Evaluation

Data collection methods consisted of using Google 

Surveys to obtain data about student experiences with 

flash floods, tool usage, and problem-solving approaches. 

3D prototypes were constructed using TinkerCAD 3D 

modeling software. Geospatial layers were developed using 

ArcGIS 10.0. 

The null hypothesis (H0) is that experiential learning does not 

increase learning and skill building. The alternate hypothesis 

(H1) is that experiential learning increases learning and skill 

building. A paired two-tailed t-test was conducted utilizing 

pre/post survey data and GraphPad Software (2021). The 

paired t-test helped to predict the probability of growth in 

knowledge, tool usage, and problem-solving approaches, 

which resulted with a statistical significance (P value < 

0.0001). Therefore, the null hypothesis (H0) was rejected. 

The paired two-tailed t-test was used as the statistical test 

Table 1. Outlines the type of data, collection method, and data 

amount that was obtained throughout the grant opportunity.

Student experience with 

flash floods Google Survey 90 records

Suburban/Rural tool usage & 

problem-solving approach Google Survey 90 record

3D prototypes TinkerCAD 75 prototypes of individual/

group developed 3D models

Church Layers ArcGIS layers Approximately 227,000 records

School Layers ArcGIS layers Approximately 208,000 records

Hospitals Layers ArcGIS layers Approximately 15,800 

records

30 ft flood sample ArcGIS layers 1 record polygon area

10 ft flood sample ArcGIS layers 1 record polygon area

3 ft flood sample ArcGIS layers 1 record polygon area

Figure 1. 28% of private school students who participated in the 

experiential learning study, reported tool usage experience with 3D printers 

and ArcGIS, while others reported only using 3D printers or ArcGIS. 48% of

the participating students reported having no experience with these tools

Figure 2. 31% of private school students believed that they knew how to 

solve the problem and had some ideas on how to accomplish the task. 68%

of students initially reported having no experience or ideas on how to solve 

this problem
Page 46 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

because the subjects were the same participants for 

both the pre/post survey. The purpose of this test 

was to help predict the probability that the differences between the sample means occurred because 

increased learning and skill building likely resulted 

after students engaged in the “treatment” or experiential learning. 

In Figure 3, students answered questions about 

flash floods, tool usage, and problem solving for 

both a pre/post survey. For Survey 1, students’ 

answers ranged from 2% - 27% measuring 

knowledge of flash floods, past tools usage 

involving 3D modeling and geospatial technology, and problem-solving creativity. After 

students engaged in experiential learning and 

developed prototypes, Survey 2 data presented 

a different result, ranging from 80% - 95%. This increase suggested considerable growth with each 

topic mentioned above for Survey 1. For example, student tool usage increased from 15% to 88%. 

Additionally, student results for problem solving approaches grew from 27% to 85%, suggesting that 

student creativity expanded through the experiential learning process.

Conclusion

The Planet Stewards funded this opportunity for middle school students to conduct real-world 

problem solving. Students demonstrated that their stewardship project provided a solution to help 

residents and business owners prevent flash flood damage and death and build a better water-resistant structure to protect property, or move property to a different location. The creative 3D model 

prototype ideas could be used as solutions in the future to help individuals evacuate or survive a 

flash flood. As Planet Stewards, students demonstrated that they learned about flash floods and 

how to develop a real-world solution that was then provided to the National Weather Service, which 

may contribute to saving lives and prevent property damage. Overall, this experiential learning 

study enforced the importance of being a Planet Steward in private schools by fusing their understanding that it is their responsibility to take care of the Earth with their passion to help others 

within the community.

References

Burch, G.F., Giambatista, R., Batchelor, J.H., Burch, J.J., Hoover, J.D., & Heller, N.A. (2019). A Meta-Analysis 

of the Relationship Between Experiential Learning and Learning Outcomes. Journal of Innovative 

Education, 17(3), 239 - 273. https://doi.org/10.1111/dsji.12188

ESRI ArcGIS Desktop. (2014). Release 10.4. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research Institute. www.

esri.com

Gosen, J., & Washbush, J. (2004). A Review of Scholarship on Assessing Experiential Learning Effectiveness. 

Simulation & Gaming, 35(2), 270–293. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878104263544

GraphPad Software. (2021). T Test Calculator. https://www.graphpad.com/quickcalcs/ttest1.cfm

Healey, M., Jenkins, A. (2000). Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory and Its Application in Geography in Higher 

Education. Journal of Geography, 99(5), 185-195. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221340008978967

Hedin, N. (2010). Experiential Learning: Theory and Challenges. Christian Education Journal, 7(1), 107–117. 

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/073989131000700108

Jiusto, S., DiBiasio, D. (2013). Experiential Learning Environments: Do They Prepare Our Students to be 

Self Directed, Life-Long Learners? Journal of Engineering Education, 95(3), 195 - 204. https://doi.

org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2006.tb00892.x

Figure 3. Growth of knowledge between Survey 1 and 2
Page 47

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Lee, S.E. (2008). Increasing Student Learning: A Comparison of Students’ Perceptions of Learning in the 

Classroom Environment and their Industry-Based Experiential Learning Assignments. Journal of 

Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 7(4), 37-54. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313220802033310

 Morris, T.H. (2020). Experiential learning – a systematic review and revision of Kolb’s model. Interactive 

Learning Environments, 28(8), 1064-1077. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1570279

NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, DC: The 

National Academies Press. http://www.nextgenscience.org/

TinkerCAD. (2021). Autodesk, Inc. www.tinkercad.com

About the Author

Mrs. Beth Szijarto is a doctoral student at Kent State University through Geography/Social & Behavioral 

Sciences. Her research involves studying competitive environments through rural and suburban schools by

implementing prevention programming and utilizing experiential learning methods. She has a Bachelor’s

Degree in Management Information Systems and a Master’s Degree in GIS/Remote Sensing. Since

2015, she has been a STEM Director for private, rural and suburban private schools, and has introduced 

geospatial technology to students and educators within Northeast Ohio. She worked in the corporate

world for 15 years through quality assurance (QA) automation software testing and she has been an 

entrepreneur, launching educational businesses which promote STEM. She also used geospatial technology

and computer programming while working for the federal government for 10 years. By getting the chance

to engage with students through problem-based learning within STEM education, she often feels like a kid

again. As a young child, she enjoyed adventure and reading National Geographic, Discovery, and Choose

Your Own Adventure books. Over the years, she also participated in 4-H, Girl Scouts, Science Fairs, an

Odyssey of the Mind competitions. She can be reached at szijabe@yahoo.c

The DataStreme Project includes 

online courses offered twice yearly by the 

American Meteorological Society. Choosing among 

three courses -- Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth’s Climate 

System -- K-12 teachers interested in increasing their confidence and 

resources for Earth science teaching explore these themes during 13-week fall 

and spring semester courses in small mentor-lead cohorts. Participants earn graduate 

credits from California University of Pennsylvania and can qualify to become an

Certified AMS Teacher.

Learn More and Apply Online: 

ametsoc.org/DataStreme

ametsoc.org/CAT
Page 48 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

25 Years Ago in TES

Twenty Five years ago, in 1996, TES was in its thirteenth year of publication. The focus of this Spring issue was “Mining 

and the Minerals of Mining”. The front cover is a photo of a 

fluorite crystal, lifted from a “new type of resource”, a CD-ROM. 

The Spring issue led off with an article, as told by NESTA’s 

first Executive Advisor, Dr. Harold B. Stonehouse, recalling 

his younger days as a Gold Miner. The next article dealt with 

California Gold mining, as told by Jan Woerner, NESTA’s first 

President. The next article shared information regarding the 

Men of Mining. This was followed by an article the most important Minerals on Earth. Then there was an article which described a classroom activity about the Rock 

Cycle. There was an article detailing the author’s years’ long search for the identity of a rock he’d found. There 

was a list of 4, classroom, mineral research activities. This was followed by 12 recipes for growing crystals in the 

classroom. Next was a review of World Wide Web sites for Rocks, Minerals and Gems. And finally, there was a 

discussion of how Computer Mediated Communication may develop as a two-way technology-assisted communication for possible use in the classroom, to even bring an expert right into the room. Remember now, this was 

in 1996, 25 years ago.

By Tom Ervin
Volume XXXVII, Issue 1 Page 49

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National Earth Science Teachers Association

Join the 2021-2022 Book Club with 

books of thought-provoking topics to be 

discussed at monthly meetings. 

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/planetstewards/upcoming.html#bookclub1

Affecting Change Through 

Education, Collaboration, 

and Action

Check out the archives of 

previous book club offerings 

with discussion questions at: 

oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/

planet-stewards/bookclub.html
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