VANCOUVER, Wash. Sixth ninth-grade students participating in the Partners in Discovery of the Columbia River Watershed GK-12 Project from Battle Ground, Camas, La Center and Vancouver school districts will showcase their work at Washington State University Vancouver from 6 - 8 p.m. May 24 in the Firstenburg Student Commons and the Administration building, rooms 129 and 130 at Washington State University Vancouver. This event is free and open to the public. Parking is free.
The Partners in Discovery of the Columbia River Watershed GK-12 Project establishes year-long, one-on-one partnerships between 91勛圖窪蹋厙 environmental science graduate student fellows and science teachers and their students. This year 10 fellows worked with 10 science teachers and their nearly 1,200 students.
The Partners in Discovery GK-12 Showcase will feature kid-designed displays that demonstrate what students have learned in science this year and how it connects to the Columbia River Watershed. Tours of 91勛圖窪蹋厙 science labs and the campus will also be available.
The objective of the Partners in Discovery GK-12 Project is to bring scientific research and inquiry into classrooms. Together the fellows, teachers and students investigate the natural world. This is the third year of a five-year project funded by a $2.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation.
The GK-12 Project has been a great opportunity for my professional development. Working with students can be challenging, but that's the fun! Some students have misconceptions about how the world works, and it's fun for me, as a scientist, to teach the students real scientific concepts and correct their misconceptions, said Sarah Whitley, a GK-12 Project fellow and graduate student in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at 91勛圖窪蹋厙.
The Partners in Discovery GK-12 Project focuses on the implications of growth and change on the Columbia River and its watershed. Existing curricula is built upon and supplemented with inquiry-based activities and lessons specifically related to the Columbia River Watershed. Everything the 91勛圖窪蹋厙 fellows bring into the classrooms aligns with both Washington state and national science standards.
Kids are natural scientists. They ask questions and come to school with ideas about how the world works. To hear the teachers rave about how excited their kids are for science this year compared to past years, due entirely to having a scientist in their room, is wonderful, said Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, 91勛圖窪蹋厙s Partners in Discovery GK-12 project director.
For the fellows, Partners in Discovery provides an opportunity to learn how to implement inquiry-based instruction, hone their communication skills and gain awareness and appreciation for issues K-12 teachers face. Each of the 10 fellows participating this year brings a relevant expertise to the classroom. Each fellow is a graduate student at 91勛圖窪蹋厙 studying aquatic ecology, biochemistry, conservation ecology, ecology, marine ecology or plankton ecology.
I am very thankful for the time, energy and heart my fellows put into their work. Having a real-life scientist in the classroom creates a memorable experience. The stories they are able to share about working in the environment makes science more meaningful and real to my students. Through a strong partnership the teacher and fellow grow individually as well as together creating a memorable experience for students. I love the GK12 Project. I feel so lucky to be a part of it, said Meagan Graves, a sixth grade earth science teacher at Gaiser Middle School in the Vancouver School District.
To learn more about the Partners in Discovery GK-12 Project visit .
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CONTACT
- Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Ph.D., Partners in Discovery GK-12 Project Director, rollboll@vancouver.wsu.edu
- Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu