Science Investigations (Sci-I) Project

1) Professional Development for Educators (Summer)

Participating educators explored polar science, real world data, and the process of developing an open-ended science investigation during the summer workshop.

Educators interacted over a four day Professional development program with polar scientists and engaged in open-ended science investigations to learn themselves and to explore how to effectively lead students in designing, developing, and conducting polar science investigations. Two educators from each school worked together to co-develop their plan for the school year.

See Chapter 3 Summer Educator Workshop in the guide for more information and resources that we used.

2) Student Investigations (Fall)

Student teams design and conduct investigations using real world polar data to answer their own questions from the data.

During the year, students conducted their own open-ended, student-developed investigations using authentic, real world, online polar data. Students were empowered to develop testable questions and an inquiry-based scientific investigation that built upon their knowledge of the process of science. Students developed scientific posters to communicate their results.

Students learned:

• How to take a question they have about the polar regions and make it into a testable question
• How to write a Research proposal, like scientists do!
• Collections of research datasets to utilize in the investigations

Students also learned about the importance of communicating their science to their peers in preparation for the student polar science research symposium.

See Chapter 5 Mini-Proposals in the guide for more information and resources and student activities that we shared with teachers.

3) Polar Student Research Symposium (Spring)

Students presented their results and findings to polar scientists and to one another at the Student Polar Research Symposium culminating event.

Scientists travel to professional conferences to present their research to peers, so should students! Each year, students participating in the Sci-I project presented the results of their open-ended science, using online real world polar data, investigations to polar scientists and one another.

The top groups from each Sci-I Project school presented their science posters at the SPRS Poster Session. Members of the presenting group rotated through presenting on their investigation and observing other students’ investigations. Similar to a real professional conference, at least one participating scientist, educator, and a group of students were assigned to review each poster. The agenda was developed to ensure that each reviewer would be able to spend roughly 10 minutes at each poster they were reviewing.

Sample Agenda for a SPRS:
9:45a – 10:10a : Arrival, Check-in, and Set-up posters
10:15a – 10:35a : Scientist introductions
10:45a – 11:45a : Poster Session – students, teachers, and scientists visited posters to learn about the investigations
11:45a – 12:15p : Lunch *Schools brought their own lunches*
12:15p – 12:30p : Poster Session reflection
12:30p – 1:00p : Scientist panel to answer student

Sci-I Poster Guidance

• Poster Requirements:
  • The poster had to include the following sections: 1) title and author names, 2) concept for the investigation, 3) question(s) of the observations you will make as part of your investigation, 4) explanation of methods of testing the question(s), 5) graphs or images of results, 6) description of results, and 7) description of what the results mean for your lives and for the oceans.
  • Content on the poster about the students investigation could be written or visual, but had to convey to the audience the scientific process.
  • All posters had to be original and could not contain content that was inappropriate for general audiences.
  • Posters had to comply with copyright rules and regulations. Sources of information and materials used was to be properly acknowledged and credited on the poster.
  • The Polar-ICE (black or blue) and National Science Foundation (NSF) logo were included on all posters.
• Poster Format:
  • All posters were tri-fold.
  • Paint, pen and ink, crayon, markers, etc. were all accepted when creating the poster.
• Additional Information:
  • We recommended that teachers engaged their students in a discussion following their participation in the SPRS.
  • To learn more about what goes into a scientific poster and how to prepare one, we suggested reviewing Darci Harland’s great resource: Getting Started with STEM Research.

See Chapter 6 Student Research Symposium in the guide for more information and resources that we used during the events.