Department of Geosciences Middle Tennessee State University The Geoenvironmental Challenges REU Site, InTeGrate, and Earth Science Teacher Preparation at MTSU Dr. Mark Abolins Department of Geosciences Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN

Geoenvironmental Challenges project: Geoenvironmental Challenges project: * NSF Geosciences Directorate’s first REU Site exclusively designed for pre-service STEM teachers. * Cohorts of ten pre-service teachers. * Summers of 2013, 2014, and 2015. * $368K – mostly to participants * Dr. Heather Brown, Co-PI

Mission: To train future STEM teachers to mentor K-12 research and lead citizen science.

Self-assessed pre-service teacher gains in knowledge

The nine-week experience:. Approx The nine-week experience: * Approx. seven weeks of mentored undergraduate research. * Completion of part of the InTeGrate Pre-service teacher education module during 2015. * Five-day field trip including introduction to outdoor learning and citizen science. * Other activites (e.g., classroom observation and two local field trips) totaling approx. 4 days.

Completion of part of the InTeGrate Pre-service teacher education module. * Unit 1 – How do the methods of geoscience compare with THE scientific method. + Activity 1 – Elicitation of Students‘ Initial Ideas about Discipline-specific Scientific Methods. + Activity 2 - Introduction to the Methods of Geoscience. * Unit 2 – Climate change, after the storm. + Activity 1 – The Issue. * NGSS-based lesson plan (summative assessment for module).

Lesson plans - Nine of the pre-service teachers completed lesson plans Lesson plans - Nine of the pre-service teachers completed lesson plans. - One was a high school version of a mentored investigation. - One was related to climate change.

http://capone.mtsu.edu/mabolins/ educational.htm K-12 Resources For Teaching Earth Science http://capone.mtsu.edu/mabolins/ educational.htm Geoenvironmental Challenges: A NSF REU Site for pre-service science teachers

http://capone.mtsu.edu/mabolins/ educational.htm K-12 Resources For Teaching Earth Science http://capone.mtsu.edu/mabolins/ educational.htm Geoenvironmental Challenges: A NSF REU Site for pre-service science teachers

http://capone.mtsu.edu/mabolins/ educational.htm K-12 Resources For Teaching Earth Science http://capone.mtsu.edu/mabolins/ educational.htm Geoenvironmental Challenges: A NSF REU Site for pre-service science teachers

InTeGrate Implementation MTSU Implementation Project “Using InTeGrate to Enhance Civic Engagement in the Geosciences- Middle Tennessee State University” PI: Dr. Mark Abolins, Department of Geosciences, MTSU Co-PI: Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, Department of Chemistry and Women in STEM Center, MTSU A little under $50K (mostly to faculty) One-year

Two lower-level courses Warner Cribb

Three upper-level courses

Unit 1: Hydrologic Cycle Part 1: Water, Water Everywhere Materials for the demonstration: 5-gallon aquarium or 5-gallon bucket filled with water 24-oz. measuring cup, green food coloring, ice cube tray, dropper, petri dish Clear container (at least 8 ounces) filled with sand Laptop, projector, and overhead screen

Unit 2: Fluvial Processes that Shape the Natural Landscape Part 1: Characteristics of a River System

Rock cycle assessment

Opinions expressed in this talk are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.