Vital Communities Curriculum

"Building ownership is vital to the success of service-learning. Remember your role is to facilitate students discovering topics/needs/problems; resist the temptation to provide a solution/project." KIDS as Planners p 23

Purpose

This project has three objectives:

●For students to learn science practices and content through authentic science investigations and engagement in the Vital Signs community of practice

●For students to be empowered as environmental leaders in their communities, and to energize community-based environmental monitoring efforts, contributing data and community power on invasive species and ecosystem changes

●For students and educators to share their experiences to help other classrooms and communities to engage in similar efforts.

Background

Invasive species are species moved from the place in which they evolved to new areas. In these new areas they don't have the predators, parasites, and competitors with which they evolved. As a result they can reproduce unchecked in their new environment. Through their spread they cause environmental and/or economic harm.

Maine people and the economy rely on Maine's environment for goods and services. Maine communities care deeply about their natural environment. But community members may not know how they can contribute to the stewarding of Maine’s natural resources.

The goal of this project is for kids to identify that invasive species are an issue that requires communities to be aware and contribute to monitoring efforts. Giving kids chances to catalyze and lead community efforts to monitor invasive species will result in increased science learning and stewardship for both kids and communities. Be open to a range of solutions that kids may devise and implement.

Overview

The Vital Communities Unit is an extension of a Vital Signs Investigation Unit (it is assumed that before doing this curriculum you have gone through a Vital Signs Investigation. See Appendix A- page 21 - for more detail). By doing the Vital Signs Investigation, students do invasive species research, they then design and plan a solution to engage communities in invasive species and ecosystem monitoring. In designing this curriculum, we used the KIDS Consortium service-learning framework as one of our guiding resources.We also designed this curriculum to be between inquiry levels2 and 3 (see table below). This curriculum can be modified to different grade levels and more or less open inquiry. Please share any new resources that you create with other teachers through the Vital Signs Curriculum Bank.

Level of Inquiry / Problems/Questions / Procedures/Investigation Design / Conclusions
0 / Given / given / given
1 / Given / given / open
2 / Given / open / open
3 / Open / open / open

As cited in - The Basics of Data Literacy: Helping Your Students (and You!) Make Sense of Data

This curriculumsupports you and your students in designing and implementing a solution that could take many forms. Throughout the curriculum students are asked to write in a journal (Appendix B). Please modify as you see fit, and share any modifications in the Curriculum Bank. We hope you are as excited as we are to see the creative solutions your students come up with!Here are some examples of what other classrooms have come up with:

●Invasive Species Forum

●Multi-Grade Invasive Species Public Awareness Campaign

●Invasive Species Carnival

TimelineSummary of Project Goals

  1. Vital Signs Investigation: Are there invasives in our community? – approximately 10 class periods
  2. Studentswill monitor and understand the possible impacts of invasive species on native species and ecosystems in Maine and in their community.
  1. Part I: Identifying the Need in our Community - approximately 3 class periods (w/1-2 homework assignments)
  2. The class will appreciate both the possible impacts of invasives and understand why community awareness and engagement is important – increasing the number of people on the look out for invaders.
  1. Part II: Investigating the Problem - approximately 4 class periods
  2. Students will gauge community knowledge and interest around invasive species to inform how they will raise awareness and engagement in invasive species monitoring efforts in their community.
  1. Part III: Solutionizing - approximately 2 class periods
  2. Students will become empowered to think creatively about the problem and propose possible solutions.
  1. Part IV: Planning & Implementing a Solution - varies based on proposed solution
  2. Students will plan and implement an end product that results in community engagement/participation.
  1. Part V: Monitoring Progress and Reflection -approximately 2 classes
  2. Students will reflect on their collaboration skills and learn how to measure the effects/success of their solution against the criteria and constraints they identified.

This project takes anywhere from 6-8 weeks including both a Vital Signs investigation and the Vital Communities extension project. Keep in mind this timeline will vary for every educator based on length and frequency of your classes. Consider starting with more structure and scaffolding, and making the project more open-ended from year to year as you are more comfortable and have more examples from previous classes work. This is also a great opportunity to connect with other content areas for an interdisciplinary project.

Vital Signs and Vital Communities Curriculum Standards

What follows are some of the standards and learning outcomes that this curriculum along with the Vital Signs curriculum help you work towards in your classroom. This list is not exhaustive. The curriculum can be tailored to meet your particular learning targets.

Vital Signs and the Vital Communities unit extension work toward these NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-LS2-1. / Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence forthe effects ofresource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-2. / Construct an explanation that predictspatterns ofinteractions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
MS-LS2-3. / Develop a model to describethe cycling of matter and flow of energyamong living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-4. / Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence thatchanges tophysical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
MS-ESS3-3. / Apply scientific principles to designa method for monitoring and minimizinga human impact on the environment.
MS-ESS3-4. / Construct an argument supported by evidence for howincreases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resourcesimpact Earth's systems.
MS-ETS1-1. / Define the criteria and constraints of a design problemwith sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principlesand potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-2. / Evaluate competing design solutionsusing a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

1

NGSS
Practices / Cross Cutting Concepts / Disciplinary Core Ideas
Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) / Planning and carrying out investigations / Analyzing and interpreting data / Using mathematics and computational thinking / Engaging in argument from evidence / Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information / Scale, proportion, and quantity / Systems and system models / Energy and matter / Stability and change / LS2
A&C / LS4 / ESS3 / ETS1B / ETS2
Vital Signs Investigation / x / x / x / x / x / x / x / x / x
Part I: / x / x / x / x / x / x
Part II: / x / x / x / x / x
Part III: / x / x / x / x
Part IV: / x / x / x
Part V: / x
CC Math / CC ELA / MLR, Sci & Tech
7.SP.A.1 / 7.SP.A.2 / 7.RP.A.2.A / RST.6-8.7 / WHST.6-8.1 / WHST.6-8.4-8.6 / WHST.6-8.7 / WHST.6-8.10 / A1 / A2 / A3 / B1 / B2
Vital Signs Investigation / x / x / x / x / x / x / x / x
Part I: / x / x / x / x
Part II: / x / x / x / x / x / x / x / x
Part III: / x / x / x / x
Part IV: / x / x / x
Part V: / x / x / x / x / x

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Vital Communities Checklist

[Adapted from KIDS As Planners: A Guide to Strengthening Students, Schools and Communities through Service-Learning pg. 24]:

Consider these items as you plan your unit. We are happy to help with resources and advice when possible. Please email us at

❒Goals – goals for you, your students, your community? How will you reflect and assess?

❒Scope - dates/times of project

❒Funding - will you need money, how much, how will you get it?

❒Safety - school policies, paperwork, photo permission, first aid kits, etc.

❒Transportation - do you need it, when will you need it, how will you get it?

❒Supplies and equipment - what do you need, how much, from where, any training needed?

❒Parental support - will you need parent participation?

❒Media - who will you contact, will students write press releases, will students take and submit photos?

❒Documentation - who will write the Vital Signs blog, who will post your project to the curriculum bank, did you create a new mission (if, yes, who will send that to Vital Signs to post)?

Part I: Identifying the Need in our Community

Timeline ~3 class periods (with 1-2 homework assignments)

Part I Overview: Studentswillexplore their prior knowledge of invasive species and interview a community member to get their perspective as well. After gathering this information students will draft a problem statement.

Goals: For the class to appreciate both the possible impacts of invasives and understand why community awareness and engagement is important – increasing the number of people on the look out for invaders

Outcome: A classroom problem statement to frame the Vital Communities Project.

Note – The activities in this section offer many opportunities for students to practice using Talk Moves.

Pre-work: Have students complete entry 1 in their journals as homework the night before you intend to start this part.

Activity 1:Exploring What You Know

Note: if students have not completed entry 1, have them do so at the start of the activity.

  1. Have students review their thinking in their journals (entry 1) [Note: Journal can be found in Appendix B]. As they review their journal entry have them go to the Explore Data page on the Vital Signs website to look over their school data and other data in their area and across the state. Encourage them to add to their journal entry, using Vital Signs data as evidence.
  1. Have students work in small groups to discuss what they wrote in their journals aswell as any learning from modeling games or news stories that you explored, their in class and out of class observations of invasives, and conclusions they drew from looking at the data. Have them record their thoughts on chart paper.
  1. Have each group post their chart paper, and allow students time to roam around the room and check out the thinking of other groups.
  1. Debrief with a read through of the lists. Capture any additional questions, thinking, or further discussion on the chart paper.
  1. What does the community know?
  • Pose the question, "Is the community aware of the issue of invasives? Why should they be?" For homework you will be collecting evidence.
  • Homework: Have students ask a parent, neighbor, or other community member (this could include other kids in the community, not just adults) what they know about invasive species and record notes from the conversation in their journals (entry 2).

Modification Idea: If you think some students will struggle to find a community member to interview, set up a panel of school staff and other community members for them to interview during class time.

Activity 2:Sharing Community Knowledge

  1. Have students work with a partner to share out on their conversations. Did the communitymember you talked to know about invasives? What did they know? How are they helping to keep our community free of invasives?
  • Allow each pair to report out on their thinking. Consider the following prompts as ways to direct their discussion that will support their problem statement drafting in step 2:
  • Describe how much your community is interested in and knowledgeable about invasive species.
  • Description the ideal situation regarding community knowledge of invasives
  • Describe the possible consequences of the current state of community interest and knowledge about invasives.
  • Let the students know that educating the community about invasive species and engaging the community in invasive species monitoring will be the project you are working on for the next ____ week(s).
  1. In pairs have students complete entry 3 to draft a problemstatement.
  2. Have pairs share their statements with the class. Have them try and come to consensus on a shared problem statement, either one that a pair has drafted, or one that combines the best parts of multiple statements. Have them capture this new, shared problem statement in their journals (entry 4).
  3. Let the students know that over the next weeks you will be working on a solution to help with that problem.

Part II: Investigating the Problem

Timeline ~4 class periods

Note: This can be a great activity to do during your initial Vital Signs unit to help your class choose their Field Mission.

Part II Overview:Students will collaborate with peers to create, plan, test and analyze a survey. They will consider important aspects of surveys such as sample size and demographics and use skills in probability and graphing.

Goals: To gauge community knowledge and interest around invasive species to inform how your students will raise awareness and engagement in invasive species monitoring efforts.

Note: If you do the Vital Communities project multiple years, it might be interesting to use the same survey or keep many of the same questions in order to see how the community’s awareness has changed over time. It may in part be a measure of the impact of the past year’s project.

Outcomes: A survey, survey data, summary of survey data, an informed conclusion of what the community knows and is interested in, student appreciation for the value of sample vs. population and sample data.

Activity 1:Survey Question Design

Note: Consider using something like Survey Monkey or Google Forms.Survey Monkey is especially good because it is free, has survey templates, and creates graphs automatically for some questions! Google Forms is also great, and has a function in the responses form that will summarize your data (Go to the response form → Form → Show Summary of Responses).

  1. Have students reflect in their journals in entry 5. They will be reflecting on how and why their answers to entry 1 may have changed as well as starting to brainstorms questions they think they need to ask in their survey.
  1. Tell students that as a class you want to learn more about what community members already know about invasive species, what invasive species they might be interested in or concerned about, and what they are interested in learning more about. You might also be interested in how much different groups of community members know about invasives. To learn more about this, you are going to create a survey for our community.

Sample survey questions
Demographics / Are you male or female? / What is your age? / How many people are in your family? / What is your highest level of education?
Species of Interest / How familiar are you with these species? / Rank the importance of the following species. / What ME species are you most concerned with? / How critical do you think the following species are to ME’s environment?
How people get information? / What is your preferred method of receiving information? / Which method of communication do you always ignore?
What kind of activity/initiative/event would people be interested in? / How likely would you be to attend/participate in the following things? / On a scale of 0-10, how much do you enjoy the following activities?
  1. Depending on the age of the students and their experience with surveys, you may need to spend a little more time talking about surveys. Give students a few minutes to draft a question for the survey on their own (you can choose to use the sample questions aboveto get them started, add your own, or just see what they come up with). After they have had some time to think on their own, have them work with a buddy. Compare questions and offer one another feedback. If their questions are similar, can they pick one that does the trick?
  1. Have a shared document (e.g. a Google doc) ready, or use chart paper, and capture all of the drafted questions.
  1. As a class, think about how many questions you might want to have as a maximum. Narrow down your questions to that number or fewer and weed out repetition.

"How many questions will someone want to answer? How many do we want to analyze? How many do we think we need to get the information we are looking for?"

  1. Next, have your students consider things like rating scales, multiple choice, and fill in the blanks as methods that would both make the surveys easier to complete and easier to analyze. You could have them work in small groups to refine the questions using these ideas. Perhaps give one question per group to hone to a final version.

Activity 2:Survey Sampling Method Design - Sample Size, Plan and Testing

  1. Have the class think about whom they should survey and how they should get the data. Get students to consider that they are interested in engaging people from across the whole community, but don't have time to survey every member of the community.
  • Who do they have easy access to survey? Maybe this is parents, neighbors, librarians, crossing guards, bus drivers, etc.
  • Push students to think about how the sample might be biased if they just survey parents or teachers.
  1. How many people should we try to survey? Students might want to consider how big the community is, how many kids are going to help distribute and collect surveys, how much time they have, or other means you might have to distribute and collect data.
  • Do you have access to a school website, Facebook, or twitter account that might allow you to get more participation in your survey?
  • Town offices are a great resource, many have email lists and a website with which you can post announcements.

Note – You could divide the class in to a group that is finalizing the survey and a group that is planning out who to survey. Have each group report out on their work.