Curriculum and PD

Nature Notes are shorter form, published scientific observations.  Students make connections to what they notice and what they know to ask compelling questions or pose new ideas.  The Nature Note can be the jumping off point for deeper investigation.

Research Articles are full scientific investigations.  Students examine an environmental phenomena and write a complete study including: introduction, methods, results, and conclusion.  With the Research Article students hit all NGSS science practices.

Peer review allows students to review other students’ work from other schools without submitting to the journal. Students will carefully examine models of student research and develop skills such as providing constructive feedback. Peer review provides students a deeper understanding of the collaborative nature of science. Peer review can be a great first step towards supporting students in submitting work of their own.

• Lyme Disease

• Bees and Blueberries

• Lobster and Sea Bass

• Maple Syrup

As Ecosystem Observers, students build curiosity and connections to local outdoor spaces and learn to make scientific observations. Through their practice, they deepen their background knowledge on an ecological topic, collect observations in the field, and generate questions and hypotheses. Students share their findings with others through the Nature Notes, which can be submitted to the journal or at the Symposium.

For more curriculum ideas from GMRI, check out our Learning Resource Hub