INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS

FIELD TEST OF INVESTIGATING PRODUCERS IN ECOSYSTEMS
A garden slug and a pill bug on a leaf.

  • Thank you for participating in this field test of science curriculum materials. Your contributions will help us to refine a developmentally appropriate, inquiry-based science instructional unit centered around interdependence of organisms, and designed to enable students to read, write and speak as budding scientists. This project is funded by a grant from the Science Education Partnership Award of the National Institutes of Health (grant number R25ODO21865 PI: Nancy Moreno).

    This field test is open to any self-contained Houston-area first grade school teacher who teaches reading, writing and science to the same group of students. Participating teachers will teach the interdependence unit in their classroom and will receive teaching materials for up to 24 students. All will receive lesson materials, including pill bugs, for use with their students. Each teacher also will administer pre- and post-knowledge assessments with their students and provide a critique of the unit. Participants will receive stipend of $400 (payable upon participant’s completion of all study components).

  • Timeline and Project Website Access Information

    Thank you again for participating in the BCM-UNT science curriculum field test! 

    If you have any questions about the field test, please email us at edoutreach@bcm.edu. 

    NOTE: The field test requires 15 consecutive classroom days (3 weeks) and can be conducted any time between April 26 and June 4, 2021. 

     

    BEFORE YOU START 

    • PILL BUGS: Remember to order your pill bugs before you begin the lessons (See attached instructions). Algae will arrive 1-2 days after ordering and will be needed for lesson day 2. 
    • ID NUMBERS: Assign an ID number to each student and record on the student ID page. 
    • PRETEST: Give your students the pretest. Make sure students record their ID numbers (NO NAMES!) on the top of the test. Please read the questions and answer options to them twice, but do not answer any questions. Let them know they will find out the answers over the next few weeks! Record the date on the Form Return Packing Slip (front of binder). 
    • INQUIRY CIRCLES RESOURCES: Identify the resources you will provide as inquiry circle options for your students and gather or select them ahead of time (see Inquiry Circle Resources Menu above for resource lists). 

     DAILY DURING THE FIELD TEST 

    • TEACHER LOGS: Complete the project log survey for each lesson day (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IAOdailyLog2021). Please try to complete the log on the same day as the lesson, as it may be difficult to remember the information otherwise. 

    WEEKLY DURING THE FIELD TEST 

    • STUDENT REPORTS: At the end of each project week, students should complete a short reflection page – the Weekly Reports (found in your binder and on in a PDF format on this site).  
    • Please DO NOT coach them or let students collaborate. They can write, draw or some combination of both, but it is important that the reports are completed independently after you read them the instructions at the top of the page.  
    • Make sure students use the same ID number on each report as they did on the pretest. Record dates on the Form Return Packing Slip (front of binder). 

    AFTER THE FIELD TEST 

    • POSTTESTS: Once all of the project days are completed, give your students the posttest. Please make sure students mark their ID numbers on the top of the test. Record the date on the Form Return Packing Slip (front of binder). 
    • RETURNING FORMS: You will mail back your project forms to BCM using the pre-paid FedEx envelope in the back of your binder. Please make sure you include the following: 
    • Form Return Packing Slip (front pocket of binder) with dates for each test and report 
    • Attendance and ID sheet (blue sheet in binder) with student names removed 
    • Student Pretests with ID numbers at the top 
    • Student Week One Reports with ID numbers at the top 
    • Student Week Two Reports with ID numbers at the top 
    • Student Week Three Reports with ID numbers at the top 
    • Student Posttests with ID numbers at the top 
    • POST-EVALUATION: You will receive a link via email to the project post-evaluation in June. Please do not complete the post-evaluation until AFTER you have completed all field test lessons. 

    TO RECEIVE YOUR FULL STIPEND, YOU MUST 

    1. Mail back all forms to BCM with student ID numbers clearly marked 
    1. Complete all 15 Daily Logs  
    1. Complete the project post-evaluation (link will be emailed to you in June)