The purpose of this "Student Watershed Research Project" is to promote collaboration between science teachers and cooperating scientists to involve students in significant scientific research as an integral part of science instruction during the regular school day. The 3-year program will develop and disseminate training, instructional materials, and support enabling student collection, interpretation, and communication of scientific data in a local watershed. Middle/high school teachers will participate in aquatic research, and develop instructional plans to involve their students. Reliable, replicable data collection procedures for use with students will be developed or adapted from existing sources and validated in cooperation with scientists from universities and government agencies. Under the guidance of their teacher, students will collect and analyze physical, chemical, and biological data from a local watershed. Through a project-developed computer conferencing system, students will contribute their data to a regional data base and discuss their findings across school and municipal boundaries. Teachers will receive information and support electronically to continue collaboration with peers and cooperating scientists. Students will interact with the scientists for questions and discussion. Student data will be contributed to public agencies and university research projects. Teachers and students will present findings, discuss issues, and attend additional training workshops at a regional convention involving all project participants. Project-developed training, materials, and methodologies will be packaged for dissemination to any district interested in adopting the program. The project runs from September 1, 1991 to September 30, 1994. The cost sharing by the institution is 34% of the amount requested from NSF.
