Making Science Relevant: Engaging Students through Real-World Applications

1. Making Science Relevant to Students Lives Teaching Module December 4, 2010FrehiwotGebrehiwotRET Fellow 2010University of Illinois at Chicago

2. Overview of Student Population and Learning Environment • Students in 11th Grade • Chemistry Class • Low mathematical skills • Do not see science as relevant • Difficulty grasping the microscopic (atomic) nature of scientific concepts • Lack of necessary lab materials and equipment • Lack of funding

3. Issues to be Addressed • How can I make my teaching more relevant to my students lives? • How can I provide more opportunities for my students to use technology to conduct investigations that are meaningful?

4. Goals of Teaching Module • 1) To engage students by infusing my curriculum with real world application of science • 2) To make connections between students lives and what they are learning • 3)To integrate technology for students to gain broader understanding of concepts being taught • 4) Expose my students to current scientific research

5. What I Learned as an RET Fellow • Most scientific research is based at the micro and nano scale • The application of technology in assisting research • The importance of collaboration • The importance of effective communication

6. Lesson ModuleReasons for Approach • Students come from communities where substance abuse is a major problem • They themselves are at high risk for drug and alcohol abuse • The class content covers the structure of chemical compounds and chemical quantities • The topic of drugs will be studied within this content

7. Lesson Module Activities • Students will investigate the chemical structure and composition of major drugs • They will calculate chemical quantities of specific drugs such as molecular weight, percent composition, number of moles… • Teacher will present and discuss research poster “The Role of the Nucleus Accumbens Shell in Regulating Water and Salt Intake” • Make the connection with what we are learning • Students will watch video clips of teacher’s research experience • Discuss with students what I have learned in my research experience

8. Lesson Module Continued • Students will investigate brain cells and their structure using a digital microscope • Students will be assigned to research a specific drug • Students will collaborate to produce a PowerPoint illustrating: • The chemical structure and function of the drug • How the drug alter the structure of the brain and the body’s normal function • How addiction occurs and the biochemical pathways involved • The drugs short and long term effects • Current scientific research on addiction (drug)

9. Needed Equipment to Implement Module • Digital Microscope: • ability to capture still image and video • Full screen viewing • Image sharing • Microscope Slides • Requested Assistance: $700

10. Learning Outcome • Thru this teaching module students will be able to: • experience the connection between what they learn in the classroom and real life situations= meaningful learning • greater understanding and appreciation of the microscopic nature of life • knowledge of current scientific research • greater engagement and ownership of their own learning

11. Acknowledgment • Dr Andreas Linninger, Program Director • Seon B. Kim, Program Assistant • Dr David Wirtshafter, Research Mentor • University of Illinois at Chicago • National Science Foundation RET 0743068