An excerpt from the objectives of the proposal, Science as a Way of Knowing:

The challenge is to create within the traditional school building, during the traditional school day, with the traditional textbook and paucity of materials, a series of experiences that involve students doing real science, not pretend science. The National Science Education Standards point the way at least when they call on teachers to "create environments in which they and their students work together as active learners." and together "...they are active as members of science-learning communities" (National Research Council 1996). This implies activities where neither the students nor the teachers know the outcomes in advance. It also suggests activities which include stakeholders and professionals outside the classroom as part of the learning community.

This Kenan Fellows' project seeks to build momentum for project-based learning in the earth and environmental sciences. Resources include tips and techniques tried in the classroom, project-selection strategies, alternative scenarios for organizing projects within a classroom, grading rubrics, as well as suggested project topics. Web links include service-learning and problem-based learning sites as well as selected earth/environmental science project content-related resources.

Finally, if you share an interest in this effort, please join like-minded professionals in our efforts to build a science-learning community that includes teachers, students, and community stakeholders.

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National Research Council. 1996. National Science Education Standards. National Academy Press. Washington, DC. 262pp.