tigations involve temperature, light, UVA/UVB, anemometers, relative humidity, and barometric pressure sensors. Students monitor air quality at schools throughout the community to study microclimates or collect water quality data at particular sites along a stream to determine point and non-point sources of water pollution. After they import data into Vernier’s LoggerPro software, a Google map depicting a satellite view of the area displays testing sites as well as the data they have collected at each site. The availability of the satellite view of the area in conjunc- tion with data allows students to explore aspects of the environment they may have missed while they were outside. For example, if a student tests water temperature along a stream and finds that the temperature at a particular site is several degrees higher than sites upstream, the map may reveal a source of pollution such as stormwater runoff from a nearby parking lot that could not be seen from the actual testing site. This map- ping technology serves as a valuable tool as students across Caldwell and Burke counties test water quality along sites in the Catawba River basin to evaluate the effectiveness of the area’s local stormwater management plan. Teachers and students develop a better understanding of the inter- connectedness of our environmental resources as they share data through such collaborative projects.

Discoveries on Campus

In a short-term investigation, I directed students to find the hottest or coldest spot on campus. They collected temperature and light reflectivity data on various surfaces such as asphalt, concrete, grass, or mulch. After analyzing the data on the map, students “dis- covered” the relationship between the amount of light reflected from or absorbed by a surface and its resulting temperature. In setting up a solar panel on the school campus for experimentation, students used a light sensor to determine a location near the ground for easy access that received maximum sunlight for an extended time. In building a small wind turbine to harness wind energy, students measured wind speed with an anemometer throughout the day at various sites to determine the best location. A student can use the LabQuest GPS sensor to collect distance, velocity, and accelera-

tion data as he or she rides a bicycle around campus, tests a soapbox derby car, or rides a roller coaster at the amusement park. Students can investigate how speed bumps in the school driveways change speed. Provided the speed bump is on an incline, a LabQuest and GPS sensor can be strapped to the top of a skateboard that rolls down the road and over the speed bump. Different speeds are investigated by altering the starting point of the skateboard. The higher the point of release, the higher the speed of the skateboard when it reaches the speed bump. Data may also be collected using indirect methods such as video analysis. When sen-

sors cannot be used directly, students may use digital cameras and analyze videos with Vernier’s LoggerPro software. For example, motion in two dimensions such as tossing a basketball into a goal, or side-to-side motion, such as a car traveling on the highway, can- not be measured directly with motion sensors. However, distance, velocity, and accelera- tion can be determined from the video of a passing car, flying bird, or a rocket launch. National Science Education Standards stress the importance of inquiry-based peda-

gogy in the science classroom. “Scientific inquiry refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Inquiry also refers to the activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how sci- entists study the natural world.”1

1. National Science Education Standards (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1996), 23. ©SYNERGY LEARNING • 800-769-6199 • MARCH/APRIL 2012 Connect • PAGE 9

Caldwell County science teachers rise to the challenge presented in a physics geocache. After finding the site and searching for the hidden materials, they must rig a pulley system to pull a member of the team up to the tree branch.

Students “discovered” the relationship

between the amount of light reflected

from or absorbed by a surface and its resulting temperature.

regina barrier