Using Research Articles to improve science fair topic selection

Christopher Munzert Mt. Hope High School

Bristol, RI

Background

• Science teacher at Mt. Hope HS in Bristol, RI 2004-Present • Member: ARISE Cohort 1 • Lead teacher: Mt. Hope Biotechnolgy Academy 2006-

Present • Courses Taught

– Biology (CP/Honors) – Introduction to Biotechnology – Marine Biotech/Biomanufacturing – Agricultural Biotech/Forensic Biotech

Science Fair Season is Fast Approaching!!

Old model of topic selection

“I wanna do that”

Research question

from search engine

Execute

controlled Experiment

Pre determined methods for

pre determined outcomes

Background research to “Flesh out” requisite knowledge to

answer judges questions

Wo

rkflow

ISEF Changes Everything!

• 2009 ISEF: Reno, NV

• Amazing, creative, rigorous projects!

• New Questions: “How do I get my students to do projects like this?”

• New Problems: “Trite, mundane projects don’t cut it anymore!”

Summers at Brown

• Summer ’10 & 11 at Brown U Pollen Genetics Lab with Dr. Mark Johnson

• Papers “ramp up” Plant/Pollen knowledge

• First experience using papers to guide research

(Effects of BPA on Pollen Tube Growth) • Weekly “Paper Talks” focus on new findings and

connect to current projects in the lab.

Lightbulb Moment!

• Journal articles drive research ideas.

• If “real scientists” figure out what their next project/experiments should be by keeping up on current literature in the field, why can’t my students use the literature to learn about a field and ask a new question?

A New Model for Topic Selection

BIG IDEAS / PROBLEMS

Secondary Articles

Primary Journal Articles

Materials and Methods

New, Elegant, Testable

Question for Experimentation

Wo

rkflow

CRITICAL MASS

Literature Helps to

Overcome Stumbling

blocks

Implementation: Supporting the New Model

1.) Teach students how to read papers

2.) Support students on their path to “critical mass”

Reading Papers

• Lots of great tools to help students understand the anatomy of research articles!

Teaching students to read Science Journals: Weekly Paper Talks

• Practice reading papers builds confidence (content/inquiry)

• Tie to course content for seamless integration • 6 Guiding Questions establish a reading lens and

frame class discussion • Scaffolding with JESS “flattens” the learning

curve.

• JESS is a professionally reviewed academic journal, which exclusively publishes original research articles written by high school students.

• Articles are written in the same techincal format as required by many popular scholarly journals.

• Allows students to get comfortable with format of papers, while reading about relatively “linear” types of scientific thinking.

• Teachers/Students can leverage confidence reading papers to fuel science fair topic selection.

Journal of Experimental Secondary Science

Getting to “Critical Mass”

• Inspiration lists help students narrow their interest

• Conferencing/ Hot leads

• “Teaser” papers

• Small group presentations

• Contact with mentors

• Frequent drafts of background research

2012 Project Topics

– Using a modified Starch Assay to detect gluten digesting enzymes in fungi.

– Measuring the epigenetic effects of resveratrol on cancer genes in zebrafish.

– Phytoremediation of Selenium from brownfields by B. rapa.

– Screening for Anti-quorum sensing compounds in bacteria.

– Utilizing ACTN3 genotypes of athletes to make coaching decisions.

– Utilizing TAS2R38 tasting status to deter students from smoking.

Unintended Outcomes

• Noticible gains in confidence among students

• Literature study of the use of journal articles in the classroom (I’ll share the highlights with you)

• Slam Dunk SLO goals

– Responding to informational text

– Data, Statistics, Probability

Next Steps/Future Work

• 18 Students in Marine Biotechnology are currently building “critical mass” in lots of interesting areas.

• Piloting activities to cultivate skills related to reading and analyzing journal articles and extend to freshman Biology class

Quick Hitters: Using Journal Articles with Students

"Scientific Writing & the Scientific Method: Parallel “Hourglass” Structure in Form & Content.”

• The American Biology Teacher 65.8 (2003): 591-94. Print.

• A paper about how to read papers!!

• Great place to start when teaching students the anatomy of journal articles.

An Online Tutorial for Helping Nonscience Majors Read Primary Research Literature in

Biology • Gillen, C.M.

• AJP: Advances in Physiology Education 28.3 (2004): 95-99. Print.

• The tutorial consists of four assignments that explore “1) the overall structure of a paper and the 2) Introduction, 3) Methods, and 4)Results sections”

• Each lesson has three parts and follows a gradual increase in difficulty by first modeling a concept, then allowing students to practice their new skills, then finally apply the skills to a new situation.

Learning Biology Through Research Papers: Developing Scientific Literacy and Question-Asking

Capabilities."

• Anat Yarden, Israel

• Measures question asking abilities of students before and after exposure to journal articles.

(1) properties,

(2) Comparisons

(3) Causal relationships

• Great SLO goal!

Writing Activities Embedded in BIoscience Laboratory Courses to Change Students' Attitudes and Enhance

Their Scientific Writing.

• Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education 7.3 (2011): 193-202. Print.

• Introductory activities ask students to format their lab report in the style of a journal article before they begin writing and require students to submit a formal “proposal” of their research plan similar to an application for grant funding.

First Year Students Benefit from Reading Primary Research Articles.

• Wenk, Laura, and Tronsky, Loel.

• Journal Of College Science Teaching 40.4 (2011): 60-66. Print.

• Packed with ideas for using journal articles in the classroom.

• “Write about a graph”

• “Update the Text”

Achievable Inquiry in the College Laboratory: The Mini-Journal

• Witzig, Stephen, et. Al

• Journal of College Science Teaching 7/1/2010

• Really cool idea to take background information and previous year’s lab results and write a journal article to present to students

• Similar to new AP lab format.

Choosing Primary Literature in Biology to Achieve Specific Educational Goals

• Bandoni Muench, Susan • Journal of College Science

Teaching Feb (2000): 255-60. Print.

• Outlines factors to consider when choosing a paper to use with students.

• “The ability of the teacher to match a paper to the goals of a course or assignment along with the content readiness of the student audience is a critical factor in a successful experience with primary literature.”

Getting Undergraduates to Read and Discuss Primary Literature.

• Janick-Buckner, Diane

• Journal Of College Science Teaching Oct (1997): 29-32. Print.

• Details a process for discussing journal articles with students – Article in context

– Examine figures

– Merits of conclusions

Journal of Experimental Secondary Science

• www.jes2s.com

• Articles by high school students

• Great for introducing students to scientific journal articles.

Thank You!!

Questions/Comments:

munzertc@bw.k12.ri.us