Texas students are struggling to meet minimum expectations in science. In April, 2006, only 75% of fifth graders and 60% of eighth graders met passing standards on the statewide science assessment (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills). The performance of African American and Hispanic students was even lower—only 59% of African American and 67% of Hispanic students met fifth grade standards and 32% and 39% respectively met eighth grade standards. Within the Houston Independent School District (HISD), which serves 210,000 predominantly minority and disadvantaged students—the situation is even worse. Not all 2006 scores have been reported, but only 65% of all fifth grade HISD students met minimum standards in science this year. Clearly, a growing city and statewide crisis exists in science education. The Houston Chronicle recently highlighted this local “crisis in sciences,” and identified the improvement of elementary science as critical to ensuring that students have the foundation and enthusiasm to pursue advanced studies and careers in science, mathematics and engineering.
The Environment as a Context for Opportunities in Schools (ECOS) project is a direct response to local and state needs for improved science teaching and learning in elementary schools. The ECOS project uses environmental health sciences themes to engage students and teachers in doing and learning science aligned with the Texas science standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills). The project provides curriculum support, teacher professional development and all science materials for eleven HISD elementary schools. Six of these schools are organized into two study cohorts, where the project is investigating outcomes related to students’ science learning and language use, and teachers’ content knowledge development and classroom behaviors. The project has documented statistically significant gains in teacher and student content knowledge—with the largest improvements being observed among Hispanic students.
The ECOS project is based on the My Health My World and My World and Me science curricula, developed at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) with funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Center for Research Resources. Each integrated My Health My World unit covers an environmental topic from the physical, life and environmental health sciences perspectives. Each unit also includes an adventure story book (illustrated by T Lewis, co-creator of Over the Hedge), a reading/language arts component, mathematics extensions and an Explorations mini-magazine for use at home or in class.
The specific aims are to:
Collaboratively design, implement, and evaluate an instructional program for HISD elementary schools that integrates science, health, reading/language arts, mathematics, and social studies around environmental health science themes, while promoting academic achievement through development of student content knowledge and skills, especially related to problem-solving and critical thinking
Improve teacher practice through intensive summer and year-round professional development on content and teaching strategies related to the proposed instructional program and encouragement of team work, reflection, collegiality, and self-assessment
Support school-wide reform of teaching and learning through workshops and collaborative activities (such as science festivals) involving teachers, parents, administrators, and community members
Implement rigorous, hypothesis-driven evaluation strategies that examine student content knowledge and problem-solving skills, student attitudes, teacher development (particularly factors contributing to the development of expert versus novice teachers), and whole-school reform
Disseminate the curricular/instructional model, evaluation instruments and methodologies, and other research findings to schools in Houston, Texas, and throughout the nation and to community stakeholders using multiple strategies
Teacher Content Knowledge
Each cohort of teachers received professional development related to the units they would be teaching. In 2003, content knowledge of Cohort One teachers was measured pre/post during the summer professional development sessions using a different open-ended instrument for each unit. Overall, teachers’ mean scores increased from 15.8 (53% correct answers) to 24.1 (80.3%) from pre- to post-test (p < .001, df = 22, t = 11.219, d = 2.018). In January 2004, teachers also completed pre/post content knowledge assessments on the individual units in which they were trained. Mean scores increased statistically significantly from 11.24 (37%) to 16.46 (55%) after the one-day workshop (p < .001, df = 24, t = 9.074, d = 1.252). In 2004, Cohort Two teachers achieved similar gains in content knowledge. Overall, teachers’ mean scores increased from 13.8 (46% correct answers) to 21.1 (70.3%) from pre- to post-test (p < .001, df = 26, t = 9.609, d = 1.471).
Student Content Knowledge and Achievement in Science
Student content knowledge is examined pre/post for each unit implemented in classrooms throughout all years of the program. During 2003–2004, only the first cohort of three schools participated. Students in the second cohort of schools served as comparison groups. Students in both cohorts, however, completed pre- and post-assessments of content knowledge using instruments validated during the field tests of each unit. It is important to note that there were no statistical differences among Cohort One and Cohort Two schools on any of the pretests during 2003-2004. In addition, there was no statistically significant increase in student content knowledge scores among any Cohort Two schools during the baseline year of implementation. Among Cohort One schools, however, there were statistically significant gains in content knowledge at each grade level. During the 2004-2005 school year, student performance on unit-specific content examinations improved consistently in both Cohorts.
My World and Me: Living Things and Their Needs(http://ccitonline.org/ceo/content.cfm?content_id=98) Living Things and Their Needs unit allows very young students to explore living and non-living things, and the basic needs of plants and animals (including humans). The unit consists of ten age-appropriate guided inquiry lessons. In the rhyming "big book" that accompanies the unit, the turtle, Tillena Lou explores her home and discovers interesting things about the animals that live nearby. Tillena Lou and all of the other characters in the My World and My Health My World series were created by T Lewis, illustrator of "Over the Hedge." Keywords: Basic Needs including air, food, water, shelter and relationships to health Subjects: Reading, Writing, Communication, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Health & fitness
ECOS
preK-2
Resources
My World and Me: Resources and Environments(http://ccitonline.org/ceo/content.cfm?content_id=99) Classroom activities can be downloaded from BioEd Online(http://www.bioedonline.org/k%2D5/teacher-resources.cfm) Through guided inquiry activities, young students learn how resources from the environment help fill basic human needs for clean air, water, food and places to live. The accompanying "big book," Tillena's Big Adventure, focuses on the differences between natural and manmade environments. Tillena Lou and all of the other characters in the My World and My Health My World series were created by T Lewis, illustrator of "Over the Hedge." Keywords: Resources that fulfill human needs, ecosystems Subjects: Reading, Writing, Communication, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Health & fitness
ECOS
preK-2
Air
My World: My World Indoors(http://ccitonline.org/ceo/content.cfm?content_id=94) In this unit, readers meet the main characters of the My Health My World series: two squirrels (cousins) named Riff and Rosie, an old beaver named Mr. Slaptail, and a grasshopper-Chirpen J. Wingfellow, III-who serves as a guide for students and teachers. My World Indoors explores air quality and related issues, including allergies, in the places we live, study and work. The adventure story finds Riff and Rosie observing their neighbor, Mr. Slaptail, dragging a big dark bag down a moonlit road. What could be in that bag? As the mystery unfolds, the cousins discover Mr. Slaptail's cluttered, dusty home is packed full of trash, recycled products and chemical products such as paint and glue. It turns out that he uses this trash to make toys! But this lifestyle creates a contaminated indoor environment. Riff and Rosie help Mr. Slaptail clean up his house, making it a healthier place to live. Keywords: Gases, air, breathing/respiration, indoor air pollution, allergies, asthma, smoking pollution/cessation, science careers Subjects: Reading, Writing, Communication, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Health & fitness
ECOS
2-4
Water
My World: Water and My World(http://ccitonline.org/ceo/content.cfm?content_id=95) Water and My World provides a fresh perspective on water and why it's important to the well-being of all living creatures. In the adventure story, Riff and Rosie are racing paper boats on Beaver Pond when they encounter many of their neighbors sadly leaving their homes. The marsh and creek have become murky, shallow and downright smelly! What is going on in Beaver Pond that the animals must leave? Riff and Rosie set out to discover the cause of pollution in their water environment. They find that the fertilizer making the nearby park beautiful also is creating a scummy swamp! The cousins work together with their neighbors to make their water livable again. This fun, educational book features colorful and informative science boxes. These highlighted areas discuss health related topics such as fresh water facts, water in the human body, pollutants and water runoff. Keywords: Physical science of water, water in living systems, non-point source water pollluntion, bio-accumulation, eutrophication, risks to human health from water pollution, wise use of water, science careers Subjects: Reading, Writing, Communication, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Health & fitness
ECOS
2-4
Global Resources
My World: My Home Planet Earth(http://ccitonline.org/ceo/content.cfm?content_id=96) My Home Planet Earth focuses on changes in the upper atmosphere, such as global warming, and how the changes may affect life on Earth. In this adventure story, Riff and Rosie can't wait to see what contraption Mr. Slaptail is masterminding now - on his rooftop! However, while helping him complete his solar water heater, an explosion occurs at the local coal mine. Community members rush to the site to find the owner, Beulah Diggerpaw, is trapped inside! How will they get her out? After Beulah is rescued, she announces she will close the mine which fuels most of the energy needs in Bright Water Corners. Now, what will they use for energy? Like all My Health My World story books, this one includes illustrated instructions for a toy used by Riff and Rosie during their adventure, as well as a glossary of health and science terms for student and teacher use. Keywords: solar energy, radiation, carbon cycle, atmosphere, global warming, ozone depletion, climate change, skin cancer prevention, alternative energy souces, science careers Subjects: Reading, Writing, Communication, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Health & fitness
ECOS
2-4
Food
My World: Food and My World(http://ccitonline.org/ceo/content.cfm?content_id=97) The latest My Health My World unit, Food and My World, examines food production, nutrition and food safety with unique activities for students and families. The story book places Curious Riff and Rosie in a new sleuthing situation with Mr. Slaptail. When they receive a strange, urgent note from him asking for their help, they know it must be big mystery, indeed! What could be happening that even Mr. Slaptail can't figure it out? While enjoying sandwiches made with vegetables from Mr. Slaptail's garden, the two cousins learn from their friend that leaves are disappearing from his lettuce plants. What could be happening to the leaves? Where are they going? And who-or what-is taking them? After a scary night in the garden, the secret is revealed. By the end of the story, Riff and Rosie learn some important lessons about food, plants, and good health. Keywords: soil, photosynthesis, producers and consumers, food webs, food safety, bacterial contamination of food, pesticides, nutrition, food pyramid, safe food preparation, science careers Subjects: Reading, Writing, Communication, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Health & fitness
Texas students are struggling to meet minimum expectations in science. In April, 2006, only 75% of fifth graders and 60% of eighth graders met passing standards on the statewide science assessment (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills). The performance of African American and Hispanic students was even lower—only 59% of African American and 67% of Hispanic students met fifth grade standards and 32% and 39% respectively met eighth grade standards. Within the Houston Independent School District (HISD), which serves 210,000 predominantly minority and disadvantaged students—the situation is even worse. Not all 2006 scores have been reported, but only 65% of all fifth grade HISD students met minimum standards in science this year. Clearly, a growing city and statewide crisis exists in science education. The Houston Chronicle recently highlighted this local “crisis in sciences,” and identified the improvement of elementary science as critical to ensuring that students have the foundation and enthusiasm to pursue advanced studies and careers in science, mathematics and engineering.
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