Grades Levels: 4-10 Subjects Addressed: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Geography, Civics, Economics, Health & Fitness
Project Description
EnviroHealth Connections is a collaborative project of Maryland Public Television (MPT), the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHBSPH), and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The goal of the project is to develop, implement, disseminate, and evaluate tools for teaching environmental health content across multiple existing curriculum areas. The project achieves its goal in two ways: professional development and development of curricular materials.
The EnviroHealth Connections Summer Institute is the major professional development activity of the project. Up to 100 teachers from throughout Maryland (and a few from out of state) participate in this 4-day experience. The Institute includes lectures by researchers at JHBSPH, introduction of strategies for technology integration by MPT staff, and demonstrations of lessons based around environmental health topics by teachers who have implemented the lessons in their classrooms.
The curricular materials developed for this project include lesson plans, videos, and online interactives. They are disseminated to teachers throughout Maryland and beyond on the EnviroHealth Connections website (http://envirohealth.thinkport.org ) which currently receives over 10,000 page views per month. The website is housed on MPT’s education supersite, Thinkport (www.thinkport.org ). The Connections website hosts over sixty classroom-tested lesson plans aligned to state standards. Additional materials include a teacher discussion board, PowerPoint presentations by researchers at JHBSPH, and links to other high quality resources. Also accessible through the website is Meet the Experts: Environmental Health, an interactive question and answer activity which features thirteen professionals whose careers center on environmental health. Students learn what these individuals studied in school; how and why they began their careers; and through their work how environmental health affects our lives.
Professional Development
Each year pre- and post- questionnaires are given to participants in the EnviroHealth Connections Summer Institute. Great gains have been made by the participants in the following areas each year:
Content knowledge needed to teach about environmental health topics
Preparedness to design instruction based on environmental health content
Skills needed to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum
EnviroMysteries
A series of high interest productions based around environmental health concerns were produced by MPT, with consultation from Dr. Trush of JHBSPH and Rebecca Bell of MSDE.
The series consists of two videos (one produced under a previous grant) and an online interactive geared toward middle level students and aligned to state standards. Each EnviroMystery is supported by extensive teacher resources including lesson plans, ideas for activities, and sources for additional information.
Breaking the Mold, one of the two EnviroMystery videos, presents a mystery story which centers on asthma and air pollution. The video aired on 146 PBS stations on Earth Day 2004 and won several prestigious industry awards including a national Environmental Media Award for best children’s program and several film festival honors. It has aired on MPT fifteen times since its production. Nationally, PBS stations have the rights to air it 6 times over a period of 4 years.
Classroom Study
In spring 2006, the Connections evaluation team conducted a study to determine the effect of Connections professional development and classroom resources on student achievement and motivation. A 5-day lesson plan was developed which incorporated the EnviroMysteries videos and other activities developed for the Connections project.
To assess student learning in the various conditions, MPT and the evaluators developed a knowledge test, which was administered to students prior to and at the end of the lesson. Students whose teachers who had participated in Connections professional development using the MPT-developed lesson plan had the greatest gains from pre- to post-testing. However, students whose teachers had not had Connections professional development but used the resources developed under the grant also had solid gains. At the end of the unit, all students were asked to complete a survey to ascertain their opinions about the lesson. Students in classes where the MPT-developed lesson plan and media were used were more positive about the lesson than students in classes where teachers developed their own plans.
EnviroHealth Connections Lessons(http://envirohealth.thinkport.org) These interdisciplinary lesson plans integrate environmental health topics into core content areas at both the middle school and high school level. The lessons are technology rich and effectively integrate media into the instructional process. Topics covered include: air pollution, asthma, environmental justice, food supply, evolution, weather, water, lead, urban development, genetics, obesity, food webs, global warming and cancer. Lessons online through www.thinkport.orgKeywords: air pollution, asthma, environmental justice, health, environmental science, food supply, evolution, weather, water, lead, urban development, genetics, obesity, food webs, global warming, cancer, etc. Subjects: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Geography, Civics, Economics, Health & fitness
Connections
4-10
Mold
EnviroMysteries: Breaking the Mold(http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/breakingthemold/) This video and accompanying extensive online educational resources look at health and air pollution and empower students to take an active role in environmental issues that can affect their health today and in the future. Keywords: asthma, mold, air pollution, indoor air pollution, respiratory system, mystery, science, environmental health, health Subjects: Science, Health & fitness
Connections
4-10
Water
EnviroMysteries:Water +? = Trouble(http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/watertrouble.html) This video and accompanying extensive print teacher resources explore how water can become polluted, consequences of and potential remedies for water pollution. Students are engaged in a mystery and learn why it is important to take an active role in environmental issues that can affect their health today and in the future. Keywords: water, water pollution, cholera, water cycle, water purification, mystery, science, environmental health, health Subjects: Science, Health & fitness
Connections
4-10
Health
EnviroHealth Connections Website(http://www.thinkport.org/Career/connections/default.tp) In addition to the lessons and other products under development, the Connections website houses PowerPoint presentations from our Institutes and Colloquia as well as highlights of teacher discussions.The website redesign, which is underway, will allow linkages between relevant lessons, presentation, highlights of teacher discussions and interviews with experts. Subjects: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Geography, Civics, Economics, Health & fitness
EnviroHealth Connections Lessons(http://envirohealth.thinkport.org) These interdisciplinary lesson plans integrate environmental health topics into core content areas at both the middle school and high school level. The lessons are technology rich and effectively integrate media into the instructional process. Topics covered include: air pollution, asthma, environmental justice, food supply, evolution, weather, water, lead, urban development, genetics, obesity, food webs, global warming and cancer. Lessons online through www.thinkport.org Keywords: air pollution, asthma, environmental justice, health, environmental science, food supply, evolution, weather, water, lead, urban development, genetics, obesity, food webs, global warming, cancer, etc. Subjects: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Geography, Civics, Economics, Health & fitness
Connections
4-10
Mold
EnviroMysteries: Breaking the Mold(http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/breakingthemold/) This video and accompanying extensive online educational resources look at health and air pollution and empower students to take an active role in environmental issues that can affect their health today and in the future. Keywords: asthma, mold, air pollution, indoor air pollution, respiratory system, mystery, science, environmental health, health Subjects: Science, Health & fitness
Connections
4-10
Water
EnviroMysteries:Water +? = Trouble(http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/watertrouble.html) This video and accompanying extensive print teacher resources explore how water can become polluted, consequences of and potential remedies for water pollution. Students are engaged in a mystery and learn why it is important to take an active role in environmental issues that can affect their health today and in the future. Keywords: water, water pollution, cholera, water cycle, water purification, mystery, science, environmental health, health Subjects: Science, Health & fitness
Connections
4-10
Health
EnviroHealth Connections Website(http://www.thinkport.org/Career/connections/default.tp) In addition to the lessons and other products under development, the Connections website houses PowerPoint presentations from our Institutes and Colloquia as well as highlights of teacher discussions.The website redesign, which is underway, will allow linkages between relevant lessons, presentation, highlights of teacher discussions and interviews with experts. Subjects: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social studies, Geography, Civics, Economics, Health & fitness
EnviroHealth Connections is a collaborative project of Maryland Public Television (MPT), the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHBSPH), and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The goal of the project is to develop, implement, disseminate, and evaluate tools for teaching environmental health content across multiple existing curriculum areas. The project achieves its goal in two ways: professional development and development of curricular materials.
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