The Shark Teeth Forensics Project
Since hearing about the Kenan Fellowship Project and the work the teachers were doing through Students Discover, I have been on pins and needles to start. Over my 15 years of teaching in Alamance County I have mostly taught Social Studies and Science. The idea of citizen science blends those subjects into one amazing package by helping kids (and adults!) realize that each person on this planet has the ability to add to the our global scientific knowledge – we all can be scientists. Beginning to act and think as a scientist may open doors for students because their interest is piqued and the work feels authentic. I also hope that student participation in these projects fosters a sense of community and a responsibility for the planet.
This is the second year of the Students Discover Shark Teeth Forensics project. This year, our team wants to build on the lessons and classroom experiences of our predecessors. Our plan is to move on from data collection and observation to data analysis and visualization, tying in math, writing, and visual design. We also would love to see our model become adaptable and scale-able to a number of different future citizen science projects.