Engaging Activities for Adult Educators to Build Health and Science Literacy

1. OSM Collaborative Project • Engaging Activities for Adult Educators to Build Health and Science Literacy • Naomi Hirsch. Ed.MEnvironmental Health Sciences Center • Oregon State University • http://ehsc.oregonstate.edu

2. Session Overview • Provide an overview of the Hydroville Project Curricula. • Suggest how the Hydroville problem-based science curricula can support basic adult education. • Activities • Journal Prompt • Four Corners • Video • Game • Wrap-up Discussion

3. Hydroville Curriculum Project Goal: Develop curricula that will build enduring understandings of environmental health science as well as other disciplines that students can apply in their daily lives and careers. Environmental health is the field of science that studies how the environment influences human health and disease. It incorporates: • Toxicology • Public Health • Environmental Sampling • Modeling – (Engineering) • Risk Assessment • Decision Analysis • Problem Solving & Teamwork • Science Communication

4. Hydroville Curricula are • Nine-week modules for 9th to 12th grade students. • Open-ended, problem-based scenarios, with many of the data and texts provided. • Based on real-life environmental health problems. • Developed by scientists and teachers. • Multi-disciplinary, integrating science, math, language arts, social studies, engineering, and technology. • Consistent with current learning theories and educational standards. • Funded by a seven year grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (NIEHS,1R25ES10721)

5. What is Hydroville? Hydroville is a fictitious town that is experiencing environmental health problems, including: A Pesticide Spill Air Quality Problems Water Quality Problems

6. Students are Experts Teams of students: • Analyze historical and current data to decide if a problem really exists. • Identify the possible sources of the contamination. • Investigate remediation options and develop an action. • Present solutions to the Hydroville City Council.

7. Problem-Solving Process* • Investigate -- determine if there is an environmental health problem. • Collect Data – apply skills and knowledge acquired in background activities. • Analyze Data – refine and test hypotheses based on additional information and analysis. • Synthesize Data, Generate Solutions – determine appropriate actions and recommendations using decision analysis. • Present Solutions–communicate action plan to an audience representing stakeholders. *Based on the process of scientific inquiry

8. Distinctive Features • Pedagogical model is based on inquiry. • Activities are research-based. • Content and skills taught are interdisciplinary. • Problems are real life. • Infused activities emphasize 21st century skills. • Optimum classroom delivery involvesteaching teams.

9. Demonstrated Outcomes Students demonstrate: • Increased academic success and motivation to attend school. • An understanding of scientific inquiry as a process. • Increase self-efficacy to take an active role in solving environmental problems. • A facility to present solutions in various written and oral genres. • Increased proficiency in using higher-order thinking and critical problem-solving skills.

10. Demonstrated Outcomes Teachers report the Hydroville Curricula: • Motivate ELL and at-risk students. • Create an environment where students take responsibility and become self-directed learners. • Teach group process and team-building skills. • Necessitate oral and written communication in various genres.

11. Water Quality Scenario

12. Water Quality Concept Map

13. Getting Started

14. Journal Prompt • Give an example of how human activity can create problems in the environment. • Give an example of how the environment can affect human health. • What do you think the study of environmental health science covers?

15. Water Facts • 2/3 of the World is water, but less than 1% is drinkable. • One out of five people in the world lack access to safe drinking water. • 2.2 million people die each year from diseases associated with poor water and sanitary conditions. • Clean water is being used up much faster than nature can replace it.

16. Water, Water, Everywhere • Put flip charts in four corners of the room with titles Water and Your Health Drinking water Quality Groundwater Watersheds • Student Brainstorming • Wrap-up Discussion In Class or Homework: Where does Our Drinking Water Come From? Reading and Worksheet

17. Welcome to Hydroville Introduction WQ Video Description This activity introduces students to the water quality problem in Hydroville through a 14-minute video. Students will: • Watch a video to collect information about the water quality problem in Hydroville. • Options: • Identify stakeholders and their concerns. • Investigate environmental health science careers

18. Background Activity 1 Activity WQ Video Instructions: • Worksheet: Water Quality Video Notes. • Watch the Hydroville video. • Discuss the term Stakeholder as a class.. • Identify Hydroville stakeholders: • Option 1: replay the video • Option 2: Use the video script • Create a class list of stakeholders

19. WQ Video Discussion • What do we know about the problem in Hydroville? • What do we not know that we want to find out? • Do you know where your drinking water comes from? • Discuss that this problem is based on a real-life problem. Give an opportunity to share personal experiences. • Create a bulletin board on articles found in the news about community drinking water problems.

20. Name That Water Quality Hazard Is my Drinking Water Safe? This activity introduces students to the Safe Drinking Water Act and drinking water standards. After playing the Drinking Water Game, students will have a better understanding of contaminants present in drinking water and their associated health effects. Activity Time: Two 50-minute class periods • Homework: Background Reading, Reading for Understanding Questions • Day 1: Drinking Water Quality Terminology • Day 2: WQ Hazard Game, Conclusion Questions

21. Outcomes Students will: • Learn about federal regulations that ensure safe drinking water. • Identify primary and secondary drinking water standards. • Correlate drinking water contaminants with human health effects. • Recognize characteristics of twelve contaminants commonly found in drinking water.

22. Getting Started • Assign Homework /Review with studentsBackground Reading and Worksheet 1: Reading for Understanding Questions • Prepare one WQ Hazard Game per pair of students. (If the game cards are laminated, the games can be reused.) • Start with a Journal Prompt

24. Doing the Activity • Terminology • Review Reading and Worksheet • Worksheet 2 • 1. Work in pairs • 2. Hand out Playing Cards and the Game Keys to each pair of students. • 3. Read and follow instructions on Worksheet 2.

33. Play the Game • Work in pairs: • Review the Game Key, Playing Cards, and Game Board. • Read and follow instructions. • Play one practice round and then three rounds of the game (eight hazards). • Complete Worksheet 4: Conclusion Questions.

35. Wrap Up As a class discuss students’ answers to the Conclusion Questions. Assessment? Classroom logistics? Ideas for Integration?

36. www.hydroville.org • See the Hydroville Website to: • Download activities • Listen to Hydroville Café - testimonials from teachers, students, and principals • Find teacher resources on Environmental Health Science