Syllabus: Teaching Science in The Most Beautiful Place in North America

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Course Title: Teaching Science in the Most Beautiful Place in North America


Course Description: Applying Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to teach place-based science concepts


Credits: 2

Faculty/Instructor: Tammy C.Coleman, MS, CIG, ABD, Lowell High School, Western MI University

Instructional Method: mixed methods: active learning, place based learning

Required Text/References (if any): no text required, but information about the park will be gathered by participants


Course Objectives:

1.) Engage in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBD) and use this area to depict various science concepts
2.) Build a reference list of field trips, research sites and classroom materials
3.) Link experiences at SBD with own curriculum and with students’ developmental level
4.) Design a personalized lesson applied to core objectives including an application of natural history, biology and Michigan’s economy

Course Content/Topics/Outline: varies according to developmental level of students

  1. Introduction, including curriculum standards, history and a topographical depiction of our study site

  1. LS.3. How and why do organisms interact with other organisms and their environment? What happens to ecosystems as a result of these interactions?
·         Biotic and abiotic factors
·         Survival Skills
  1. LS1. A. How do the structures of organisms help them to perform life’s functions?
·         Salmon run in Crystal River
  1. LS2. A. How are the characteristics of one generation of organisms related to the next generation?
·         Island bio-geography, plant reproduction
  1. ESS.4. How do humans affect the Earth and how do Earth’s changes affect humans?
·         Habitat degradation: Endangered species (Piping Plover)
·         Overfishing, agriculture and water use, population increase, greenhouse effect
  1. ET.4.B How have the development and uses of technologies brought about changes in the natural environment and human culture?
Science and technology meet: MI history and sustainability

  1. How do scientists really DO science? A clarification of our misrepresented scientific method and a chance to gather climate change data in the park.

Evaluation Methods: lesson/project due after the class session, to be shared with other participants.





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