USING RADON DATA TO INCORPORATE A RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR EARTH SCIENCE STUDENTS

Earth science students in Michigan that seek secondary certification complete courses in geology, weather, and astronomy, and the School of Education. Although the program provides excellent content knowledge and pedagogy it leaves little room for explaining the history of science or carrying out a scientific investigation.

A research experience has been incorporated into a required course, Earth Science in Secondary Education. The research focused on radon values in the city of Grand Rapids and two extreme weather events (a flood and a tornado). In 2004 the class will study the 1904 flood, the only 100-year flood in the history of Grand Rapids. The radon project was most successful and will be described here.

The data, from the county Department of Health, consisted of 1700 radon measurements from across the city in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. Each data point included a date, street address, trap location, and the results. The students also deployed a trap at their home to better understand what the data represent.

Students were tutored in written scientific communication (introduction, methods, results, discussion). Each student manipulated the data as they saw fit. Most students contoured the values in intervals corresponding to U.S. EPA standards: > 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) (elevated levels, take action), 2-4 pCi/L (consider taking action), < 2 pCi/L (no action needed). Students identified many places in the county with high concentration of homes with unsafe radon levels.

In their discussion the students tested numerous hypotheses on factors influencing radon levels: bedrock geology; type, thickness, or composition of glacial material; slope angle; design of home. Although the students presented excellent discussions no single control could be identified to explain radon levels.

Nearly all students reported the research as a positive experience. Some expressed frustration in the complexity of the problem or wondered how it might relate to their teaching. From the instructors perspective the project was nearly ideal. The students were forced to think like scientists on a complex problem over a few months. Many open-ended problems arose and were dealt with. They collaborated with peers and presented a written report and a poster. Data, graphics, and interpretations were shared with the county.