A HANDS-ON, FIELD-BASED EARTH SCIENCE PROGRAM FOR INNER CITY, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SCHOOL FACULTY

FRESH (Field Research in Earth Science Happenings) is a summer program designed to help middle school students in an inner city, public school gain a firm background in science and become comfortable in nature. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of under-represented minorities with careers in field-based earth science. The activities, spread over two months, consisted of nine, half-day sessions based at Gerald R. Ford Middle School (GRFMS) in the Grand Rapids Pubic School System in western Michigan, and seven, full-day sessions based at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in nearby Allendale. We concentrated on the hydrologic cycle and related topics that address the Michigan Department of Education “Science Expectations”. To prepare the 20 students, invited to take part in FRESH based on their aptitudes and attitudes, for five major field trips, first we provided the students with class and laboratory activities at GRFMS and GVSU. In addition, using their school as a base, the students went on several urban field trips to study rock types and weathering on buildings and in cemeteries, visit a sand and gravel company, and see the floodplain along the Grand River and a creek, which flow through their city. The five field trips based out of GVSU involved data collection (e.g., elevation, flow velocity, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, grain size, mineralogy, wave size, longshore current direction, and wind direction and velocity), field sketches, and other observations during land-based field trips to streams, water wells, beaches, dunes, glacial deposits, and during a cruise on Lake Michigan, the Grand River, and Spring Lake. In addition, the students ate outside whenever possible, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, learned to contend with poison ivy and mosquitoes, helped put together a web page about their experiences, learned about the importance of a college education and admissions requirements, and toured GVSU. At the end of the program, the students conducted an open house for their families highlighting the work they did over the summer and received a Certificate of Accomplishment. Our plan is that students will be in the program for 2-3 years, so many of the same students will take part in FRESH in summer 2010.