FEED THE BIRDS!: AN AUTHENTIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATE, NON-SCIENCE MAJORS IN AN INTRODUCTORY LEVEL SCIENCE COURSE

SCI 101, The Carbon Cycle, is an introductory level science course designed for undergraduate students from the College of Education at West Chester University (WCU). In this course, the global carbon cycle is used as a thematic organizer to instruct students about the fundamental principles of geology and biology concepts. The role of the course in these students’ undergraduate careers is to provide them with the science content that they will need to instruct their own students at the primary (PK-6) and early secondary (7-8) levels as in-service teachers.

The capstone project of this course is the Feeder Watch Project, named and modeled after the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology (CULO) Project FeederWatch that has been in existence since 1986, but includes additional components from the original CULO project. The objectives of this project are: 1.) to provide students with an authentic research experience that applies the scientific method in order to improve their overall understanding of science; and 2.) to expose them to the idea of citizen science and a fun project that they could replicate as in-service teachers.

The SCI 101 Feeder Watch Project requires students to design and implement a research project using data they collect on the number and types of birds that visit the Outdoor Classroom at WCU. Students work in research groups consisting of 4-5 students and visit the Outdoor Classroom to make pre-experimental observations of the area. They then perform background research, including an on-line literature search, in order to construct a hypothesis to test during 6-8 weeks of observations. After the observation period, research groups analyze data, construct tables and graphs, and draw conclusions. As the final step in the scientific method, research groups prepare a written report and/or an oral presentation.

The CULO Project FeederWatch is a Citizen Science activity that these pre-service teachers are encouraged to use in their future classrooms. The SCI 101 Feeder Watch Project provides them with an opportunity to understand the variables related to bird feeders and may enhance their experiences with science as primary and early secondary educators.