ENGAGING ADULT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS VIA CASE STUDY

Real-life applications of fundamental science concepts are infrequently emphasized in high school science courses. Content knowledge is the traditional focus but when working with non-traditional adult learners, the use of application-based learning can significantly enhance science teaching. This presentation outlines the conception and construction of an introductory high school environmental science course in which a relevant local environmental topic is used to engage learning and reinforce knowledge of core science concepts and environmental justice issues. The environmental impacts of former lead and zinc mining activities in the Tri-State region of southeast Kansas, northeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Missouri have had a profound effect on the region’s human and environmental health, work force, and economic growth. The new course is intended to build content background, demonstrate the application of knowledge, and foster usable critical thinking skills in the broad field of environmental science, using the Tri-State mining district as a case study. The course curriculum design includes a pacing guide, example assignments, and final student projects based on relevant published documents and current events. Possible metrics for mid-term and final assessment of student learning are part of the course. The new course serves as a model for new, inquiry-based courses on additional topics. Given its hybrid online and in-person delivery mode, the new course may be shared with other adult high schools in the region after being taught for the first time and undergoing any appropriate assessment and revision.