Data Saves the Whales!

Jayma Koval,Jeff Rosen,Meltem Alemdar,Marion Usselman

doi:10.5334/cjme.52

Abstract

Data Saves the Whales! was developed as part of the Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential (AMP-IT-UP) project, funded by the National Science Foundation through its Math and Science Partnership program. A central outcome of the AMP-IT-UP project was the development of 1-week modules for core middle school math and science courses that were aligned with best practices as put forth in the Next Generation Science Standards and Standards of Mathematical Practice. Data Saves the Whales! is a middle school mathematics module that is set within a marine ecosystem. It focuses on independent and dependent variables and Cartesian coordinate graphing, and on math practices related to data representation—i.e. how data can be represented in different ways to communicate various messages to an audience. Students engage in a simulated investigation to collect oceanographic data, meant to mimic the experimental procedures used by marine scientists when collecting samples, and learn different methods of graphing the data to effectively communicate their findings. This module features work conducted by the research team of Dr. Ellery Ingall, Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science at Georgia Tech, and integrates math skills with marine science and the concepts of food webs and the interdependence of organisms.

Highlights

A central outcome of the project was a series of one-week modules for core middle school math and science instruction aligned with best practices put forth in the Generation Science Standards (NGSS 2013) and the Standards of Mathematical Practice (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers 2010)
Five of the eighteen modules are contextualized within marine ecosystems, challenging students to collect and analyze data regarding the effects of oil spills and overfishing on the health of coral reefs and the hazards to whales posed by research ships in the Antarctic
Data Saves the Whales! is a week-long mathematics module set within a marine ecosystem that focuses on independent and dependent variables and Cartesian coordinate graphing and on data practices related to data representation—i.e. how data can be represented in different ways to communicate various messages to an audience

Summary

Introduction

In 2012, the National Science Foundation funded the Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential (AMP-IT-UP) project through its Math and Science Partnership program to develop a comprehensive initiative to increase student interest and engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). A central outcome of the project was a series of one-week modules for core middle school math and science instruction aligned with best practices put forth in the Generation Science Standards (NGSS 2013) and the Standards of Mathematical Practice (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers 2010). The modules promote STEM learning by engaging middle school students in project-based inquiry lessons that highlight scientific research and emphasize collecting, representing, visualizing, interpreting, and communicating authentic and compelling data. Five of the eighteen modules are contextualized within marine ecosystems, challenging students to collect and analyze data regarding the effects of oil spills and overfishing on the health of coral reefs and the hazards to whales posed by research ships in the Antarctic. Is a week-long mathematics module set within a marine ecosystem that focuses on independent and dependent variables and Cartesian coordinate graphing and on data practices related to data representation—i.e. how data can be represented in different ways to communicate various messages to an audience During this investigation students analyze plankton and temperature data collected at different ocean depths in the Antarctic to determine whether a research vessel will collide with whales. Other AMP-IT-UP modules highlight the multi-institutional Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG) project and the coral reef work of Dr Mark Hay, Professor of Biology at Georgia Tech

Background

Conclusion

Funding Information