Math & Science Graduate Fellows in K-12 Education

Fellow: Melissa Berke, Ph.D. graduate fellow in Geology
Teacher: Laurie Severson, Woodland Middle School, 8th grade Earth Science

As a Ph.D. student at the Large Lakes Observatory, University of Minnesota Duluth, I spend my time immersed in aspects of global climate change, including both field and lab work on large lakes around the world. I am surrounded on a daily basis with other scientists that are also involved in this type of research. So, the GK-12 program has been a refreshing change of pace on a weekly basis, allowing me the opportunity to communicate with a group of people that are not scientists.  I think this is such an important aspect of being a scientist, yet it is one that is sadly most often overlooked. I really enjoy this interaction, and hope that through this program my communication of scientific ideas to non-scientists continues to improve.  I like being able to relate to the students, and hopefully turn their possible frustrations over “not getting it” into a clearer understanding. Maybe through my involvement some of these students will even decide that science is for them, and decide to go on in school or make it their career!

There are a lot of students in every class period of 8th grade earth science! So, part of my job has been to assist Ms. Severson in answering questions and walking around the room during labs to help out when the students hit a road block or just don’t understand an aspect of the current activity. In this capacity, I think I have been useful and allowed the students to get more out of their limited classroom time, because they have twice the number of ‘adult scientists’ in the room.  Soon we will begin work on the middle school science fair, and I look forward to helping the students with this aspect of their own hands-on research. Part of my action research project is looking at their understanding of the scientific method in action and seeing if this changes after the science fair. Future lessons include a Great Lakes of the World, freshwater resources lesson which I am excited to start work on. I hope that my addition to the classroom has provided an example of a practicing scientist that students can have first hand experience with and ask me questions, making science less of a frightening endeavor! 

Teams in Action

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Curriculum