From Faucet to Classroom

Abstract

Exposure to lead has lifelong health impacts, especially for children who are most vulnerable. North Carolina’s Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids™ program provides an authentic context for student learning as schools test water for lead and address environmental health hazards. In this workshop, participants will step into a middle school project-based learning unit where students investigate three real-world case studies of lead exposure, analyze data to uncover causes and impacts, and apply cross-curricular skills in science, math, social studies, and ELA. Acting as scientists and engineers, students engage in sensemaking by leveraging the science and engineering practices in the context of a real-world phenomena culminating with students designing informational materials for various audiences that propose actions for safer communities. Participants will experience portions of the unit from a student perspective and leave with adaptable resources to integrate environmental health into engaging, standards-aligned instruction.