Recommended Citation
October 1, 2017.
Abstract
This summer I have worked on a vital research project that is important to overall public health. This project has also afforded me the opportunity to develop a lesson plan around this research to be used in an elementary classroom setting. The first part of this research experience has centered around studying how the general public learns best through classroom activities and exhibits. I have expanded my understanding of how people learn by reading several books, articles, and shadowing teachers educators here at NCAR. This preliminary research was important so that I can communicate effectively with 4th grade students. The second part of this research has focused on learning about the vector mosquito Aedes Aegypti and vector borne diseases like zika, yellow fever, and dengue through fieldwork. In addition, to the vector mosquito, this project also looked at the environments that it can survive in as well as the habitats that it chooses to live in. People should care for their health through prevention by learning about what contributes to such vectors and vector borne diseases. It is important that the public including children learn about the dangers of vector borne diseases to the public. After conducting fieldwork this project has now focused on strengthening my writing and speaking skills to be better prepared to inform the public with a focus on 4th grade learners. This research complied from fieldwork and in the classroom inspired the creation of a short book and activity about the vector mosquito Aedes Aegypti. In the end, I have been able to translate my research and fieldwork into the classroom where numerous people/students can learn about the vector and vector borne diseases.
Mentor
Rebecca Haacker, Becca Hatheway, Lisa Gardiner and Andy Monaghan
Lab site
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
Funding Acknowledgement
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program under Grant # 1340110. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. The research was also made possible by the California State University STEM Teacher and Researcher Program, in partnership with Chevron (www.chevron.com), the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (www.marinesanctuary.org) and National Center for Atmospheric Research.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/star/430