The Maine Learning Technology Initiative The Maine Idea: A Computer for Every Lap JEWELS OF MAINE
Maine's Lakes - Portals to Community Stewardship
The Executive Director of the Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute, Ship Bright, reflects on the impact the Maine Learning Technology Initiative has had for the institute.
When Maine’s Governor Angus King envisioned a laptop in every Maine middle school student’s lap, little did he realize that educational entrepreneurs were ready to spring into action. The Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute had been working on their Internet-based Students’ Portal, which was envisioned to be a place of learning and sharing about the freshwater natural resource jewels of Maine—her lakes. With the introduction of laptops into Maine middle schools through the Maine Learning Technology Initiative, the Students’ Portal became more than just a website—it became a manifestation of how technology can transform education and build stronger communities With the laptops students research, learn, share, communicate, and perform community service as part of their MLCI project-based learning. This multi-disciplinary approach to science education has engaged students of different abilities and interest in the active stewardship of their freshwater natural resources, upon which so many Mainecommunities are dependent.
The MLCI Student's Portal began with nine partner schools throughout the state of Maine, schools that represented Maine’s geographic and cultural diversity. The Nobleboro Central School, located in the midcoast region of Maine, is one of MLCI’s partner school, and Nobleboro School teacher Ken Williams is not only one of their most dynamic participants, he’s also a board member of MLCI. Ken’s partnership with MLCI is creating stronger communities in Maine, as students actively participate in the understanding, preserving, and sustaining of the health and values of their communities’ lakes. As MLCI’s logo states, they are “Creating better stewards for today and leaders for tomorrow”, and the laptops are helping them do just that.
A LESSON PLAN SUMMARY
Ken Williams, the Nobleboro Central School science teacher, was asked by The George Lucas Educational Foundation to write a summary of his eighth grade lesson.
Maine is blessed with thousands of freshwater lakes and ponds, and these lakes have a significant impact on the economy. As a state with just over one million residents and a tourist-based economy, lakes are a vital piece of the economic formula in Maine. For students, two major points surface as the big bold ideas: The first is the training and experience on the more academic aspects of lake science. The second is to try to convince students on a more emotional basis that their lakes are worthy of an attitude of stewardship.
Nobleboro Central School eighth graders have been lucky enough to be part of the Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute’s partner school outreach program. Prior to students going aboard the Maine Lake Conservancy Institute’s floating classroom, MLCI professional staff members come to school and deliver specific information about the state of Maine’s freshwater.
On the visit to school, MLCI educators cover information on:
Lake economic value to the state of Maine, via facts, figures, and discussion
Information on invasive aquatic plants, delivered via a slide show and Web-based “Quest”
Organization and classification of micro and macro life forms, via activity and role-playing
Water density and lake turnover, via discussion and slide show.
Following the classroom visit, a floating classroom field trip is organized. While on the MLCI’s boat, the Melinda Ann, students move from station to station using the floating classroom gear. These items include secchi disk, plankton tow, USB microscope, hydrophone, benthic dredge, underwater camera and water column sampling for temperature and density.
The assessments hinge mostly around whether or not students complete work in final form for entry onto the MLCI Web site. Rubrics are developed that direct student-built contributions to the MLCI Web site. The students must complete work that fits into more than one category as prescribed under the MLCI Student’s Portal. This allows for some choice, which leaves room for student ownership of discourse. As long as students fit their work into the framework of the MLCI student portal, and, as long as the work is professional and error-free, then they have met the requirements.
The Lesson
1. Site visit from Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute staff. The staff covers the following information prior to boat cruise:
a. Lake economic value to state of Maine
b. Invasive aquatic plant situation slide show
c. Organism classification-micro/ macro, invertebrate/vertebrate,
phytoplankton/zooplankton
d. Water density and lake turnover because Maine has a true four-season climate.
e. Equipment utilized:
Secchi disk,
USB microscope,
underwater camera,
hydrophone,
benthic dredge,
water column sampler for temperature and dissolved oxygen
2. Field trip-students rotate from tool to tool in groups of three or four:
a. Secchi disk-students to enter data onto spreadsheet with column
headings such as location, station, and secchi disk reading
b. USB microscope images get saved on laptop for review back in class
c. Hydrophone: Have fun trying to document underwater burping efforts from a prone position on the Melinda Ann’s deck.
d. Underwater camera: Note findings on laptop in AppleWorks word processing document
e. Water column sampling for temperature/density study. Put data onto spreadsheet with Depth and Temperature as column headings.
3. Classroom-based follow-up:
Students work in small groups and as individuals to develop new entries for Maine Lakes Conservancy Web site. They upload their projects from the classroom.
Maine Laptops at the Lake
Join the students of Nobleboro Central School as they employ laptop computers and the latest scientific tools to monitor the health of their local lake. Click Maine: Laptops at the Lake to see and hear the goals, tools, process, and results of this 21st-century field trip.
The Executive Director of the Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute, Ship Bright, reflects on the impact the Maine Learning Technology Initiative has had for the institute.
Ken Williams, the Nobleboro Central School science teacher, was asked by The George Lucas Educational Foundation to write a summary of his eighth grade lesson.
1. Site visit from Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute staff. The staff covers the following information prior to boat cruise:
