This project is supported by an NCSTA Innovative Curriculum Grant. Excerpts of the grant application, which detail the goals, statement of need, and plan of action are listed below.

General Purpose and Goals

The general purpose and goal of the Innovative Curriculum Grant is to develop curricular materials associated with North Carolina environmental challenges.  Though this grant, Cary Academy would fund the start-up of a new course, establish and host a web site of curricular materials (both teacher and student-developed) related to North Carolina environmental resources, and initiate environmental awareness programs on campus.

Statement of Need

North Carolina is home to some of the most diverse ecosystems and environmental resources.  It is also a state facing some of the most substantial environmental challenges.  Too often, when we teach about "environmental problems," we ask our students to understand ozone depletion and Alaskan oil spills.  While these are certainly significant issues, I an concerned that our students do not fully understand the environmental challenges facing North Carolinians "here at home."  Many of our citizens do not comprehend to what degree they contribute to the state's environmental problems and what steps could be taken to alleviate them.

I am proposing in my Innovative Curriculum Support Grant request to develop several resources related to North Carolina environmental challenges.  The development of a project-based course and a dynamic web site reflect our understanding and finding from our research and laboratory experimentation highlight this project.  While we will address global and national issues, the majority of the curricular materials and activities will be firmly rooted in our state.  

The State of North Carolina has developed some environmental resource materials and has given some guidance to educators (e.g., The North Carolina Environmental Education Plan).  However, there doe snot seems to be a central source for examining and learning about the specific environmental issues of our state, especially from a student perspective.  This project would would in a web site with posted curricular resources, which would be updated every time the course was taught.

Plan of Action

Cary Academy will develop such an environmental science course.  It will be taught to Juniors and Seniors as an elective.  In addition to course development, the grant will fund environmental stewardship programs on campus.  In addition to the developed curricular materials and web site, students will develop extensive research and lab skills, review posted data sets, conduct peer reviews

Grant Evaluation and Final Report