Step 4: Do It!
Now it’s time for student teams to get hands on and put their plan into action! As they implement their plan, teams should plan for regular meetings where they can evaluate how the plan is working, if the workload is manageable and if anything needs to be adjusted. Teachers may want to be part of these meetings to help keep them on track.
Along the way, teams should be collecting data, keeping thorough and accurate records, testing their ideas and hypothesis and making systematic observations about whether or not their solution is working. Testing is the key to good science, and real-world testing will let students know if they are really making a difference in their community. Share written descriptions of any notes, data tables, sketches, photographs or videos collected during the data collection step (only written text can be entered into the online application).
Suggested Timeline:
Four to six weeks, depending on the project
Step 4 Checklist:
Does your data?
- Show a complete record of all work done to date, what was or will be tested, when and what happened?
- Include appropriate systems of measurement and observation based on the problem and proposed solution?
- Include any adjustments to the plan that are made along the way?
Sample Data Collection:
- We found which kinds of bushes and grasses should be planted alongside a ditch to reduce fertilizer and animal waste runoff. A local nursery helped us get the plants and donated them to our investigation. We had a planting day. Over eight weeks we collected data on the water quality in the ditch when it rained. (Reducing Runoff in the Environment)
- Our state Environmental Protection Agency scheduled a mercury products pickup for our community. We made flyers with the help of our mentor and the local home supply business. We distributed the flyers through students in the school and through local businesses. The local home supply business also helped us to spread the word and offered to help keep the products safely until the pickup day. We kept a record of how many mercury containing items were turned in: 253 over three weeks. (Reducing Mercury Poisoning)
- We got the PTA to help us explain to parents and students why we were concerned and to propose the pathway solution. We were able to get the local government to agree to fund a mulched pathway, but not a sidewalk to make it easier for students to get to school. Once the pathway was done, parents agreed to a schedule to wait at one point on it during the walk to school and on the walk home. We asked students to walk to school if they live closer than a mile away. Finally, we took more data on how many cars brought students to school and picked them up each day. We found that the number of students being driven to school had dropped to an average of 252 per day. (Take a Hike!)
Tips:
- Students may want to keep a data collection journal so that all work is kept together.
- Students should ask questions as data is collected to ensure that they are doing all they can to impact the problem.
- Teams should plan for regular meetings to evaluate and adjust the plan, if necessary.
Resources:
