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Teaching with Nature: Place-Based Learning and Outdoor Education Toward Healing in the K-2 Setting
No full textOutdoor education and place-based learning hold rich histories and futures. This project at large set out to explore the stories and possibilities of outdoor education and place-based learning within the K-2 landscape. The research question being addressed in this project is: How can we use meaningful place-based learning and outdoor education in the K-2 setting as a means of healing relationships with schooling and with the rest of the natural world? Through personal and professional framing, an exploratory literature review, an educator resource toolkit project, and a reflective conclusion, this work presents outdoor education and place-based learning as having myriad benefits for educators and students. Outdoor education and place-based learning offer opportunities to promote student academic growth; support student and educator physical, social, cultural, and emotional wellness; advance positive relationships between school and home communities; and foster healed and repaired relationships with the rest of the natural world and with schooling that have been damaged by long histories of racial, political, and systematic violence and oppression, specifically harming BIPOC communities
The Influence of Supported Mainstream Classes on High School Special Education Students\u27 Social and Emotional Learning
Get PDFThis study investigated how participation in supported mainstream classes influences social and emotional learning outcomes of high school special education students. The project was a result of the research done to answer the question: When high school special education students participate in supported mainstream classes, how are their social and emotional learning outcomes influenced? A comprehensive literature review revealed that integration of special education students into the mainstream classroom benefits their social and emotional development; however, unsupported inclusion often results in isolation and peer rejection. Effective co-teaching partnerships, that use the combined expertise of general and special education teachers, can address these challenges by reducing student anxiety and creating comprehensive support structures for student success. A resource collection to support co-teachers consists of color-coded visual representations of the co-teaching models, explanations of each model’s advantages and limitations, and interactive tools, which are accessible through a Google Suite. This project contributes to the field by providing practical resources that enable educators to establish or refine co-teaching partnerships, ultimately improving outcomes for students in integrated classroom environment
The Literary Games We Play: Science Fiction in the Teaching of Secondary Science
Get PDFThis project responds to a need for interdisciplinary approaches that merge literacy development with scientific inquiry, recognizing the challenges of engaging diverse learners in complex ecological and evolutionary content. Drawing from research in fiction-based learning (Wong et al., 2024), science fiction and science pedagogy (Bixler, 2007), role-playing games in education (Cheville, 2016), and culturally responsive teaching (Rodriguez & Morrison, 2019), the project aims to make science more accessible, inclusive, and relevant to students’ lived experiences. This capstone explores how science fiction novels, specifically The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, can be effectively integrated into a secondary science curriculum to enhance student engagement, critical thinking, and understanding of scientific concepts. The project takes the form of a paper-based learning cycle composed of four components: (1) a guided reading companion to support literacy and content discovery; (2) a role-playing game (RPG) simulating decision-making in a fictional ecosystem; (3) structured discussion and ethical reflection sessions; and (4) a summative assessment allowing for student choice in creative or analytical investigative projects. Students take on scientific roles and apply ecological principles to manage conservation challenges related to fictional kaiju species. Gameplay incorporates key disciplinary core ideas from the NGSS and 2019 Minnesota Science Standards, such as biodiversity, human environmental impact, and ecosystem dynamics. The project is designed for high school biology or environmental science classrooms, including those with diverse learners, multilingual students, or students with IEPs. The curriculum materials include both student-facing and teacher-facing resources, such as vocabulary support, rubrics, a game master’s guide, and pacing calendars. Assessment is conducted through mixed methods, including reading journals, performance tasks, group strategy sheets, and post-game reflections. This capstone demonstrates that integrating science fiction and role-play can promote equity, deepen student understanding, and empower learners to see themselves as scientists and decision-makers
Linguistic Ideologies of Foreign Assistant Language Teachers in Japan
Get PDFAssistant Language Teachers (ALTs) in Japan are recruited globally to provide support in primary and secondary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Though there are several recruitment programs, this study examined ALTs who participated in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. Specifically, this study addressed the research question: how do foreign assistant language teachers (ALTs) teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Japan develop a linguistic ideology? To provide context to this research question, the literature review covered prescriptivism and descriptivism as two ends of a spectrum of linguistic ideologies, speakerism and pedagogy of Global Englishes, pragmatic communication skills, and relevant issues such as insufficient professional development among JET ALTs. In order to investigate the research question, a mixed methods approach was used. First, a survey was conducted to quantitatively determine what the linguistic ideologies of 34 ALTs were. From this data, it was found that the survey respondents had descriptive leaning linguistic ideologies. Then, a follow-up interview was conducted with 5 participants to collect qualitative data on what experiences informed their survey responses. This data led to understanding how participants\u27 linguistic ideologies were developed. Finally, after integrative analysis of the data, it was determined that the ALTs who participated in this study developed their linguistic ideologies through the following ways: their awareness of English as a global language, their experiences teaching in Japan, their educational backgrounds, their knowledge of English’s history and legacy, their perceptions of other individuals’ ideologies, perceptions of societal ideologies such as Japan’s, personal analysis of how ideologies intersect, student needs, and an appreciation for English varieties. Revealed through this study was a need for clearer communication of EFL education goals among not only ALTs, but all of Japan’s primary and secondary EFL educators. Furthermore, training in pragmatic communication skills was found to be lacking among ALTs. Lastly, rather than a specific ideology, it was found that understanding how to apply prescriptivism and descriptivism appropriately was most impactful for EFL educators to know
Supporting Independent Readers in the Middle School English Classroom by Visiting Their Local Library
Get PDFWhen students engage in independent reading, which is reading a book of your choice for pleasure, they do better in school. Many studies have positively correlated independent reading with higher grades, higher graduation rates, and more advanced reading and writing skills. The challenge for teachers is to nurture joy in reading, as this does not come naturally for all students. Some of the proven ways to foster independent reading for students, specifically middle school students, is to teach them about different types of books, give them a variety of books to choose from for independent reading, give them time to read, allow them time to talk to their peers about reading, and be a good reading role model. The focus of this capstone project is how can a middle school teacher that works at a school without a library, utilize the public library to support independent reading in their classroom? Many schools do not have libraries, which is the best way to expose students to a variety of books. The literature review examines the history of public schools and libraries, discusses the importance of independent reading, and then focuses on how a middle school teacher can support independent reading. The project is a curriculum in three units that should provide a roadmap for middle school teachers to support their students in independent reading by teaching students about genres, encouraging book discussions, and preparing students for choosing and checking out books at the public library
Leveraging Background Knowledge for Science Success: A Sheltered Instruction Observational Protocol and Next Generation Science Standards Framework
Get PDFScience teachers can find it challenging to find a framework to bridge the gap between students\u27 background knowledge and lesson objectives. I aimed to answer this question: how can science teachers use the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model framework to help students bridge the gap between background knowledge and scientific academic language and content. The literature highlights the importance of accessing this background knowledge, illustrating its potential to bridge students to advanced language and science content objectives. This paper and four-session professional development focus on: assessing and building background knowledge in students, Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary to build academic language, the role of phenomena in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) standards and finally, how the SIOP framework helps to bridge the gap between language and content objectives. This project frames how the application of the SIOP framework can empower science teachers to create lessons to enable all students to navigate the intersection of background knowledge and scientific discourse
The Importance of Gender Inclusive Language in Spanish and English Dual-Language School Settings
Get PDFTrans activist and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights trailblazer Marsha P. Johnson famously said, “no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.” One crucial step on this journey to liberation that Marsha P. Johnson spoke of is gender inclusive language, or speaking and writing in a way that does not discriminate against a particular sex, social gender or gender identity, and does not perpetuate gender stereotypes (United Nations, n.d.). Language is constantly changing and evolving, and it is up to educators to reflect these changes and model gender inclusive language when working with students. This paper seeks to identify how to make these changes a reality. The research discussed in this Capstone project aimed to answer the question: Why is it important for teachers to use gender inclusive language teaching in Spanish and English dual language settings, and how can they do so effectively? The project and resources included in both English and Spanish are meant to serve as a guide for educators so they can reflect and make changes to make schools more welcoming spaces for gender-expansive and trans youth
How Can Teachers Effectively Integrate Social-Emotional Learning in a Third-Grade Classroom?
Get PDFThis capstone project presents a thoughtfully developed professional development course to facilitate the effective integration of social-emotional learning (SEL) within educational environments. By emphasizing the importance of social and emotional competencies, this initiative seeks to enhance the overall educational experience and foster an inclusive and productive atmosphere that benefits educators and students alike. Each session is carefully structured to establish a solid foundation for educators, empowering them to weave SEL strategies into their teaching practices seamlessly. The project underscores the importance of social-emotional learning for students and educators, acknowledging that nurturing these skills in teachers is crucial for them to impart them to their students successfully. In addition to offering practical applications, the project delves into the theoretical foundations of systemic social-emotional learning, particularly highlighting the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) 5 framework, which encompasses self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. An extensive literature review reveals the concerning trend of inadequate preparation many educators receive in managing student behavior and teaching essential social skills. This oversight often contributes to heightened stress levels and burnout among teachers. The primary goal of this project is to alleviate the challenges educators face by equipping them with the knowledge and practical tools required to understand and educate the whole student. It recognizes that effective teaching transcends academic instruction in incorporating emotional and social dimensions. This project aims to foster a more supportive and effective learning environment for students and educators by enhancing teachers\u27 capabilities in this essential are
The Role of Gamified Learning in Developing Math Confidence and Procedural Fluency
No full textThis capstone project sought to answer: In what ways might a gamified math fluency resource focused on increasing math confidence facilitate learning for preadolescent students struggling in math? Research into game-based learning, motivation, and mindset revealed that students can benefit from engaging, collaborative, and low-stakes learning experiences that build fluency through games. Additionally, the environment should foster math confidence and competence in preadolescent learners. The project culminated in the development of a website offering free, low-preparation math games appropriate for grades 3–5. Designed for teachers and substitute educators, the learning materials provided emphasize social interaction, inclusivity, and equitable access. This project contributes to the growing research supporting gamified learning as a means to increase engagement, procedural fluency, and motivation in mathematics education
State Standards For the Outdoors: a Curriculum Guide for Middle School Life Science in an Outdoor Classroom
No full textThis project examines the idea, Can integrating an outdoor learning experience into every aspect of a Middle School science curriculum enhance learning outcomes? The curriculum is focused on Minnesota\u27s 7th grade life science standards and adapts course and content requirements so that all class instruction and assessment may be done outdoors or within the outdoor classroom. Additionally, it offers examples of summative assessments that are closely aligned with Minnesota\u27s state standards and the next generation science standards. In the literature review, strong support was found for the many benefits of spending time outdoors. The literature also discussed the importance of students spending time outside with the potential to increase learning outcomes. The curriculum and summative assessments aim to capitalize on these benefits. As well as this, it moves to correct some of the outdated practices in the traditional science classroom and lay the groundwork for districts to implement future outdoor classrooms