Marine Biological & Ecological Research Project – Year-long Course
$649.33
“Getting involved in research early on is such a valuable experience, particularly when students lead their own exploration. I am so thrilled that I am able to extend Marine Biological & Ecological Research Project to a year-long course, giving students more time to explore their research interests and polish their studies!”
~ Prof. Emma
Enrollment
Class Full
To apply for this course, click here: https://forms.gle/4SiHJtPtnpivCyVr7
| Instructor | Prof. Emma Stein |
| Content Levels | Grades 9-10 • Lower High School Grades 11-12 • Upper High School |
| Course Length | 32 weeks |
| Live Webinars Held On | Wednesdays, 12:00 - 12:50 PM Pacific - 8/16/23 – 5/18/24 |
Are you interested in marine biology or ecology? As in extremely passionate? Are you looking for something that will take your interest to the next level?
Prof. Emma has just the class for you!
This class will guide students through the entire process of creating a marine biology or ecology project of their very own. Don’t worry—you don’t have to live near the ocean! Students who are unable to access the ocean can develop a project focused on information already present in the literature or based on data available freely online–or a combination of both!
By the end of the course, students will have completed a preliminary literature review, a research proposal, a research paper formatted like an actual scientific article, and a presentation presenting their findings.
Webinars will alternate between typical informational webinars and webinars that serve as a group discussion on progress and any questions students have. Prof. Emma will be available for student questions outside of webinars as well.
Students will present their findings to their classmates in a presentation at the end of the course. Students have the option to share their writing with the wider Athena’s community as part of the course’s scientific journal.
This is a junior high through high school level course. Students should feel comfortable writing at a high level and should have sufficient background on marine biology and ecology. It is highly beneficial to the student’s experience in this course, but not necessarily required, if the student is able to comprehend and gain information from scientific articles.
This is an intensive course and is designed to challenge students.
For a list of scientific skills students will develop, see the What to Expect tab.
What to expect in the classroom each week:
- A forum where students can share their progress with one another.
- Resources about where students should be in their research.
What to expect during the webinars:
- Webinars are 50 minutes long. Webinars are recorded and are available for students with schedule conflicts.
- Primary instruction and guided discussions are provided during live webinars.
- Active Participation (via the microphone and chat) in online class discussions.
- An activity at the end of the webinar.
Before taking this course, students should be able to:
- Write at a junior high level or above.
- Write several paragraphs independently.
- Describe in detail the main features of the organism(s) or system they are interested in studying.
- Read scientific articles in marine biology and/or ecology (not required, but highly recommended).
Students should be willing to:
- Actively participate (via the microphone) in the class discussion.
- Encourage class discussion by adding their questions/ideas in the chat window during the webinar.
- Respond with positive and encouraging comments on their classmates’ posts in the classroom forums.
Required books & materials:
- There are no required books and materials for this course—readings will depend on the student’s project.