Igniting Iowa STEM: Science Phenomena Meets Teacher Externships
When a teacher introduces a local phenomenon, such as the ways in which industries select tools and materials to ensure personnel safety, students' learning makes an important shift to problem solving and figuring things out, rather than simply learning about a topic. Iowa Science Phenomena from Iowa PBS is proud to support Iowa teachers as they continue to support students on this journey towards a deeper understanding of the science in the world around them but offering a growing collection of free, local standards-aligned phenomena, unique and relevant to the students and teachers of Iowa.
Since 2019, Iowa PBS has partnered with the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program to grow this collection. The Iowa STEM Teacher Externship program allows STEM educators across the state of Iowa to work side-by-side with knowledgeable and skilled industry employees to provide educators with the exposure to answer questions about real-world application, prepare students for careers they may have in the future and improve educational experiences. Educators are also able to earn graduate credits through the University of Northern Iowa’s Continuing Education program which includes creating a final project, connecting their workplace externship experience with their classroom student learning. It is from that final project that a unique partnership has been established with Iowa Science Phenomena with nearly 80 originally created, locally relevant phenomena having been contributed by the participating teachers.
Ann Gritzner, STEM Teacher Externships Program Coordinator, credits this partnership with offering teachers a new additional outlet to share this externship experience with their students.
“The partnership between the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council's STEM Teacher Externships Program and Iowa PBS’s Iowa Science Phenomena has allowed teachers another method to bring the STEM Externship experience back to their classroom through phenomena based lessons. This has exposed many teachers both in science and other disciplines to the power of phenomena based education. The relationship between the Externships Program and Iowa Science Phenomena has enriched the experience for educators and in turn students,” said Gritzner.
You can explore and use these teacher created resources as well. Check out this selection of teacher extern contributions and then visit the Iowa Science Phenomena website to see them all. Wondering how you can contribute to Iowa Science Phenomena? Email us at phenomena@iowapbs.org to learn more.
Iowa’s Diverse Ecosystems and Habitats
Diversity of Iowa Lichen: Lichens are a partnership between a fungus and an alga and more than 400 unique lichen species can be found in Iowa. How can two different organisms work together in one ecosystem? (Contributed by Chantel Karns and Olivia Tebben)
Declining Population in Bumble Bee Species: Rusty patched bumble bees were listed as endangered in 2017. Since that time their population numbers in Iowa have fluctuated. How do changes to their environment relate to these fluctuations? (Contributed by Amy Gonzales)
Impacts on Changing Monarch Populations: A dataset of monarch sightings between the years of 2017 and 2024 show fewer sightings since 2021. What factors may be causing the changes in the monarch population? (Contributed by Erica Dodge)
Monarch Caterpillars Eating a Milkweed Leaf: A time-lapse video captures two monarch caterpillars feeding on a milkweed leaf. Why do monarch caterpillars focus on milkweed and how might a monarch caterpillar eating milkweed change the ecosystem? (Contributed by Pennie Klepper)
Measuring Improvements in Water Quality
Phosphate Changes at FW Kent Park Lake: In 2018, the Johnson County Conservation Board along with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources dredged the FW Ken Park lake and created interconnecting catch basins to reset its water quality. What can be gleaned from the water quality data collected since that restoration? (Contributed by Cynthia Tsarpalas and Jim Glad)
Assessing Water Quality Through Macroinvertebrates: There are many different types of bugs found in Iowa’s waterways. How can the type and variety found in creeks and streams provide clues about the quality of the water they live in? (Contributed by Kyle Hurt)
Using Alloy Properties to Ensure Safety
Properties of Brass and Steel Alloys: When working with natural gas, a spark can mean danger. How do the properties of brass and steel alloys impact the type of tools used by power plant professionals to ensure safety? (Contributed by Kathy McGrane)