| Sophomore general biology students at South Haven High School were taught ecological concepts and their practical application to the Southwestern Michigan sand dunes. The dunes, in close proximity to the school, were intended to evoke an affective response from students while learning ecological concepts. Two classes, consisting of 19 and 18 students respectively, were taught basic ecological concepts, geology of the Great Lakes region, soil ecology, dune flora, abiotic/biotic factors, and primary succession for nine weeks. They were exposed to direct, inductive, and cooperative learning strategies and completed labs, homework assignments, quizzes, tests (pre-, post-), and a culminating activity---a field trip to a Southwestern Michigan sand dune. Hypothetically, high school students will retain more knowledge during an ecology unit when exposed to "hands-on" labs and interactive learning. A pretest and two posttests containing ten overarching short answer essay questions measured the students' learning. A paired t-test of the students' test scores indicated a significant difference from pre- to posttest results. The goal of teaching the basic ecological concepts in relation to the sand dunes was apparently successful. Future revisions will be made to foster continued success. |
