Project: 2014 - 2015 Nutrition - Science Project

Step Description Expected Student Results
1 Week 1: Intro to Telementoring & First Mentor Communication
1. Teacher introduces Telementoring.
2. Students explore the Telementoring website and project videos.
3. Teacher explains the Google Docs journal which students will use to record
their experiences - struggles and successes throughout the year.
4. Students are paired with mentors and complete their first round of
communication.
5. Student and mentor exchange letters in which student
discusses areas of interest in life, career expectations,
questions about the program, and background knowledge on nutrition.

Mentor Role: Mentor may share personal or professional areas
of interest and additional insight into any of the items
mentioned. Letter of Introduction.
Mentor can share how a professional uses the
scientific method and scientific reasoning during his or her
professional life. 		Students explore the Telementoring site and complete their first round of
communication with their mentors.
2 Weeks 2-6: Focus on Nutrition Background Knowledge:

During the month of September students will read Michael Pollan's The
Omnivore's Dilemma (Young Readers
Edition) to gain a greater knowledge of the food that
they eat on a daily basis. Students will reflect, question,
and discuss the reading with their classmates and mentors via the Telementoring
site and Edmodo. 		As students read the book, they will complete online reflections and discussions
on Edmodo as well as discuss what they are reading with their mentors through
the emailing on the Telementoring site.

Students will communicate with their mentors which issues/concepts they are
most interested in/passionate about.
3 Week 7 & 8: Initial Research and Ideation of Project Ideas

Students begin the process of figuring out what nutrition topic is the most
fascinating to them.

Mentors help students begin their research by giving students some specific
and recognized sites (research that is being conducted at major universities,
museums, or governmental agencies) to begin their search for ideas for their
nutrition PSAs(Public Service Annoucements).

As students find information, they can share it with their mentors and receive
feedback to see if they are on the right track. This can be done by sharing
their google doc with the topic summaries.





Students will conduct initial research and request feedback from their mentors to
help them focus in on topics that in the news and key to the health of living
organisms and our planet.

Students will write 4-5 sentence summaries of at least 3 different nutrition
topics that are considered relevant and important to the healthcare profession.

Students will share out in small groups possible PSA topics and examples of how
their mentors have challenged and supported them to find quality background
knowledge.

Students continue to write in their journals about the process, including how
their mentors have helped with the process.
4 WEEK 9 & 10: Narrow down to 1 Nutrition Topic for their PSAs.
1. Students will share their top three picks for research questions with their
mentors.

2. Mentors will provide feedback and help students choose the most valid and
interesting question. Mentors can help identify possible concerns as well as
suggestions to help them choose their final PSA topic.		 Students will consider mentor feedback as they choose one nutrition topic for
their PSA.

Students continue to write in their journals about the process - how they are
being challenged, how what they are learning is relevant to their lives, how they
are collaborating with their mentors.
5 Weeks 11-13: Students conduct research for their PSAs.

1. Student will focus their research on their chosen nutrition topic.
2. Students will interview an expert on their topic to deepen their background
knowledge.
3. Students will share created documents with their mentors and ask for specific
feedback to create higher quality PSAs.
4. Students will organize the information they are collecting to help them
create their PSAs after Thanksgiving Break.

Mentor Role:
Advise students on the reliability of research information and sources.
Help students find an expert on the topic and prepare questions to ask
him/her.

*Note: We do not have school the week of Novemeber 24-28. Please do not
expect communication from your mentees. 		Students will gather information on their chosen topics.
Students will find an expert in the field to interview.
Students will create quality questions to ask their experts.
Students will organize the information they are collecting to help them create
their PSAs.
6 Week 14-16.

Creation of Nutrition PSA.

1. Students will use a program like iMovie to create a PSA about their chosen
Nutrition Topic.
2. Students will include: why this is an important topic, background
knowledge on it, key facts and
figures, footage from their interviewed experts and a possible scientific
investigation they could
conduct in the spring based on this topic.
3. Students will share their projects with their Mentors and ask for specific
feedback.

Mentor Role: Provide mentees with specific feedback to help them create a
quality project.
Watch the final product and give positive feedback on the students'
accomplishments.
*Please note: Students will be on Winter Break from December 20-January 4th.
Please do not expect communication from your mentees. 		Students will create their nutrition PSAs and share them with their mentors and
classmates.

Students will journal about the process:
-challenges
-how this is relevant to their lives
-how they are being creative while creating the PSA
-how they are collaborating with classmates, professionals, and their mentors.
7 Weeks 17 & 18:

Choosing Scientific Investigations & Developing Background Knowledge on the Scientific Method

1. Students will choose which PSA topics from 1st Semester to conduct their research on. They will get
into groups of 3 or 4 students to conduct this research.
2. As a class we will also complete a plant scientific investigation from beginning to end to help they
understand more what the process will be like.

Mentor Role: Share how you use the scientific method in both your professional and personal lives. 		Students will choose groups to conduct their nutrition scientific investigations.
8 Week 19 & 20:

1.Students work on the experimental design of their experiments:
independent and dependent variables, control, constants.
2. Student will begin to devise data collecting methods.
3. Student will develop experimental procedure and material list.
4. Materials are ordered.

Mentor Role:
Advise students on experimental design, data collection methods, including
anticipating problems that might occur.
Continue to provide examples from professional environment.
Help students determine lengths of test and number of trials.

Mentors give feedback and help students firm up their experimental design.		 Students will prepare for conducting their experiments by identifying their
question, variables, control, constants, materials and procedure.

9 WEEK 21 - 24: Experimentation
1. Student will begin their experiments. They will record all aspects of their
procedure in a notebook and share important information with their mentor.

Mentor Role:
Provide students with examples of standards for designing experimental
methods.
Look over the students' data and provide feedback.
Help students re-examine their procedures when their original methods fail
or present roadblocks.
Students will record data from their experiments.
Students will run extra trials if needed.
10 WEEK 25-29: Experimentation/ Analysis of Data
1. Students will analyze their data and send relevant information to their
mentors.
2. Mentors and students will examine data to be sure that correct
conclusions are being drawn.
3. If it is possible, students will re-run experiments if their results are
inconclusive.

Mentor Role:
Aid students in analyzing data and communicating results.

*Note - State tests will happen during this month resulting in loss of class
time. I will let mentors know the specific dates when I am notified.
*Note - Spring Break is April 6-10 - Please do not expect communication
from your mentees during this week. 		Data Analysis
Finalized charts and graphs of results
11 WEEK 30-31: Finalize Presentation
1. Student will put finishing touches on final presentation and present final
product to an audience.
2. Student will upload elements of the project to the project file upload area
for critique by mentor. Student will submit final project to mentor and teacher
for review.

Mentor Role:
Provide student with an objective evaluation of the project.
 Students will create a multimedia presentation on their nutrition research
project.
12 WEEK 32: Prepare for Presentation night.
1. Students and mentors will review list of possible questions from the
community and brainstorm possible answers.
2. Students and mentors will review projects and finalize all presentations
and
reports.
3. Students will complete science posters utilizing powerpoint template and
e-
mail the product to their mentors for review.
Mentor Role:
Brainstorm answers to possible questions from the community with
students.
Review and help finalize last minute details with students.



 Finalize all parts of project for presentation night.
List of answers to possible judges' questions.

Prepare to share presentations with appropriate community organizations.


13 Week 33:
Presentations to the community. Pick a specific night and
students will present.		 Students will present their projects to other students, staff and
various people from our community.

Students will share with their mentors about what they thought about the
presentation night and how their presentations went.
14 Week 34: Thank you Letter to Mentor

1. Student will write a final letter to mentor. Letters will
*evaluate their performance on the project, including what the student did
well, what he would like to have done differently to improve upon the project.
* provide mentors with specific feedback on what he or she contributed to
the success of the project.
Mentor Role:
Encourage students to continue to pursue their interests in science and
develop their talents!
Thank you message to mentor.

Students, mentors, and teacher complete end of project survey.