Earth2Class: An Effective and Easily Duplicable Model for Providing a Broad Impact of Cutting-Edge Science, Teacher Professional Development, and Inspiration for High School Students

We describe Earth2Class, a professional development model that connects classroom teachers with research investigators so that they and their students can learn about cutting-edge discoveries, long before mention is included in textbooks. Teachers and students attending “live” programs at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University or Zoom equivalents necessitated during the pandemic benefit through interactions that bring out the excitement of making new geoscience discoveries. Evidence of the effectiveness of Earth2Class (E2C) workshops is provided through reflections of the impact of E2C on student career choices, expanding teacher content knowledge, and attitudes provided by teachers, students, parents, and scientists.

The development of a bioenergy-based green chemistry curriculum for high schools

The Next-Generation Science Standards represent a major shift from learning science content to preparing students to become scientifically literate through inquiry and investigation. This article summarizes the unique opportunities available to develop a biotechnology laboratory course on biofuels that heavily emphasizes scientific practices in a high-school agriscience department in Wisconsin. Through collaborations with universities, federal research facilities, and the surrounding community, students were able to engage in rigorous learning experiences in a sociocultural setting in a manner that maximized their preparation for college and sustainable careers. This example also highlights how effective science teacher professional development and collaboration can allow for improved instructional opportunities in science education while also enabling positive contributions to ongoing scientific research.