Every student becomes deeply motivated to personally engage in the design, assembly, monitoring, and maintenance of an integrated series of progressively more complex aquatic ecosystems. By analyzing data and applying knowledge from a range of disciplines, students become skillful in solving a variety of authentic "real-world" problems.

Students document their efforts by featuring ways each project connects directly to their formal studies of math, science, technology, and engineering.

By engaging in such authentic learning activities many students will be much more likely to enthusiastically pursue STEM careers. The focus on aquatic ecosystems also leads students to incorporate a natural stewardship sensibility towards Earthly ecosySTEMs in all of their future work & study.

Problem

The Waukegan Public School District 60 serves nearly 17,000 students and is located on Lake Michigan just south of the Wisconsin border. It has fifteen elementary schools, five middle schools, and a high school program divided between three buildings. We also operate preschool programs at seven partnership sites. The student body of the district is rich in diversity with most of our students being Hispanic, African-American, or Caucasian. The Mission Statement guides all educators and community members to consider the four following essential goals: 1.) Educating students for the world of tomorrow is our top priority; 2.) Through mobilization of the entire community, we will challenge, teach, and inspire our students; 3.) We will provide the resources to serve each of our students, expecting excellence from all involved; 4.) We will deliver an exciting education in a safe learning environment that celebrates our diversity and similarities in a spirit of unity and respect. Efforts to increase academic performance, extinguish performance gaps, and prepare students to compete in a global marketplace are described on the district's web site. School Improvement Plans are comprehensive documents that describe research-based efforts to address student needs to the fullest extent; considering demographic data as provided below. As of the census of 2000, there were 87,901 people, 27,787 households, and 19,450 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,819.8 inhabitants per square mile. There were 29,243 housing units at an average density of 1,270.8 per square mile. The percent of occupied housing units was 95% of the total units in town. Of these, 56.5% were owner-occupied, and 43.5% were renter-occupied. There were also 1,456 vacant homes in Waukegan at the time of the last complete survey. The racial makeup of the city was 30.92% White; 19.21% African American; 0.54% Native American; 3.58% Asian; 0.06% Pacific Islander; 22.96% from other races; and 3.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 44.82% of the population. 6.9% were of German ancestry. 40.4% of all households contained children under the age of 18, 49.5% contained married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.68. The median age of people living in Waukegan, IL was 29. 30.2% residents were under the age of 18, 12.1% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $42,335, and the median income for a family was $47,341. Males had a median income of $30,556 versus $25,632 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,368. About 10.7% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those aged 65 or over. Approximately 16% of Waukegan residents had an Associate’s degree or a Bachelor’s degree; 5% had a Graduate degree; 55% are high school graduates and; 24% have not graduated from high school. The number of Civilian Veterans in Waukegan was 10.1 percent of the total population. In 2000, there were 14,891 people in Waukegan, IL listed as disabled. 45.9% of people in Waukegan speak a language other than English at home. Families living below the poverty line in Waukegan numbered 10.7% of the population. There were 12,058 individuals living below the poverty line (13.9%).

Solution

The aquatic ecosySTEM initiative is innovative in that it is a compilation of many of the most exciting and robust individual hands-on, multidisciplinary aquatic ecosystem projects that have been described in STEM literature. In addition to addressing human impacts on all major aquatic ecosystem habitats and species, many of the projects (for example, the aquaponics project) bear directly on issues of poverty, unemployment, work-skill development, and hunger. An example of social issues addressed in this project are highlighted in the work being done in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Will Allen and his organization called "Growing Power." It is innovative also in that it represents my own personal and well-received response to the Ocean Commissions report of the need for comprehensive curricula of this nature. As students learn about coral reefs, climate change, and the human cultures that exist in endangered coastal areas - social issues of public health, economies, and ways to survive the impending global changes, resulting largely from human impacts, are addressed. Many organizations around the world are making efforts to address these issues (see the Global Environment Facility and their work on Large Marine Ecosystems). Mr. Jakus was awarded an expanding audience stipend by the National Marine Educators Association, for the 2010-2011 school year, to introduce ocean literacy concepts & applications to his students. Without practical ocean literacy and STEM knowledge, student capacities to develop improvements in existing living conditions & future survival are lessened.

Example

The 16 projects are briefly described below. In general, after gaining familiarity with natural aquatic ecosystem environments, participants are guided through a series of projects that enable them to apply STEM knowledge - and a variety of equipment and tools - to simulate natural aquatic ecosystems. As knowledge and skills progress, the systems simulated become more complex and involve an increasing number of interdependent components. After successfully developing and applying STEM skills and knowledge in the development of a structured sequence of progressively more complex aquatic ecosystems, students are then guided (by an inquiry process) to design and perform research into an aquatic organism or system. In addition to traditional assessments, students also publically demonstrate their abilities to apply STEM knowledge by participating in a series of projects that involve: a) performing public service - related to aquatic ecosystem knowledge and skills b) exploring potential careers related to aquatic ecosystems c) performing ongoing aquatic ecosystem research d) arranging for participation in future aquatic ecosystem opportunities as interns, campers, or employees, and e) studying and designing more advanced aquatic ecosystem components. f) projects are scalable enough to allow students of all ages, skills, and backgrounds to engage in STEM based aquatic ecosystem projects - with proper guidance The sequence of aquatic ecosystem projects repeatedly immerses students in real-life applications of STEM knowledge and skills. As students see tangible results of their work in the survival and productivity of their systems and the organisms in them, students internalize the value of knowing how to apply STEM skills and knowledge. And through their successes, they recognize the many advantages and abilities that derive from their STEM knowlegde. Project One - Orientation, Systems Overview, Basic System Design & Assembly, Basic Invertebrate Organisms (freshwater and saltwater) Project Two - Using an Analytical Balance, Chemicals, and Pure Water to Develop a Nutrient Solution and an Algae/Rotifer System (brackish water) Project Three: Water (quality, purification, filtration, data collection), Titration Methods, and Digital Data Project Four - Microscopy (basic mechanical assembly and digital applications) Project Five - Aquaponic Systems (freshwater) Project Six - Light Systems and the Nature of Light Project Seven - Coral Propagation System (saltwater) Project Eight - Broodstock and Larval Rearing Systems (freshwater & saltwater) Project Nine - Juvenile Growout Systems (freshwater and saltwater) Project Ten - An Indigenous Human Culture and its Related Large Marine Ecosystem Project Eleven - Student Designed Independent Research (on an aquatic organism or aquatic ecosystem) Project Twelve - Aquatic Ecosystem Careers (and for some, ongoing Project 11 research) Project Thirteen - Public Policy in Aquatic Ecosystems (and for some, ongoing Project 11 research) Project Fourteen - Aquatic Ecosystem Based Community Service Projects (and for some, ongoing Project 11 research) Project Fifteen - Technological Innovations in Aquatic Ecosystems (sound, wireless sensors, water pumps, remotely operated underwater vehicles, mesocosms) and for some students, a relevant theatrical/dramatic production Project Sixteen - Summative Presentations, Lab Clean-Up, System Disassembly and Ethical Organism Redistribution