Young Scientists

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Young Scientists
Inspiring Students through Animal Investigations
at Denver Zoo
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What is Young Scientists?

• Middle school, inquiry based science program
• Centered around ethology
• Students collect animal behavior data
• Use their results to create...
• Final projects and presentations
• Scientific poster
• 3-D ideal enclosure model

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What does Young Scientists Include?
Teacher Training
Including a detailed teacher manual filled with
supporting curriculum materials and expansion
ideas
Student Guidebooks
Gradable activities that guide students through
the inquiry process with follow-up classroom
activities and research guides
Traveling Library
Resources for students at varying reading levels
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What does Young Scientists Include?
Three In-class Lessons
Taught by zoo educators and including live animals
Two Denver Zoo Visits
Students work with trained zoo docents at a 110
ratio
Presentation Event
The top projects from each school are invited to
enter the Denver Zoo Young Scientists Best of Show
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Why is Young Scientists Beneficial?
Young Scientists is multi disciplinary
and standards based.

• Science Standard One 1.1, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, and 1.9
• Students will
• Ask questions that lead to a scientific
  investigation
• State hypotheses that lead to a scientific
  investigation
• Use appropriate tools, technologies and
  measurements to gather data
• Analyze data using tables and graphs
• Explain/interpret/evaluate data to form
  conclusions
• Apply and present results

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Why is Young Scientists Beneficial?
Students significantly improve their
understanding of the scientific method through
participation in Young Scientists
600 students evaluated in the 2004-2005 school
year

• Number of scientific method terms correctly
  matched in Pre/Post surveys
• Increased from 3.80 to 5.22 out of 9 (plt0.001)
• Correctly matching 6 or more increased from 23.2
  to 46.7

• 80 of students received an A or B on their
  performances in the program

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Why is Young Scientists Beneficial?
Other Standards that are Developed

• Science Standards 3.1.4 and 3.1.5
• Naming the basic needs of all animals and
  examples of abiotic components of an ecosystem

• Math Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6
• Reading/Writing Standards 1, 2, 4, and 5