Students participating in a program run at TU’s SciTech Learning Lab.
For the third consecutive year, Towson University’s Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics’ SciTech Student Learning Lab received a grant from BGE to fund program and transportation costs for local K-12 schools who cannot afford a field trip to Towson’s hands-on, environmentally focused lab on the waterfront in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
TU’s BioScience Education and Outreach Program serves Maryland elementary, middle and high school students by providing access to a learning environment to explore local and global issues and their role in environmental stewardship.
Some of the topics the students explore are:
– The Chesapeake Bay Critter Investigation, which examines the diversity of invertebrates living in the Chesapeake Bay and explores factors that affect the health of the Bay
– The Rain Garden Engineering Design Challenge, which allows students to build and test a model rain garden and explore how rain gardens can positively affect the health of the Chesapeake Bay
– The CO2 and Climate Change Lab, which allows students to explore what role CO2 plays in climate change and how climate change is affecting, and will affect, the oceans and the Chesapeake Bay
– The Wildlife Forensics Lab, which has students acting as wildlife forensic lab technicians and performing gel electrophoresis to determine if confiscated tissue from a shark fin is from an endangered species
Students take on the role of scientist at the lab, donning goggles and work coats to complete activities that complement the science curriculum in their schools.
“I liked finding all the cool critters. I was able to learn lots of new facts and my little brother loves hearing about the trip.” — 7th grader, Patterson Mill Middle School, Chesapeake Bay Critter Investigation
“I enjoyed going outside and getting to figure out the salinity and diversity.” — 7th grader, Patterson Mill Middle School, Chesapeake Bay Critter Investigation Activity
“I liked the independence we were given.” — Towson High School student, Wildlife Forensics Lab
This program is another example of the ongoing strong partnership between BGE and Towson University.
“BGE has a long-standing commitment to enhancing the communities we serve, and the BGE Green Grants program represents an opportunity for the company to extend our commitment of environmental stewardship and community support to our customers,” said Calvin G. Butler Jr., chief executive officer for BGE.
“Importantly, this grant program has the opportunity to make a very visible and positive impact on communities throughout central Maryland, thanks to the work that Towson University is able to complete, with the support of this BGE grant, at the university’s hands-on, environmentally focused waterfront lab in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor,” Butler added.
