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Bringing the Classroom Outdoors: Environmental Science at Sycamore High School

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Bringing the Classroom Outdoors: Environmental Science at Sycamore High School

Sycamore High School offers many different science courses: your standard high school sciences like Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, as well as more challenging options like AP Physics, Advanced Chemistry, and Dual Credit Biology in partnership with Kishwaukee Community College. But, the science department at SHS offers another opportunity to students who want to get out into the surrounding community for even more hands-on learning: Environmental Science - Kishwaukee River Watershed, taught by Mr. Scott Horlock.

This class serves as a place for students interested in research, field biology, or environmental science to engage in a unique experience blending traditional class work with research and online studies. Students are able to study current issues in the environmental science and ecology disciplines through the lens of a local watershed from the nearby Kishwaukee River. Students work closely with teachers and other local experts in evaluating the Kishwaukee River Watershed. Topics such as environmental systems and biodiversity, ethics, economics, environmental policy and sustainability, and soils and agriculture form the backbone of the class, which are then applied within the community of Sycamore and DeKalb County.

Students in Mr. Horlock’s class have spent this past winter and spring working on their authentic research projects and earning two wildland fire certifications. They presented their research at NIU’s Conference for Undergraduate Research and Engagement (C.U.R.E.) on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. Breanna Anderson, Hope Nordbrock, Quinn Fischer, Lucinda Davison, Tryggve Vilaseca, Quin Dukes, Sheyenne Lathrop, and Sophia Klacik were all members of this year’s course who conducted and presented their research at the conference.

These students were the only high school students participating at C.U.R.E., presenting among approximately three hundred different research projects at the conference. The group performed incredibly well – comments from conference judges, NIU faculty, and other undergrads presenting included, "Your students were well prepared,” "They were able to articulate their research to both science and non-science people,” "Great ability to focus on significance,” "Enthusiastic, well spoken and easy to follow,” and "Wait, you're high school students?".

Sophia Klacik and Hope Nordbrock each earned their wildland fire certification through the environmental science class. Their work culminated in assisting local ecologists and land managers from the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District with prescribed burns at Afton Forest Preserve on Monday, April 10.

In the years since its establishment, the class has become a capstone science class that allows students to learn about science topics they find interesting and relevant. It is a combination of content taught in biology, chemistry, and physics classes with the goal to learn about ecology, soil science, fisheries, hydrology, botany, environmental science, and many other science-related disciplines.

Environmental Science - Kishwaukee River Watershed is a zero-hour class that is open to incoming sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Sycamore High School. Those interested in taking this course must have successfully completed Biology or Biology AB, and have completed or be concurrently enrolled in Chemistry as prerequisites to be eligible.

 

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