Partnering with Boston Public Schools to Inspire the Next Generation of Geoscientists Through the Stories of the Earth

Abstract

The geosciences are the least diverse of all STEM fields.  In addition, the geosciences continue to be plagued by historically and culturally ingrained stigmas that conspire to push science minded youth, and especially youth from traditionally underrepresented communities, away from the geosciences.  These problems hurt the geosciences and in turn hurt our global society where the geosciences are critically important to solving many of today’s most pressing environmental issues (e.g. climate change, environmental sustainability, resource depletion, critical minerals and metals, water, energy, etc).  

Every Rock Has A Story (ERHAS) is a growing collection of inspiring and educational YouTube videos for kids.  We will create 8-10 new episodes with the overarching theme of “Life’s Relationship with the Earth” aligned with grades 2-5 NGSS curriculum.  These episodes will show children the diverse faces of real geoscientists, doing diverse geoscience in exciting locations, and sharing their own diverse stories about the Earth and our place within it.  We will directly deliver ERHAS by piloting a new curricular partnership with the Boston Public Schools (BPS) throughout the 2023-2024 academic year.  With BPS, we will develop and undertake formal evaluation and assessment surveys of the effectiveness of ERHAS in meeting its goal to inspire diverse kids about geoscience and to help them see themselves as scientists.

[When we build out the larger pages for each project, Please share the link to the YouTube Channel as a separate section as well: https://www.youtube.com/@EveryRockHasAStory]

Presentations

• Children from Massachusetts communities including Boston, Bedford, Harvard, and Sudburywere filmed and included in each episode.
• Over 200 Boston Public School students watched all nine episodes in their classes; subsets ofthese same students and their teachers completed assessment surveys and focus groups
• MSELA Invited Presentation delivered by Baxter, 10/27/23
• NSTA Science Update webinar delivered by Baxter, 12/7/23 
• NSTA National Conference Presentations given by Baxter, March 20-23, 2024
• Live presentations at nine local schools and one museum to over 2100 K-6 students

Publications 

• Nine new episodes (#74-82) filmed with diverse co-hosts on site in England, Georgia, Texas, Maine, New York, Sweden, and at Boston College. Nominated for a New England Regional EMMY Award in the Children/Youth category.
  

Additional Grants

• Grant submitted to the US Army Corps of Engineers to continue the project (pending)