Falls Lake Partners in Forensic Science Program

With continued funding support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the CAAE’s Falls Lake Partners in Forensic Science Program is based on a partnership between the CAAE and Moore Square Magnet Middle School, East Garner Magnet Middle School and Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School within the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). The program is designed to engage eighth and ninth grade students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information technology (IT) content and career education, through hands-on research experiences in aquatic science.

The specific project goals are to:

• • Kindle students’ interest in aquatic science careers through short interactive presentations to all 8th graders from the two targeted schools each year, followed by brief classroom visits emphasizing the importance of Falls Lake to their everyday health and the health of their families and friends;
  • Excite students and their teachers about aquatic science by providing hands-on experiences which teach them the science underpinning issues that affect lake water quality;
  • Inspire students to pursue STEM careers in aquatic science and water resources management through direct interactions with aquatic specialists;
  • Provide related classroom activities, career information, and references to enhance teachers’ skills in teaching aquatic science.

Some teaching materials that have been disseminated during the program are listed below and can be downloaded as pdfs. Other materials are available on request.

• • CAAE Brochure – Falls Lake Partners program
  • Falls Lake Introduction and WQ forensics
  • Handout – Algal Vernacular Names – BWF
  • Handout – Common freshwater phytoplankton in summer
  • Handout – pH
  • Instruction – Measuring Biodiversity
  • Instructions – Designing an Experiment
  • Instructions – Field Exercise – Stormwater Controls;
  • Instructions – Introduction to Light Microscopy
  • Instructions – Water Chemistry Exercise