Description of Focus Group Activities
2016 Student Research Symposium - Description of Focus Group Activities A menu of focus group activities is presented below. The nature of the activity dictates the maximum number and age of participants. We have provided each school with "tickets" to a variety of activities (but not all), hopefully providing enough variety to give students options that interest them. Teachers should determine who will go to which activity in advance of the symposium using whatever method you want. Provide the students with the enclosed tickets at a time when they will not lose them - the morning of symposium perhaps. Students need the ticket to get into the activity. Our goal is to mix students from different schools within grade levels within each activity. It is our hope that after the symposium, students can share and compare with each other what they learned as participants in the different activities. All About Forests: Explore all aspects of forests from tree growth and aging to how soil affects trees and vice versa! Grade Level: High School Location: Carr Hall 217 Facilitators: Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 10 Augmented Reality Sandbox: Get hands on with this activity that will teach you about reading topographic maps. Grade Level: High School Location: Alden Hall Room 001 Facilitators: Camille Sicker, Allegheny College student Activity Capacity: 12 Bee Gone: An exploration of why native pollinators are in danger of going extinct. See how these insects contribute to making food and much more. Grade Level: High School Location: Carr Hall 238 Facilitators: Arienthea Gray, Kia Doherty, Arianne Pieszchala, Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 15 Big Tree Program: Meet Crawford County’s Forester and learn how to measure trees. Learn how size may not tell you how old a tree is and how foresters chose which trees should be cut down. OUTSIDE, Dress for the weather! Grade Level: Middle School Location: OUTSIDE Facilitators: Mark Lewis, DCNR Bureau of Forestry Activity Capacity: 20
Bird Beaks: Birds have evolved beaks to meet their specific habitat and feeding needs. Come learn about beak structure and its importance. Grade Level: High School Location: Carr Hall 220 Facilitators: Ben Haywood, Allegheny College Professor Activity Capacity: 20 Boating Safety Challenge: Think you know all there is to know about being safe on the water? Come try out your skills at this challenging activity. You may learn a thing or two from our local water safety experts. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Wise Center Performance Arena Facilitators: USACE & PA Fish & Boat Commission Activity Capacity: 18 Composting Challenge: Some materials we use every day can break down and be used again by nature. Can you tell the difference between actual trash and compostable materials? Take the compost challenge and find out! This activity will show you how worms and other critters break down materials to make compost and how composting can help decrease the need for landfill space. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Carr Hall 141 Facilitators: Brea Whiting and John Dzurica Activity Capacity: 20 Creating Crazy Cards: Think recycling is just about paper, plastic and metal? Turn fabric scraps or “rags” into "one of a kind" greeting or note cards! Come create cards for the holidays or for all occasions. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Campus Center Room 318 Facilitators: Kathy Uglow, Crawford County Conservation District Activity Capacity: 12 Ecosystems Engineers: What has yellow teeth, builds ponds, and is known to be an “ecosystem engineer”? The North American Beaver, of course! In this focus group, we will examine the importance of the beaver in our local watershed, and then become engineers ourselves as we build dams in the way beavers taught us. OUTSIDE! Dress for the weather! Grade Level: Middle School Location: Outside, Carr Hall 113 if bad weather Facilitators: Kala Mahen, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 18
Energy Land: Endangered Species: Take part in the transfer of energy with our interactive food chain activity and explore how important local endangered species are to energy transfer. One of the area’s fastest, most prolific predators will make an appearance – but only if you make it to the end! Grade Level: Middle School Location: Carr Hall 239 Facilitators: Colin McIntosh, Lauren Erdman, Jack Horan, Justin McLane, and Rose Fischer, Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 19 Fishing for Facts: Think you know your northwestern PA fish? If you answered yes or no, come to this activity to test your fish knowledge. You’ll get to try your hand at casting for fish as well as see live fish from the streams in this area. Grade Level: High School Location: Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.112 Facilitators: Jacob Turin, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Fish ID: Learn the key characteristics of the major fish families and become a whiz at fish identification! Grade Level: High School Location: Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.108 Facilitator: Jared Balik, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Fluvial Hydrogeomorphology: Flu-what? Find out what these two words mean. Find out how streams form and why they move the way they do. And get to see the stream table in the basement of the geology building! Grade Level: High School Location: Alden Hall 012 – The Flume Room Facilitators: Tom Hayden and Sam Reese Activity Capacity: 15 Gone Batty: Bats are an important part of our local ecosystem. Learn all about them and what you can do to help them out. Grade Level: High School Location: Campus Center Room 301/302 Facilitators: Terry Lobdell, Environmental Educator Activity Capacity: 25
Go With the Flow: We will explore storm water and pollution, and green infratructure strategies to mitigate flooding events. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.212 Facilitators: Ruth Benner, Penn State Cooperative Extension Activity Capacity: 18 How Much Is That Tree Worth?: Have you ever went on a hike and saw a tree and wondered why people cut some trees and not others? Well this activity explores that thought by examining the different price values of tree species. Students will go on a short hike and measure a tree in the same way as a forester would and calculate how much the tree is worth using up to date market prices. Students are not required to have any background knowledge in forestry, just an appetite to learn about the trees around them. We will be outside for this activity so wear old shoes and dress for the weather. Grade Level: High School Location: Outside Facilitators: Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 20 How Soil Serves the Food We Eat: We will have a look at soil care and the importance of compost. Grade Level: High School Location: Campus Center Room 303 Facilitators: Goodell Gardens & Homestead Activity Capacity: 20 Mark Recapture: We will be doing estimation of the population of colorful frogs from an exotic land. Students will be introduced to the Peterson/Schnabel method of population size estimation. Students will learn the probability and assumptions behind the mathematics of mark /recapture studies. Grade Level: High School Location: Campus Center Room 206 Facilitators: Chris Davis, University of Pittsburgh Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Activity Capacity: 23 Natural Selection: Learn the implications of using pesticides on natural selection and consider possible alternative ways to deal with agricultural pests. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.201 Facilitators: Sarah Nathan, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 18
Nature Hunt: Students will be tasked with exploring and finding out what makes the world go 'round. Bugs; foliage... anything! They will collect their own sample, and then we will go to the lab for identification. Finally, we will use what we learned to create our own bugs! OUTSIDE! Dress for the weather! Grade Level: Elementary/Middle School Location: Carrden & Steffee Computer Lab Facilitators: Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 15 pH and Hydroponics: Explore the pH of organic and non-organic nutrients and its implications. Grade Level: High School Location: Carr Hall Lab 221 Facilitators: Linel Hernandez, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Plants, Honey Bees, and Pesticides: Model biomagnification and bioaccumulation using the relationship between flowers and pollinators. Grade Level: High School Location: Carr Hall 122 Facilitators: Abby Hileman, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Signs from Streamside Animals: What made that track? What left that scat? Have you ever wondered this when looking at the muddy banks along a stream? This session is a short hike designed to make you more familiar with the evidence of animal activity by the creek. You will learn and practice techniques for identifying tracks, scat, and other animal signs from our friends the raccoon, mink, squirrel, deer, and more. We will be outside for this activity so wear old shoes and dress for the weather. Grade Level: High School Location: OUTSIDE Facilitator: Paul Sutkowski, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Underwater Robotics: Learn how simple remotely operated vehicle (ROV) constructed of PVC pipe, including a propulsion system and tethered controller work. Investigate concepts of buoyancy, submarine design, and ocean exploration. Scientific applications involve biological sampling and water sampling with Sea Perch units. Grade Level: High School Location: Dive basin – Mellon Pool Facilitators: David Boughton, PA Sea Grant Activity Capacity: 16
Water Cycle Board Game: Do you like water? Is learning about where your water comes from something that totally excites you? Well we have something just for you folks. Come play a rousing life-size board game where your knowledge of the water cycle will be tested. Will you make it all the way through the cycle? Or will you be bogged down by pollution? WE SHALL SEE. Grade Level: Elementary/Middle School Location: Outside or Blue Court if bad weather Facilitators: Hannah Blinn, Caroline Brennan, Darby Anderson, and Ally Wood, Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 12 Water Rules!: Kayaks, Paddleboards, Jet Skis are some of the fastest growing watersports in America. But what are the rules to help keep you safe while having fun on the water? Join Brian and Linda for a fun time learning how to be safe and have fun on the water. Grade Level: Middle School Location: OUTSIDE or Blue Court Facilitators: Crawford County Conservation District & Pymatuning State Park Activity Capacity: 18 Wild About Birding: Our region is known for its fabulous birding opportunities. Learn how to see and hear the birds living here and passing through. Grade Level: any Location: Start at Alden Hall 210 Facilitator: Audubon PA Activity Capacity: 14
Bird Beaks: Birds have evolved beaks to meet their specific habitat and feeding needs. Come learn about beak structure and its importance. Grade Level: High School Location: Carr Hall 220 Facilitators: Ben Haywood, Allegheny College Professor Activity Capacity: 20 Boating Safety Challenge: Think you know all there is to know about being safe on the water? Come try out your skills at this challenging activity. You may learn a thing or two from our local water safety experts. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Wise Center Performance Arena Facilitators: USACE & PA Fish & Boat Commission Activity Capacity: 18 Composting Challenge: Some materials we use every day can break down and be used again by nature. Can you tell the difference between actual trash and compostable materials? Take the compost challenge and find out! This activity will show you how worms and other critters break down materials to make compost and how composting can help decrease the need for landfill space. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Carr Hall 141 Facilitators: Brea Whiting and John Dzurica Activity Capacity: 20 Creating Crazy Cards: Think recycling is just about paper, plastic and metal? Turn fabric scraps or “rags” into "one of a kind" greeting or note cards! Come create cards for the holidays or for all occasions. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Campus Center Room 318 Facilitators: Kathy Uglow, Crawford County Conservation District Activity Capacity: 12 Ecosystems Engineers: What has yellow teeth, builds ponds, and is known to be an “ecosystem engineer”? The North American Beaver, of course! In this focus group, we will examine the importance of the beaver in our local watershed, and then become engineers ourselves as we build dams in the way beavers taught us. OUTSIDE! Dress for the weather! Grade Level: Middle School Location: Outside, Carr Hall 113 if bad weather Facilitators: Kala Mahen, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 18
Energy Land: Endangered Species: Take part in the transfer of energy with our interactive food chain activity and explore how important local endangered species are to energy transfer. One of the area’s fastest, most prolific predators will make an appearance – but only if you make it to the end! Grade Level: Middle School Location: Carr Hall 239 Facilitators: Colin McIntosh, Lauren Erdman, Jack Horan, Justin McLane, and Rose Fischer, Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 19 Fishing for Facts: Think you know your northwestern PA fish? If you answered yes or no, come to this activity to test your fish knowledge. You’ll get to try your hand at casting for fish as well as see live fish from the streams in this area. Grade Level: High School Location: Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.112 Facilitators: Jacob Turin, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Fish ID: Learn the key characteristics of the major fish families and become a whiz at fish identification! Grade Level: High School Location: Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.108 Facilitator: Jared Balik, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Fluvial Hydrogeomorphology: Flu-what? Find out what these two words mean. Find out how streams form and why they move the way they do. And get to see the stream table in the basement of the geology building! Grade Level: High School Location: Alden Hall 012 – The Flume Room Facilitators: Tom Hayden and Sam Reese Activity Capacity: 15 Gone Batty: Bats are an important part of our local ecosystem. Learn all about them and what you can do to help them out. Grade Level: High School Location: Campus Center Room 301/302 Facilitators: Terry Lobdell, Environmental Educator Activity Capacity: 25
Go With the Flow: We will explore storm water and pollution, and green infratructure strategies to mitigate flooding events. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.212 Facilitators: Ruth Benner, Penn State Cooperative Extension Activity Capacity: 18 How Much Is That Tree Worth?: Have you ever went on a hike and saw a tree and wondered why people cut some trees and not others? Well this activity explores that thought by examining the different price values of tree species. Students will go on a short hike and measure a tree in the same way as a forester would and calculate how much the tree is worth using up to date market prices. Students are not required to have any background knowledge in forestry, just an appetite to learn about the trees around them. We will be outside for this activity so wear old shoes and dress for the weather. Grade Level: High School Location: Outside Facilitators: Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 20 How Soil Serves the Food We Eat: We will have a look at soil care and the importance of compost. Grade Level: High School Location: Campus Center Room 303 Facilitators: Goodell Gardens & Homestead Activity Capacity: 20 Mark Recapture: We will be doing estimation of the population of colorful frogs from an exotic land. Students will be introduced to the Peterson/Schnabel method of population size estimation. Students will learn the probability and assumptions behind the mathematics of mark /recapture studies. Grade Level: High School Location: Campus Center Room 206 Facilitators: Chris Davis, University of Pittsburgh Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Activity Capacity: 23 Natural Selection: Learn the implications of using pesticides on natural selection and consider possible alternative ways to deal with agricultural pests. Grade Level: Middle School Location: Steffee Hall of Life Sciences B.201 Facilitators: Sarah Nathan, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 18
Nature Hunt: Students will be tasked with exploring and finding out what makes the world go 'round. Bugs; foliage... anything! They will collect their own sample, and then we will go to the lab for identification. Finally, we will use what we learned to create our own bugs! OUTSIDE! Dress for the weather! Grade Level: Elementary/Middle School Location: Carrden & Steffee Computer Lab Facilitators: Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 15 pH and Hydroponics: Explore the pH of organic and non-organic nutrients and its implications. Grade Level: High School Location: Carr Hall Lab 221 Facilitators: Linel Hernandez, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Plants, Honey Bees, and Pesticides: Model biomagnification and bioaccumulation using the relationship between flowers and pollinators. Grade Level: High School Location: Carr Hall 122 Facilitators: Abby Hileman, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Signs from Streamside Animals: What made that track? What left that scat? Have you ever wondered this when looking at the muddy banks along a stream? This session is a short hike designed to make you more familiar with the evidence of animal activity by the creek. You will learn and practice techniques for identifying tracks, scat, and other animal signs from our friends the raccoon, mink, squirrel, deer, and more. We will be outside for this activity so wear old shoes and dress for the weather. Grade Level: High School Location: OUTSIDE Facilitator: Paul Sutkowski, Allegheny College Student Activity Capacity: 20 Underwater Robotics: Learn how simple remotely operated vehicle (ROV) constructed of PVC pipe, including a propulsion system and tethered controller work. Investigate concepts of buoyancy, submarine design, and ocean exploration. Scientific applications involve biological sampling and water sampling with Sea Perch units. Grade Level: High School Location: Dive basin – Mellon Pool Facilitators: David Boughton, PA Sea Grant Activity Capacity: 16
Water Cycle Board Game: Do you like water? Is learning about where your water comes from something that totally excites you? Well we have something just for you folks. Come play a rousing life-size board game where your knowledge of the water cycle will be tested. Will you make it all the way through the cycle? Or will you be bogged down by pollution? WE SHALL SEE. Grade Level: Elementary/Middle School Location: Outside or Blue Court if bad weather Facilitators: Hannah Blinn, Caroline Brennan, Darby Anderson, and Ally Wood, Allegheny College Students Activity Capacity: 12 Water Rules!: Kayaks, Paddleboards, Jet Skis are some of the fastest growing watersports in America. But what are the rules to help keep you safe while having fun on the water? Join Brian and Linda for a fun time learning how to be safe and have fun on the water. Grade Level: Middle School Location: OUTSIDE or Blue Court Facilitators: Crawford County Conservation District & Pymatuning State Park Activity Capacity: 18 Wild About Birding: Our region is known for its fabulous birding opportunities. Learn how to see and hear the birds living here and passing through. Grade Level: any Location: Start at Alden Hall 210 Facilitator: Audubon PA Activity Capacity: 14
