The NOAA Emerging Scientist Project (ESP) is designed to help teachers meet standards of learning in multiple science disciplines. Following the rigorous design of the meaningful watershed educational experience, students are immersed in watershed education through in-depth lessons in the classroom, hands-on field experiences, and culminating research projects. In addition, NOAA encourages active teacher involvement through training and support to ensure that educators are able to fully support the learning of their students.

Step 1: Classroom Learning

Professional educators from NOAA and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) visit classes several times over the course of a semester to deliver lessons about water quality, living resources, human impacts, and other watershed science topics. Using NOAA’s distance learning capabilities, students can benefit from live broadcasts with NOAA scientists as they conduct field work on the Bay and beyond. Depending on the length of the class, student experience two to four lessons. ESP works with teachers to tailor lessons to fit into existing curriculum using the Chesapeake Bay watershed as a context for learning.

Step 2: Field Work

ESP is much more than an outreach program. As part of the project, students visit Smithsonian Environmental Research Center for an incredible day of interactive field work with scientists and environmental professionals. Students participate in on-the-water and land-based research projects that familiarize them with the real work being conducted to better understand and restore the health of the Chesapeake. Working with scientists brings home lessons learned in the classroom and opens students’ eyes to the diversity and excitement of careers in science.

Step 3: Student Projects

After participating in the series of outreach lessons and completing field work, students choose a watershed-related topic they would like to research. After topic approval from ESP staff, students (individually or in teams) must develop and answer questions related to their topic. Questions could be related to the water-quality indicator involved with the issue, focus on how humans are affecting—and are affected by—the issue, and explore potential solutions to the problem. Students use several class periods to conduct research, which can mostly be done online. ESP staff provide sources of information to assist the research, and are available to attend research sessions for further assistance.

Part of the research project involves interacting with scientists that have expertise in their topic. Students must form questions and get answers from NOAA and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center scientists. ESP staff act as liaisons between scientists and students to facilitate the interaction. Incorporating NOAA and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) scientists in the program expands the knowledge base and breadth of topics students can research.

Following the research collection, students create a short presentation to showcase their findings at an in-class symposium. ESP staff and scientist attend this symposium to provide feedback and question students on their findings.

After students present their findings at the in-class symposium, their work can continue. As part of their research projects, students were asked to identify an action they could take to help address the issue they investigated. If teachers choose to have their students participate in this portion of ESP, students carry out the action(s) they identified. This could take many forms—volunteering with a local environmental group, writing a letter to Congress, applying for a grant, or petitioning their school or community to take action. Taking these actions empowers students and makes them better stewards to the environment. ESP staff is available to assist students with their project by connecting them with local organizations and providing more information and resources specific to their project.