Learning celebrations are increasingly common in schools looking to put more emphasis on community and efficacy in place formulaic science fair projects. The celebration aspect is in the community's participation and interaction with the learners. Students are the main event, performing as they would in a school play or applying acquired knowledge…

The dread of summer learning loss that students experience make the approaching months of summer bittersweet. Although teachers may not be able to guarantee that students retain the specifics of their science lessons, they can begin taking steps now that can help science inquiry remain at the forefront of their minds during the break. A year-long…

Donnelly, Idaho, is a small town surrounded by private ranches and Forest Service property. Through the center of Donnelly runs Boulder Creek, a small tributary feeding into Cascade Lake Reservoir. Boulder Creek originates from a mountain lake north of Donnelly. Since 1994 it has been listed as "impaired" by the Environmental Protection…

Science Night--everybody wants one, but how does a teacher make it happen? To promote connections between schools, families, and communities, the authors organized a unique learning opportunity by combining three community partners' efforts and strengths. The school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) coordinated and sponsored a science night for…

Boulder Creek runs literally in the backyard of Donnelly Elementary School and happens to be on the EPA list of impaired water bodies. Therefore, a unique opportunity for problem solving opened the door to an exciting chance for students to become scientists, while also becoming active in their community. With the help of the Idaho Department of…