SNOW SCIENCE AS CURRICULUM IN A FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM

ABSTRACT: A science curriculum centered on snow and avalanches was implemented in a 5th grade classroom at Ophir School in Big Sky, MT. The curriculum content was developed by a PhD student as a part of the Graduate Teaching Fellows in K–12 Education Program (GK–12) of the National Science Foundation. The purpose of the curriculum was foremost to provide inquiry-based scientific content that both stimulated and motivated the students. Throughout the academic year, lessons, exercises, and field trips were conducted with particular focus on the decision-making triangle of snow, weather, and terrain. Various resources were utilized including assistance from the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center and the Big Sky Ski Patrol. One of the most important aspects of the curriculum is that the 5th grade students were able to participate in the education processes themselves which culminated in their development of a professional-quality poster. The poster was constructed for use as an educational tool for other grade school students and was presented, by the students