Outreach
K-12 OUTREACH
I have worked at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute leading the ScienceStrong program for the past seven years. This mainly involves working with preschool through 12th grade teachers and students to improve science literacy and to help students and teachers grow in their love of nature and science. As a part of the ScienceStrong project, I have written comprehensive Kindergarten-5th grade science curriculum that is used by Hastings Area School elementary teachers with their classes. I also serve as the elementary science coach for the district.
I previously worked as a part of the Kellogg Biological Station K-12 Partnership for 9 years. During that time, I lead professional development for K-12 science teachers, worked in K-12 classrooms, and mentored teachers as a part of Research Experience for Teachers (RET) projects. I have greatly enjoyed working in the K-12 Partnership, and below is a selection of some of the curriculum I have developed. I have also worked collaboratively with other LTER sites on Pathways Water Curriculum Materials.
Syswerda, S.P., and L. Wininger. October 2013. Telling the Story of a River: Using GIS in the classroom. KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI.
Syswerda, S.P., Karre, N., and Hach, C. June 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: Integrating the science practices into your teaching. KBS K-12 Partnership Summer Institute Session, Hickory Corners, MI.
Syswerda, S.P., and L. Wininger. April 2013. Biosensors and Food Safety (Middle School). KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Lesson Plan, Lab Sheet, Data Activity, Microbe ID Handout
Syswerda, S.P. 2012. Gases Matter (Elementary/Middle School). KBS K-12 Partnerhsip Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document.
Syswerda, S.P. 2012. Investigating Student Thinking about Watersheds (Middle/High School). KBS K-12 Partnership Summer Institute Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document. powerpoint
Wininger, L.W., and S.P. Syswerda. 2012. Nanotechnology (Middle/High School). KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Powerpoint.
Syswerda, S.P., and M. Angle. 2011. Mix it up: Elementary Water Chemistry (Elementary School). KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document.
Syswerda, S.P., and M. Angle. 2011. Modeling Weather to Fight Student Misconceptions (Middle School). KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document.
Syswerda, S.P. 2011. Adaptations to the Properties of Water. KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Lesson plan.
Syswerda, S.P. 2011. Substances in Water (Middle/High School). KBS K-12 Partnership Summer Institute Session, Hickory Corners, MI.
Syswerda, S.P., and M. Angle. 2011. Mix it up: Elementary Water Chemistry (Elementary School). KBS K-12 Partnership Summer Institute Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document.
Syswerda, S.P., and S. Hamilton. 2010. Kalamazoo Oil Spill and using watershed models. KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Powerpoint.
Syswerda, S.P. 2010. How much water do you use? (Middle/High School) KBS K-12 Partnership Summer Institute Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document. Powerpoint.
Syswerda, S.P. 2010. Water Quality (Middle/High School). KBS K-12 Partnership Summer Institute Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document.
Syswerda, S.P. 2010. Pathways Water Teaching Experiment. (Middle/High School) KBS K-12 Partnership Summer Institute Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document.
Syswerda, S.P., and B. Wilke. 2009. Getting from grass to poop, milk, and meat: ruminant digestion demystified. KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Word Document. Powerpoint.
Syswerda, S.P., and L. Kinsman. Frogsicles: Freezing Point Depression and How Frogs Survive the Winter. KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Student Worksheet, Lesson plan.
Syswerda, S.P., and S. Smith. Lake Ice Cover: A data analysis lesson (Middle/High School). KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session, Hickory Corners, MI. Lesson Plan, Student Handout, Excel Simple, Excel Standard, Excel Teacher.
Syswerda, S.P. Global Climate Change Unit. Lesson Plan.
Syswerda, S.P. Greenhouse Gases. Powerpoint.
Syswerda, S.P., J. Warners, and L. Wininger. What does Organic Mean? KBS K-12 Partnership Summer Institute Session. Powerpoint. Lesson Plan. Student Handout.
Syswerda, S.P., and S. Smith. Sea Monkey Adventures. KBS K-12 Partnership Workshop Session. Powerpoint. Lesson Plan.
OTHER PRESENTATIONS
Berkowitz, A.R., Covitt, B.A., Doherty, J.H., Gunckel, K.L., Irish, T.E., Jin, H., Johnson, M., Moore, J., and Syswerda, S.P. 2014. Learning Progressions for Effective Environmental Science Teaching. Oral Session, Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Sacramento, California.
Covitt, B., Syswerda, S.P., & Cano, A. 2014. Crafting Water Education that Responds to Common Informal Ideas About Water Systems. Sustaining the Blue Planet Global Water Education Conference, Big Sky, MT.
Covitt, B.A., Syswerda, S.P., Caplan, B., and Cano, A.A. 2014. Teachers’ Use of Learning Progression-Based Formative Assessment in Water Instruction. Presentation from the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Pittsburg, PA. Powerpoint. Paper.
Syswerda, S.P. 2013. Invited lecture, Michigan Association of Extension Agents Spring Training, Michigan State University.
Syswerda, S.P. 2012. Gases Matter. Guest lecture, Carbon, Energy, and Climate Conference. Kellogg Biological Station.
Syswerda, S.P. 2011. Carbon and nutrient cycling in agricultural systems. Guest Lecture in Agroecology, IPM, and Sustainable Agriculture course program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
Syswerda, S.P. 2010. Communicating Sustainable Agriculture to the General Public. Guest lecture, Sustainable Agriculture Capstone Course, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
Syswerda, S.P. 2010. Carbon cycling in agricultural systems. Guest Lecture in Agroecology, IPM, and Sustainable Agriculture course program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
Tinghitella, R., J. Doll, and S.P. Syswerda. 2009. Who needs to know what—and when and how? KBS LTER outreach and education beyond courses for credit. Poster. LTER All-Scientist Meeting, Estes Park, Colorado.
Syswerda, S. 2008. Ecosystem Service trade-offs from Agricultural Systems. Seminar. Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners, Michigan.
Parr, S., B. Basso, and G.P. Robertson. 2007. Are Organic Systems really better for the environment: long term data on nitrate leaching. Oral Session. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings.
Parr, S., and G.P. Robertson. 2007. Ecosystem Services and Economics at the KBS LTER Site. Seminar. Kellogg Biological Station. Hickory Corners, MI. 3-30-2007.
Parr, S., A. Corbin, and G.P. Robertson. 2007. Fluxes of nitrous oxide and methane and soil carbon change in ten ecosystems along a management intensity gradient in SW Michigan. Poster. Climate Change in the Great Lakes Conference, East Lansing, MI. Download Poster (Best Poster Award)
Wilke, B.J., S. Parr, C. McSwiney, S.S. Snapp, and G.P. Robertson. 2006. Nitrogen use efficiency along a long term nutrient management gradient. Poster. LTER All-Scientist Meeting, Estes Park, Colorado.
Parr, S., A. Corbin, and G.P. Robertson. 2006. Tradeoffs in Ecosystem Services along a management intensity gradient. Poster. LTER Meeting, Estes Park, Colorado.
Parr, S. and G.P. Robertson. 2006. Long Term Trends in Nitrate Leaching Across a Management Intensity Gradient. Poster. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Memphis, TN.
Parr, S, and G.P. Robertson. 2005. Ecosystem Service Valuation in Agricultural Cropping Systems. Seminar. Kellogg Biological Station. Hickory Corners, MI. 4-29-2005.
Grandy, A.S., T.D. Loecke, S. Parr, and G.P. Robertson. 2005. Is carbon sequestration following no-till conversion associated with changes in crop yields, nitrogen cycling, and global warming potential? Volunteer Poster. Soil Ecology Society International Conference. Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois.
Parr, S., and G.P. Robertson. 2004. Early research on denitrification along a management intensity gradient. Volunteer Poster. LTER-KBS All-Scientist Meeting. East Lansing, MI.