Reports & Articles
How-to Guide for Out-of-School-Time Curriculum Developers 
Recasting Content How-To Guide
Recasting Content in a New Light: Adapting Formal Education Materials for Informal Education Settings is a field-tested ‘how-to’ guide developed by Laughing Crow Curriculum, NASA, and Pacific Science Center. The guide provides tools and templates to help adapt curriculum materials originally intended for formal classroom environments for use in out-of-school-time settings.
Storybook Science: Examining Girls’ Science Learning with a Fictional Story and a Mother-Daughter Book Club
Storybook Science reports on a research project conducted by Kristen Clapper Bergsman. A four-week mother-daughter-book club was formed with girls ages 8-12 and their mothers. The study investigated the use of text features in a fictional story and an interactive book club format to increase girls’ motivation and interest in science learning. This article reports on specific elements of the research study. The full master’s thesis is available at the University of Washington’s Suzzallo library.
Motivating Readers to Learn from Fictional Story Characters: Character Identification, Social Contexts, and Interest
Motivating Readers to Learn article
This literature review explores how characters in fictional children’s books may be able to motivate children to learn about science through the imitation of modeled attitudes and behaviors. Fictional characters are examined through the lenses of social cognitive theory, self-determination theory, and socio-cultural theory.
Journals Across the Curriculum: By Examining How Student Journals are Used in K-12 Classrooms, Environmental Educators Can Better Understand How to Use Journals in the Field
Journals Across the Curriculum article
Journals Across the Curriculum provides information for environmental and experiential educators on how to use journals in the field. Journaling has become a popular trend in the K-12 classroom, especially among teachers of science, math, and language arts. Student journals are used to increase opportunities for content-based readng and writing, to reinforce concepts, and to communicate knowledge and beliefs about the subject area.
Yard Talk: Green Roofs and Rain Gardens
Check out Episode 12 of the King County TV series, Yard Talk, for an introduction to green roofs and rain gardens. This episode features Kristen Bergsman’s front yard rain garden and includes an interview about the importance of homeowner stewardship. http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/stewardship/nw-yard-and-garden/yard-talk.aspx
