Brittany Federspiel, Faculty Advisor: Dr. Krista Slemmons Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The PALEO PACKAGE: Using paleolimnology proxies to examine the past climates and address current topics in global environmental change in a high school setting.

We propose an interrupted case study examining the role of utilizing paleolimnology to reconstruct past environments and the historical importance of this research in the discovery and impact of acid rain. This teaching technique involves presenting a problem to the students, facilitating questioning among students while progressively providing addition content and historical context (Figure 2).

• Pilot studies with local high school students. • Identify ways of differentiating for students with exceptionalities. • Launching website with materials.

FUTURE WORK

Paleolimnological studies can serve as a platform to ask numerous

questions regarding change in landscapes, climate, and atmospheric

input over time. For this reason, the discipline is appropriate for the

high school classroom and can serve as a springboard for addressing

topics dealing with global climate change, pollution and politics.

INTRODUCTION

LITERATURE CITED Smith, R.A. (1852) On the air and rain of Manchester Mem. Lit. Phil. Soc. Manchester, series 2, 10, 207-217.

Davis, R., Anderson, D., & Berge, F. (1985) Paleolimnological evidence that lake acidification is accompanied by loss of organic matter. Nature, 316. Koster et al. (2008) PhD dissertation, University of Laval. National Park Service, Wet Deposition Program, (2009) http://www.nature.nps.gov/

Use of paleolimnology in the high school classroom can open new avenues of inquiry.

RATIONALE

●Paleolimnology is the study of the sediment record of freshwater systems to understand environmental dynamics over time often beyond recorded history.

LAKE SEDIMENT CORER

CASE STUDY

● We propose high school inquiry based activities centering around paleolimnology. Package includes: -the use of an inexpensive lake sediment corer -methodology for isolating and viewing diatoms inexpensively and safely. - data analysis package appropriate for high school students including diversity indices (i.e. Shannon’s, beta, community turnover, etc.) -interrupted clicker case study ● We further include simulated activities and data sets involving a paleo approach. When students are actively involved in asking questions and conducting research they begin to cultivate a genuine interest and long-term retention of a given topic. ●All accessible online, free of charge to educators at all levels.

METHODS

● Fossil diatoms, microscopic algae, sensitive to environmental change, can provide clues as to the conditions of a lake at a certain period of time.

Acid loving

Nitrogen loving

Silica loving

Bottom - past

Top - modern

Figure 3. Example data provided to students for interpretation of diatom inferred pH and how this can be used to reconstruct past environments. Diatom stratigraphy of Walden Pond (Köster et. al 2006).

CASE STUDY

Figure 2. Example flow chart of how to implement an interrupted case study connecting paleolimnology to historic acid rain research.

Figure 4. Examples data provided to students to examine the role of government regulation in controlling acid rain. Figure demonstrates that sulfate ion deposition over a 20 year period which has been regulated by the US government compared to nitrate ion which has limited regulation of the time period indicated (National Park Service Deposition Program, 2009).

Funding provided by University Personnel Development Committee - New faculty Grant, Undergraduate Education Initiative Grant.

Figure 1. Lake sediment core demonstrating the use of diatoms as chronological environmental indicators.

Figure 5. Prototype piston sediment corer, intended to be inexpensive , easy to assemble and use in a high school setting. Instructions on use, extracting sediment and processing diatoms will be included in the package.