Students learn and retain knowledge better when the materials have direct relevance in their lives. This presentation will showcase several research-based environmental science resources from the National Library of Medicine for middle school students through high school and beyond, using scenarios that students relate to in real life. The session will introduce ToxTown, the interactive web resource about toxic substances in everyday environments, followed by a look at the Tox Town-Based Curriculum Units and Science Club. The units are ready to use in the classroom or as the curriculum for an after-school science club. Activities include topics such as finding potentially toxic chemicals in the home, testing the water quality at the school, and learning about potential health hazards from cellphones. We’ll demonstrate TOXMAP Environmental Health e-Maps to illustrate how students can search for toxic chemical releases and hazardous waste sites in their states. These free, web-based resources are based on national standards and include fully-developed materials for use in the classroom. Many of the materials are available in Spanish, making these resources truly valuable in many school settings.
