Soybean Science Challenge: sustaining education during a pandemic

ABSTRACT

The Soybean Science Challenge (SSC) continues to support Arkansas STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) educational goals, is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and engages junior high and high school students in active learning and the co-creation of knowledge through support of classroom-based lessons and applied student research. The SSC educates and engages junior high and high school science students and teachers in 'real-world' Arkansas specific soybean science education through original NGSS aligned curriculum in 7E and Gathering Reasoning and Communicating (GRC)-3D format and a continuum of educational methods which include teacher workshops, online and virtual education, NGSS aligned mini-lessons for science classrooms, community gardens, personal mentoring, student-led research and corresponding award recognition, and partnerships with state and national educators, agencies, and the popular media. The COVID-19 global pandemic altered the educational landscape in 2020 and continues to do so. The new educational environment has seen an increase in virtual classrooms, online courses, and interactions with Zoom © . The Soybean Science Challenge (SSC), by nature of its existing design and methodology, was and is amid these methods by launching online Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned Gathering Reasoning and Communicating (GRC)-3D and 7E lesson plans for teachers, adding an online course, adding NGSS aligned mini-lesson videos for the science classroom, and adding virtual field trips to the list on the Soybean Science Challenge website. The Challenge also sponsored the virtual Arkansas Science Teacher Association Conference, and the SSC Coordinator taught virtual workshops on bringing agriculturally based lessons into science classrooms. The Soybean Science Challenge virtually judged participants at both the regional and state level, and SSC added a junior level award at regional science fairs. Through the SSC, teachers now have access to a plethora of educational instructions that bring real-world agricultural critical thinking both into the classroom and the homes of students.