North Carolina Floating Classroom Program

The North Carolina Floating Classroom Program is a three-phase project designed to engage ninth grade science students in Wayne County in STEM science content and career education. Phase one provides students with classroom visits by the Neuse Riverkeeper and classroom follow-up activities correlated to the Earth/Environmental Science curriculum. Phase two is a half-day water quality monitoring/research cruise on RV Humphries for selected students who participate in water testing and dockside activities. Students will construct water quality monitoring devices and test water samples collected dockside. In Phase three, 15 highly interested students per year will participate in a week-long summer research mentorship program receiving advanced content instruction in aquatic science, research technology, mapping, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and guidance in scientific research design, technical writing.

Four follow-up Saturday sessions are planned for the academic year. Parents are encouraged to become involved in project activities, including a session aboard the RV Humphries and attend student research presentations. The first cohort of students will serve as peer mentors to subsequent classes. The specific goals are to: 

1. Expose the ninth grade students to aquatic science through hands-on/minds-on activities in the field and lab.
2. Provide classroom activities and instruction.
3. Select a cohort of 15 advanced ninth grade students for each of three additional summers.
4. Provide cohort students with instruction in scientific research and writing skills.
5. Provide cohort students with science content and teacher mentors for graduation projects.
6. Provide cohort students with instruction and practice in presenting scientific research.

Each year student cohorts will complete graduation projects and enter at least one scientific research competition.

Year-round program

Ninth grade science students in Wayne County

JoAnn M. Burkholder, Ph.D.
Director  
North Carolina State University Dept. of Plant Biology, Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology
620 Hutton Street
Suite 104
Raleigh, NC 27606

Phone: 919/515-2726