Science Journal Club for Teens: Discuss Current Research Like a Scientist!
What's included
1 live meeting
40 mins in-class hours per weekHomework
1 hour per week. Learners are expected to read the articles before coming to class.Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Do you want to find out how science is conducted and how scientists share their findings with other scientists? This course is aimed at teens that have a keen interest in science and want to have a better idea about how scientific research is conducted and to find out what researchers are working on today. We will be using articles from 'Science Journal for Teens', where cutting-edge peer reviewed science is adapted for students. Journal clubs are an essential part of every scientist's education. Not only will learners be introduced to new research and learn more about how it was conducted, they will also be taught to think critically about the content of the paper. Each class will begin with a short introduction. We will then go over the article in detail. We will begin with the abstract and then have a closer look at what the purpose of the paper was and the methods used to conduct the research. We will discuss the interpretation of the results and their broader implications to the scientific field. After we have examined the article we will give our general impression. I will encourage learners to think critically. We will think about whether there are any holes in this research and whether some aspects could have been done better. As a scientist, the peer review process is essential, so budding scientists should be introduced early to this concept. This is a discussion based class. I will ask learners to actively participate in all parts of the lesson. The article will be provided a week in advance and learners should have read it before coming to class. We will read key parts of the article together in class and learners will have the opportunity to ask questions to make sure they have understood everything. They will also be encouraged to give their opinion and share any additional knowledge they have in this field. Below are papers to be discussed in upcoming weeks, though this schedule may change if students have requests of specific papers the would like to discuss Week of May 9th -How did the warrah cross the ocean to the Falkland Islands? Week of May 16th - Why do some clownfish not breed? Week of May 23nd- How do Nematodes find a host? Week of May 30th- How do plants keep in touch? Week of June 6th - Can viruses save lives? Week of October 3rd-Is the Arctic losing its penguins? Week of October 10th-How do dogs make trouble for wildlife in the Andes? Week of October 23rd -How can oyster farms create homes for fish? Week of October 31st-How can we know about dinosaurs’ social lives? Week of November 7th-How do termites divide the work? Week of November 14th-How can oyster farms create homes for fish? Week of January 23rd 2023 What can fossils tell us about the nervous system’s evolution? Week of January 30th 2023 What can termites teach us about better building materials? Week of February 6th How can polar bears survive longer in a changing climate? Week of February 6th How can polar bears survive longer in a changing climate? Week of February 13th How does sunscreen make corals sick? Week of February 27th How can oyster farms create homes for fish? Week of March 6th How can the eruption of a volcano affect the ocean everywhere on Earth? Week of March 13th Why are people more likely to get sick when it is cold? Week of March 13th Why are people more likely to get sick when it is cold? Week of March 21st Can a robotic arm be controlled by the brain? Week of March 28th What can tree frogs in Chernobyl tell us about radiation? Week of April 3rd Can you get vaccinated without a needle? Week of April 10th Can a spray make our crops better? Week of April 24th What can tusks tell us about the lives of mastodons? Week of May 1st Why do some clownfish not breed? Week of May 8th Hoe are gut bacteria and aging related Week of May 15th What fungus am I Week of May 22nd How can black rats change the behavior of reef fish? Week of May 29th Can armadillos show us how to regrow a liver? Week of June 5th What was life like in medieval England? Week of June 12th Where did South American wild canids come from? Week of June 19th What can we learn from carbon on Mars? Week of June 26th How can leopard seals survive climate change? Week of July 3rd Where did cats first start living with people? Week of July 10th How did organoids help scientists understand COVID-19? Week of July 17th Can armadillos show us how to regrow a liver? Week of July 24th Thursday: How can we grow veggies in space. Friday: How can we protect Seabeds from storms? Week of July 31st: How can cheetahs and farmers get along better? Week of August 7th: Can we use bacteria to make renewable rocket fuel? Week of August 21st: What can we learn about dinosaur skin using a laser? Week of August 28th: How can tardigrades survive without water? Week of September 4th: How can offshore mussel farms help to repair the ocean? Week of September 11th: Why is it so hard to bring back extinct species? Week of September 18th: Do bats benefit from wildfires? Week of September 24th: What kinds of foods did Neanderthals eat? Week of October 1st: How can we predict bone loss in astronauts? Week of October 8th: What does hummingbird coloration tell us about competition? Week of October 16th: When and where did humans domesticate wolves? Sunday October 29th: How can tardigrades survive without water? Week of October 30th: What happens to plastic in the soil? Week of November 7th: How do plants keep in touch? Week of November 14th: What can we learn about aging from naked mole-rats? Week of November 21st: Why are flights getting bumpier? Week of November 28th: What made woolly mammoths Ice Age icons? Week of December 4th How do some fungi turn insects into zombies? Week of December 11th How do viruses trick their hosts into feeding them? Week of December 18th How well can a computer think? Week of January 8th Why are North American velvet ants more colorful? Week of January 15th How can nanoparticles help coral reefs? Week of January 22nd How did the warrah cross the ocean to the Falkland Islands? Week of January 29th How can we better prevent polio? Week of February 5th How can bacteria stop dengue? Week of February 12th How can humans and AI worktogether to detect deepfakes? Week of February 26th Do bees get the flu? Week of March 18th What do parenting and brain size have to do with each other? Week of March 25th Can graphene in your clothing stop mosquito bites? Week of April 1st How do animals behave during a solar eclipse? Week of April 15th What are the benefits of growing multiple crop species together? Week of April 22nd How do bumble bees play? Week of April 29th Is Antarctica losing its penguins? Week of May 2nd How does a plant make an antimalarial medicine? Week of May 13 th How do Nematodes learn to find a host? Week of May 20th How do ravens’ thinking skills compare with apes’? Week of May 27th How can we tell whether we are talking to a computer or a person? Week of June 3rd What causes lizards’ brains to change size? Week of June 10th How do Seabirds share? Week of June 17th Why don’t whales get cancer? Week of June 24th How can your smartphone make water safe to drink? Week of July 1st How will dragonflies adapt to a warmer Earth? Week of July 8th How can we find out about ancient Egyptian germs? Week of July 15th How do ravens’ thinking skills compare with apes’? Week of July 22nd How do oil spills impact fiddler crabs? Week of July 29th Where did flying reptiles come from? Week of August 26th and August 25th How well can apes remember their friends? Week of September 2nd How do parasites affect mouse behavior? Week of September 9th Can shipwrecks help protect ocean creatures? Week of September 16th Can medicine stop malaria? Week of September 23rd How do deep-sea hot spring ecosystems work? Week of September 30th Why are whales in trouble – again? Week of October 7th How can dust make planets more suitable for life? Week of October 14th How do woodpeckers choose where to nest? Week of October 28th How can we make biofuels more climate-friendly Week of October 21st Can we smell malaria? Week of November 4th How can gene editing cure disease?
Learning Goals
In the class Science Journal Club for Teens, students will learn about current research. They will learn how to properly read and understand a research article and to think critically about its content.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Doctoral Degree in Science from McGill University
I have a PhD in Biology and am a former researcher. I have published my own research in several scientific journals and I have presented and attended many journal clubs during my career.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$13
weekly1x per week
40 min
Completed by 36 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-17
1-6 learners per class