Design and Evaluation of the Environmental Outreach Activity for Middle School Students.

The design and development of an outreach activity targeted at 6th grade middle school students, which aims to determine the level of phosphate in samples of water from nearby lakes and streams, are detailed. Several parameters were noted as key to the successful implementation of this activity in a school setting and to it being well-received by both students and teachers. These include the hands-on nature of the experiment, the use of professional scientific equipment and protocols, and the relevance to everyday life and nearby societal issues.