Our Research Programs In Action

Students build confidence through question asking and conducting original research projects. We aim to help foster this confidence by allowing students the opportunity to present their research, receive feedback, and share their projects with the public. The following are examples of the research projects we’ve led with various classes. 

We also create a Student Research Journal from the projects created by high school students in our Digital Research Program. Access the journal page here

Past Student Research

High School Student Research

Our High School programs meet NGSS standards while challenging students in a vareity of subject areas to explore high-level concepts in the natural world. Students create innovative projects that are aimed at looking critically at scientific concepts using both the traditional scientific method and advanced computational analysis. Click through the tabs at the left to view examples of past student research.

High School Student Research

Students in our online research program design their own projects, work with a professional scientist mentor to see the project through, create a presentation, and author a research paper.

Headwaters Student Research Journal:

Student research papers are submitted for publication to an outside journal and published in the Headwaters journal. Access the Headwaters student journal here.

Student presentations:

Summer 2020 students part 1

Summer 2020 students part 2

College Prep School A.P.E.S.

These juniors and senior spent 2 days at the Clair Tappaan Lodge on Donner Summit studying factors that affect biodiversity in wetlands and forested areas.

The effect of TDS on Biodiversity

How does forest composition change between different habitats

Water quality in relation to a removed dam

The distribution of parasitism in subalpine forests

San Francisco University High School

This AP Environmental Science Class visited Donner summit to conduct experiments on biodiversity in Van Norden Meadow.

Water Quality and Biodiversity in Van Norden

Vegetation of Van Norden Meadow

Woodside Priory Service Week Trips

A group of Priory seniors traveled to Donner Summit to study the Sierra Nevada snowpack. Groups of students created projects around factors that affect avalanches and snow melt water quality.

Impacts of Pine Trees on Snow pH

Tracking Total Dissolved Solids in Snow

Snow Melt Water Quality

Woodside Priory Senior Snow Trip

Turbidity in snow

Middle School Student Research

Our Middle School Programs meet NGSS standards while challenging students in a vareity of subject areas to create their own research projects. Click through the tabs at the left to view examples of past student research.

North Lake Tahoe Middle School

The NTMS 7th grade investigated populations and resources by looking at what factors affect sugar pine populations around their school.

Forest density of different trees around their campus

What other plants live in close proximity to sugar pines?

Which types of trees around their school do bark beetles infest the most?

Quarry Lane

Middle school students from the Quarry Lane School did a 5 day program that allowed the students to work hard and produce great results. The students had a wide array of topics and all were able to learn some new statistics while they were analyzing their data.

A Bug’s Life

Dwarf Mistletoe spread

Fish and Algae in Van Norden

Insects Eyesight

Lichen Presentation

Parasitic Mistletoe in Fir Trees

SWOPE Middle School 7th Grade

These students studied a variety of topics, from water to erosion, and produced intriguing research findings. 

Weather rates in rocks

Causes of erosion

The affect of distance from water on soil type

The affect of water speed on rates of erosion

Erosion in different creeks around the Truckee River