A collaboration with the Sevier Co. School District and the Eugene Huskey Environmental Center (http://www.eeintennessee.org/net/org/info.aspx?s=46882.0.0.37935 ) has resulted in a research project to give K-12 students a research experience, supporting the Sevier Co. School Districts curriculum goals.  The goal is to give the 4th and 6th graders that attend this Center (every student in Sevier Co ~1250 students/yr) an experience in hypothesis testing, data collection and summarizing results on a specific topic (topic for 2009/2010 is biodiversity and genetic diversity).  They will do this with a series of observations (after which they will devise a hypothesis), this hypothesis will then be tested with an on-site common garden in which species and genetic diversity has been manipulated (using Solidago, Rudbeckia and Aster spp.).  The goal is to provide students with the opportunity to do ecological research to attain a better understanding of how science is conducted.