Teachers are constantly being asked to use innovative ways to teach core subjects, especially science. Teachers need to get students engaged and actively learning, at all times and that is not an easy task. The purpose of this project was to explore the use of quality children’s literature in enhancing science instruction in the third grade curriculum while implementing and helping students meet the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards (ELA CCSS). I researched how using children’s literature in the science curriculum may be beneficial for students. I have created a handbook that third grade teachers can use as a resource to enhance their science curricula. This handbook breaks down the four bodies of knowledge (Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Nature of Science) and eleven big ideas for the third grade NGSSS. It includes titles and short descriptions of picturebooks that relate to those benchmarks. It also relates the third grade science benchmarks to the ELA CCSS through activities teachers can use to teach any given benchmark.

As requirements related to vehicle fuel economy and emissions continue to increase, automakers are developing complex hybrid powertrain control systems to meet these requirements. With the increase in powertrain complexity and performance requirements of a hybrid vehicle, embedded control systems have become an integral part of these vehicles. A hybrid’s ability to recapture energy normally lost as heat during braking situations can account for an increase in efficiency of up to 28%. This study explores the use of a grade adaptive regeneration strategy for improving a hybrid vehicle’s energy recapture capability. The concept of the grade adaptive regeneration strategy was developed using a computer aided simulation model and then implemented on the Mississippi State University Challenge X hybrid vehicle. The real-time performance of the system was evaluated through chassis dynamometer and on-road tests. Substantial improvements over the native hybrid control strategy, including fuel-economy and energy recapture, have been achieved.

Southern bottomland sites are among the most productive areas for producing high quality grade hardwood, yet the ability to estimate the quantity and quality of standing grade hardwood is almost non-existent. Measurements and observed log grades were recorded on standing trees to construct volume prediction models for individual trees. Several different modeling techniques were explored and compared during development. Developed equations predict merchantable sawtimber volume and volume by grade category in trees by species group. Two separate sets of equations were developed for each species group using either total height or merchantable height. Models were chosen based on significance of variables, index of fit, RMSE, bias, ease of use, and biological trends. The models developed to predict merchantable sawtimber and grade volumes were designed to be implemented in a larger hardwood growth and yield system.

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