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Earth Day the FFT Way

Fund for Teachers — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 14:01:41 +0000

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, an initiative that got its start at a school (college, to be exact). According to EarthDay.org, a Wisconsin senator was inspired by student activism surrounding the Vietnam War and he wanted to direct the same level of passion to protecting the environment. Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed a “teach-in” on college campuses and that idea mobilized so many people that he hired a staff, the teach-in morphed into a nation-wide event and 20 million people demonstrated against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts.

Fifty years later, protecting the planet is a major focus of FFT Fellows’ self-designed experiential learning each summer. This year’s theme is climate action, and we’re extremely excited to see how these members of the 2020 class of grant recipients will bring new ideas and inspiration to their pk-12 students about this topic after their fellowships:

Laurel Cardellichio will research traditional knowledge-based agricultural practices in Italy and create partnerships with local farms to create classroom and field lessons promoting traditional farming methods that mitigate climate change, improve food security, and conserve biodiversity.
Kathryn Hendrix will explore and photograph unique geographic characteristics of Iceland and Greenland while simultaneously witnessing how these populations manage climate change and renewable resources to prepare students as critical thinkers who can problem solve the challenges their generation will face, both in terms of global warming and for minimizing natural disasters.
James Janski will explore Alaska’s Denali, Kenai Fjords and Wrangell-St. Elias National Parks to learn firsthand about glaciers, climate change, and the tilt of the Earth, and enhance students’ understanding of these science concepts.
Jaclyn Lawlor will conduct research on climate change in Montana to enhance math education through the creation of an interdisciplinary senior seminar course that conflates math, earth science and naturalist writings to examine current issues.
Barbara Niziolek and Micheal Niziolek will study the impact man made climate change has on Hawaii and investigate how advocacy and new technology are working to counteract its effects to develop a unit that empowers students to create their own environmental focused advocacy projects.
Christopher Purdy will explore Alaska’s Denali and Kenai National Parks, Chugach National Forest, and the glaciers of Prince Williams Sound to learn how global climate change impacts glacial melting and rising sea levels and how extreme environments influence natural selection as aligned with Next Generation Science Standards.
Ryan Roberts will research Norway’s environmental policies and how statistics influence these policies to infuse the AP Statistics curriculum with climate change and give students an authentic example of data collection that connects to one of the biggest current events of our lives.
Charles Solarz will study the effects of climate change in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica and its impact on biodiversity and ecosystems of the Isla de Cano Biological Reserve and Golfo Dulce and Corcovado National Parks to create a NGSS curriculum that encourages students to be curious about the world around them and develop the skills necessary to be analytical, evidence-based thinkers.
Katherine Soltys will join an educator expedition throughout Southern Africa, gathering gather data and evidence for student analysis of the effects of climate change, to teach students methods for monitoring and minimizing human impacts on the environment and inspire them to become environmental activists.
Mary Elizabeth Sugden will join an organized expedition through Tanzania to collaborate with local experts and other educators in designing learning that increases students’ understanding of the impact of global climate change on biodiversity and supports Next Generation Science Standards and the AP Environmental Science course framework.
Jacqueline Theoharidis will learn from scientists and UNESCO experts about environmental issues affecting the coastal cities of Venice, Italy, and Zakynthos, Greece, to bring real world experiences about the global nature of climate change into the classroom via case studies, modeling of concepts, and inquiry lessons. And,
Peggy Weinhoeft-Renfro will explore in Canada and Iceland the impact of climate on the electric grid and innovative efforts to avoid a possible infrastructure and energy crisis to provide students with engaging, real-world curriculum that will provide experiences that instill confidence to engage with STEM topics and future STEM careers.

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You can read about previous FFT Fellows’ eco-experiences at the following links:

Climate Change from A (activism) to Z (Zanzibar) – A Brooklyn teacher explores the methodology and best practices of community-based efforts in the Maldives and Solomon Islands to mobilize youth in island nations and Brooklyn confronting climate change.

Bomb Clone = Climate Change? – Two Boston teachers investigate the impact of climate change on Iceland’s society, educational system and natural environment to develop instructional resources that empower students to address climate change and its impacts on Boston.

Changing a School’s Climate Regarding Climate Change – Two NYC teachers toured Alaskan boreal forest, coastal, tundra, and glacial ecosystems and collect first-hand evidence of climate change for a sixth grade unit called Human Impacts. And,

A Grand Education – A husband and wife teaching team investigated in five national parks the impact of climate change, with a specific focus on drought and indigenous peoples, to guides students’ creation of a local service project based on water conservation.

Earth Day 2019 FFT Round Up

The post Earth Day the FFT Way first appeared on Fund for Teachers.

A Mom/Teacher’s Work is Never Done

Fund for Teachers — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 15:54:26 +0000

Barbara Walters said, “Most of us have trouble juggling. The woman who says she doesn’t is someone whom I admire but have never met.” FFT Fellow Helen Dole, however, seems to be managing fairly well. Helen teaches sixth grade at Lower Manhattan Community Middle School in New York City. With her teammate Molly Goodell, she and five-month-old daughter Sophie Tilmant set off for Alaska this summer to tour boreal forest, coastal, tundra, and glacial ecosystems and collect first-hand evidence of climate change for a sixth grade unit called Human Impacts. She shares some of her experiences below…

Why was it vital for you to pursue this particular opportunity/experience?

An educator in Denali shares with us about the methane that is being released as a result of permafrost melting.

We teach in a school that has students from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. Some students have second homes in the Hamptons, while others have grandparents/aunts/uncles cousins all under the same small roof in Chinatown. We previously did a Human Impact project; students relied on internet searches to source information. Now we have brought real data; photos, interviews, and our stories to ALL of our students–we are bringing the world to them even if they have yet to board a plane.

I now see the bigger picture in a deeper way and I’m more passionate about making my students ‘see’ it, too. It’s easy to read articles about climate change and cognitively understand what is happening. It’s an entirely different boat to stand by the sign showing where a glacier was just 10 years ago (and now it’s ice-free) and not viscerally feel how the world is being affected.

Why was this opportunity transformative for your teaching on a macro-level?

On our heli-hike adventure, we learned how about it’s not how warm it is, but rather the length of the growing season that is changing the vegetation.

Teaching is a joy and a grind. You are always “on;” engaging with students in person, families via email, via google docs with colleagues, or in person at staff meetings. This opportunity allowed me to turn my brain to a different mode from the regular routine. I was learning, yes, but in a more open and unencumbered way than the minute-by-minute schedule of a middle school environment. I landed back in NYC feeling enriched and invigorated for the year ahead.

Also, we experience the world through storytelling and now, our stories are going to be much richer and more vivid; filled with cutting edge science and personal anecdotes from our time in Alaska. They will be able to cite specific examples — equisetum plants spreading, the number of days above 50 degrees Fahrenheit North of the Arctic Circle, soil that doesn’t hold rain, roadways decimated from melting permafrost, increased frequency of wildfires, heavier snowfalls in winter, methane gas being released at an alarming rate, the list goes on — and then have teacher stories/images to connect to these sometimes hard-to-internalize science facts.

How did your fellowship changed your personal and/or professional perspective?

In 2010, the ice used to be where we’re standing.

I went into this fellowship with the understanding that I was traveling with my co-teacher, Molly, and that we would strengthen our co-teaching skills on this trip. I didn’t know how much so, though! I traveled with my 5-month-old infant, so I relied on Molly in SO many ways for support and sanity. This journey to Alaska was like the ultimate trust-builder. If students thought we completed each other’s sentences BEFORE this trip, now they’re going to think communicate telepathically!

Additionally, living in a city, it is easy to go about my day and not feel fundamentally affected by climate change. My food, my transportation, my workplace, and home are all far enough removed from Mother Earth that I am not forced to see how climate change is a real thing affecting real people, animals, and plants. On this fellowship, I was able to witness how ice has shifted, plants and animals have migrated, and people have altered their ways of life because of a warming planet.

And finally, what we’re all here for…What did Sophie think?

I’m so glad she was able to come. Even though she won’t remember it; I can show her the pictures and later tell her about it. There were challenges; being a NYC baby she wasn’t used to being in a car seat, so I had to sit in back with her while my co-teacher, Molly, drove because Sophie was fussy in the car seat. And we had to find a babysitter for the day we kayaked, but we found a kind local woman in Seward who watched her and did a great job; even sending me photo updates. She was a big fan of the helicopter ride to the subalpine arctic tundra; smiling the entire way!

When we applied for a Fund for Teachers grant I knew I was expecting, but figured we should go for it anyway. When she arrived AND we got the fellowship I realized I’d still be breastfeeding so wanted to bring her along. My co-teacher, Molly, was a wonderful sport and supported me in so many ways–driving, carrying Sophie on parts of the hikes, and dealing with lights out in our room at 8:30pm–amongst other things. Hah! Overall, she was a pretty easy baby for the trip–not too many tears or too much fussing which allowed me to enjoy the learning adventure I was on! Happy momma = happy baby.

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Helen is in her 15th year of teaching. She is a New York City Teaching Fellow, Math for America Master Teacher, and former Department of Energy Teacher as Scientist. She believes in helping students to see science in their everyday lives; continually striving to make connections between their world and the science they are learning about. Outside the classroom she is a passionate runner. She’s a proud mom to two young children.

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This is Just the Beginning

Fund for Teachers — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:55:58 +0000

“The congratulations email we got from Fund for Teachers on April 4 about our grant said “This is just the beginning…” Little did we know how true that sentiment was…”

So began the note from 2019 FFT Fellow Kelly Whitaker. She and team mate Sherry Grogan (Monroe Area High School – Monroe, GA) designed their fellowship to collect data and capture 360 video in the Galapagos Islands to inspire scientific field experiences in Georgia that culminate in student presentations at elementary and middle schools intended to pique student interest in biology. Now, photos from their fellowship will also help fund conservation efforts of the Islands.

“My team member, Sherry Grogan, submitted some photos to the photography competition for the Galapagos Conservancy. She was notified this weekend that one of her photos of a lava lizard (above) had received an Honorable Mention and will be in the 2020 calendar.”

Read on to see more of “Team Darwin’s” adventures:

What Changed As A Result of Your Fellowship?

Sherry: “I pushed the limits of my comfort zone routinely while in the Galapagos. I learned to snorkel and engaged with land and sea creatures while shooting 360 videos and taking pictures. Learning in this manner has shown me the importance of capturing student interest in every unit and I feel that I am better equipped to make this happen after the fellowship. Students will surely perform higher in the evolution unit with newly designed lessons of 360 VR experiences and having studied Darwin’s work.”

Kelly: “As my teammate said, ‘We showed up as teachers and we are leaving as students. Our ‘I wonder…’ list is a mile long; our confidence has exploded; our friendship bond is rock solid. The emotional impact was more than I could have imagined. I sat in a panga with six other people with tears rolling down my cheeks at my first sighting of a blue footed booby. I found out that I can’t cry and snorkel at the same time, when I was bobbing in water with penguins.”

How Do You See Your Teaching Evolving?

Sherry: “I will be entering my 22nd year of teaching next year. This fellowship has completely overhauled my passion for teaching and finding ways to spark interest in my students. I have already tentatively created a plan for involving some portion of the “Galapagos” in each unit. I think this recurring theme will brilliantly help the students learn about such a fascinating place on earth, while also mastering the standards in Biology.”

Kelly: “Our students are going to see our excitement and come up with their own ‘I wonder…’ lists. Our students will be able to ‘visit’ the Galapagos using our 360 video and still shots. They will have a connection to this material that they didn’t have before. We are already looking at the photos we want to exhibit in the elementary schools and middle schools. Our students will have a different level of engagement due to this connection.”

How will your students learn differently because of your new knowledge or skills?

Sherry: “With all of the footage we shot (i.e., 360 video, photographs, 360 still photos, etc), we have a new approach to many of our units. The photos will come to life in the classroom through the eyes of two very enthusiastic teachers who absolutely cannot stop talking about this trip with friends and family. I learned so much about myself as a teacher, reevaluated my students, and I am prepared to provide a growth opportunity for all students in my room with exciting new material!”

Kelly: “We wrote a grant for mini journals for every student, as well as for field trips to the state park and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Sherry’s winning photograph with the Galapagos Conservancy inspired us to have a photo competition among our students. Our media specialist printed the winning photos and our principal ended up paying to frame them! (That’s the water lily picture below).

We also worked in some interdisciplinary activities. We invited the art teacher in to teach a mini-lesson in nature sketching. Our favorite language arts teacher taught a mini lesson on descriptive writing. And our math teacher did a lesson on data collection and also designed a geometry lesson for a putt putt golf course.

Lastly, while writing our grant proposal, we reached out to our mayor. This connection built a relationship and we felt completely comfortable inviting him in to our class to have a forum with our students about environmental decisions in our town. How cool is that? We presented him with the winning photo from the photo competition and he took it to city hall where it was displayed for a month. All because of the connections made during the development of our grant proposal.”

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Sherry Grogan has taught high school biology for 20 years after spending 8 years as a police officer. Dr. Kelly Whitaker is a special education co-teacher in Biology and Physics. Her previous summer adventures include riding a motorcycle, solo, across thirty states and 16,000 miles; hiking 500 miles across Northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago and climbing Mt. Katahdin. To order the Galapagos Conservatory’s 2020 calendar featuring Sherry’s photographs from her fellowship, click here.

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Fellow Friday | It’s Never Too Late

Fund for Teachers — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 07:11:22 +0000

The Wall Street Journal recently shared an article titled “It’s Never Too Late,” referring to how the “multiple cognitive peaks throughout our lives, and the talents and passions that we have to offer can emerge across a range of personal circumstances.” Such is the case for Larry Shortell, special education teacher at Explorations Charter School in Winstead, CT.

After serving in the US Navy, Larry became a SCUBA diving instructor, then earned a CDA Certification and worked in a daycare while earning his B.S. in Special Education at the University of Southern Florida. Next, he completed an MS in Education from Cambridge College and earned a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate and taught in Laos. Teaching has since taken him to classrooms in Florida, Hawaii, Alaska and, now, to the island of Bonaire as a Fund for Teachers Fellow.

Under the guidance of a university professor who specializes in ichthyology and the marine environment, Larry leaves next week to conduct in-depth, underwater research documenting the cruise industry’s impact on climate change. He will then use his findings to create science curriculum for special education and Adventure Education students, as well as members of the school’s Exotic, Endangered, or Extinct Animals Club and Environmental Concerns Club.

“I am a high school special education teacher (grades 9-12) in a school whose mission is to cultivates a positive attitude toward life-long learning in an experiential, non-traditional setting,” said Larry. “This fellowship will help me create multi-sensory, high interest learning for special and regular education students, as well as a mixture of students in the clubs that I lead. This approach should level the playing field for the special education students while simultaneously engaging their more advanced peers.”

Just as the article suggests, Larry designed his fellowship to expand upon his 20-year career as a special education teacher and also his passion for underwater conservation. Four years ago, the cruise ship industry descended upon Bonaire, just as the Council of International Educational Exchange’s research station closed. Larry plans to generate data that bridge resulting gaps in Bonaire’s sustainability model and establish protocols for the other Caribbean island’s reef systems.

Back at school, his impacts are geared toward modeling for students an understanding of education and life-long learning that involves the synthesis of experiences and knowledge.

“I want my students to understand that everything we learn and do in life can be used to construct a world view that incorporates balance and wonder,” said Larry. “I want them to see that effort and education can lead to adventures unimagined when we begin on a path of exploration.”

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Larry is the author of Summers Off: The Worldwide Adventures of a School Teacher and Summers On: The Global Exploration of an Educator. You can also enjoy his nature photography here.

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Today in History – Alaska!

Fund for Teachers — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 16:31:21 +0000

https://fundforteachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Alaska.mp4

The name of our 49th state derives from the Aleut word alyeska, or “great land.” Many FFT Fellows would agree after experiencing the culture and ecology of the land that – 151 years ago today – was acquired from Russia for $7.2 million. In celebration of Alaska Day, enjoy the following images, insights and impact of grant recipients’ learning in “The Last Frontier.”

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2018

Panning for gold in Mineral Creek.

Robin Barboza-Josephson & Catherine Gardner (New Milford High School – New Milford, CT) joined an expedition through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Denali National Park to demonstrate the work of scientists and move ecology education to a model supporting Next Generation Science Standards. (Featured in clip above.)

“We hope to trigger a need for changes in human behavior to try and combat global warming before it is too late. I hope that by sharing my photos and experiences with them, they will realize that their behavior here (4000 miles away) still has an impact on environments they have never seen before.”

Listening to a lecture by Sheeren on Glacier Bay.

Jill Hanley (Journeys Secondary School – Saint Paul, MN) boarded Steve Spangler Science at Sea expedition to the inland passage of South East Alaska to strengthen approaches to Next Generation Science Standards and support student learning surrounding geology, geography, animal science and life cycles.

“I didn’t see Alaska, I experienced it. I went places I had only read about and connected information that I was receiving to the places that I was seeing. The amount of information that Naturalist John Scheeren share with us was amazing. I feel grateful that he shared his knowledge and I can pass his knowledge on to my students.”

Rose Abbey, Sarah Henry-Pratt, LeAnn Olsen & (Oakland Elementary School – Oakland, OR) join the Steve Spangler Science at Sea expedition to the inland passage of South East Alaska to strengthen approaches to Next Generation Science Standards and support student learning surrounding geology, geography, animal science and life cycles. (Featured in clip below.)

“This grant has allowed us as educators to revitalize our way of thinking about instruction in the area of science. We come away from it knowing that science needs to be in every part of our day, not just in science time but also in reading and writing. We know that students need to be engaged to learn. Exposing students to phenomena in science begins the scientific process, and unlocks their interests for the future.”

https://fundforteachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Alaskan-Expedition.mp4

2017

Christine Dunbar and Charles FitzGibbons (Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School – Forest Hills, NY) used photo journalism and oral interviews to examine the immediate effects of climate change on coastal Alaskan natives to convey to students the interaction between individuals, communities, government policy and the climate.

“This grant allowed my colleague and me the opportunity to enter into a community and explore the multiple sides of a current event. The content can be examined through both a scientific and political lens, allowing us to create an interdisciplinary case study that can be grounded in both of our classes. Through this process, my horizons have been broadened regarding interdisciplinary content creation through teacher collaboration.”

Beverly Brotton (Soddy Daisy Middle School – Soddy Daisy, TN) explored Alaska’s landscapes, examining how humans adapt to challenges caused by humanity and nature, to provide students a first-hand account of climate change.

“There is no way to compare reading about a place and visiting that area. These amazing experiences are a part of me. I can now say I have walked on a glacier, watched a sow play with her cubs in Denali, and ran down a highway to catch a glimpse of a moose drinking from a stream. When you experience it, your arsenal of teachable moments grow.”

Rebecca Cutkomp (East Hartford High School – East Hartford, CT) explored Washington’s Spokane Indian Reservation and Alaska’s Denali National Park to enrich student learning in thematic units on identity and aid in students’ deeper insight into rhetorical analysis.

“My time camping in Alaska looms large in my reflections on my trip. I spent 3 days orienteering through a trail-less section of Denali National Park to mirror the some of the events in John Krakauer’s Into the Wild. I faced some of the obstacles detailed in the book, and while these experiences gave me valuable background knowledge on the text, it also strengthened my understanding of how identity is shaped by our experiences and encounters, a major focus of my fellowship.”

Brandon Hubbard-Heitz and Frank Mangam (The Howard School – Chattanooga, TN) assessed the past and present effects of people’s interaction with the Alaskan wilderness to empower students to embark upon future conservation work in their contexts. (Read more about their learning here.)

“I have a much more nuanced view of the ways in which humans interact with and treat the land on which they live. I believe I am less self-righteous and more able to ask students probing questions, rather than simply argue a point. I believe I am more capable of leading students into the difficult, muddy waters of the debate about climate change and how humans ought to respond to imminent changes to the environment.”

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Water They Doing to Support UN Goal #6?

Fund for Teachers — Mon, 07 May 2018 18:39:49 +0000

As part of Sara Damon’s AP Geography curriculum, students at Stillwater Junior High School in Stillwater, MN, read They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan. Sara arranged for one of the authors to visit her class, which led to a fundraising project that raised $5,000 for an initiative of “Lost Boy” Salva Dut called Water for South Sudan. Students’ thirst for more service inspired Sara to then design a Fund for Teachers fellowship that took her to Kenya with the nonprofit H2O for Life, where she analyzed the impact of water wells.

“I met with administrators, teachers and students personally impacted by the fact that they now have clean water and toilets at school. “I saw and heard about the health, economic and educational effects of access or lack of access to improved water and sanitation in the school setting as well as in urban and rural home settings,” said Sara. “I shared stories and pictures with my students, staff and school community as testament to how water changes everything.”

Sara started the following school year with a new curriculum she created called “Ripple Effects: The Impact of Water and Sanitation on Standard of Living.” She also created a Story Map that summarized her experiences and demonstrated the WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) needs of Kenyan students. Then her students took over.

They hosted a school-wide Walk for Water and raised money through sponsorships and pledges for each lap around the track carrying two gallons of water, simulating the journey many in the world make on a daily basis. A student leadership team established awareness and fundraising goals and brainstormed activities, which included presentations to the Lion’s and Kiwanis clubs, Penny Wars, Chipotle fundraisers and film screenings.

Students’ determination to help meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal #6 (ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030) resulted $80,000 raised to drill nine safe water wells in partnership with H2O for Life and Water for South Sudan.

“What I was able to see, hear and reflect upon as a result of the Fund for Teachers fellowship in Kenya allowed me to create new teaching content and to share in a compelling way the real life impact of WASH projects,” said Sara. “I reinvigorated my desire to continue the hard work of motivating my geography students and the school community to translate geographic awareness into geographic action.”

The post Water They Doing to Support UN Goal #6? first appeared on Fund for Teachers.

Quantifying Air Quality

Fund for Teachers — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 15:09:46 +0000

In support of the recent International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, we share the learning of Jodie Harnden (Sunridge Middle School – Pendleton, OR) who joined an atmospheric aerosol research project with scientists at NASA Langley to develop a similar student project modeling how authentic science is conducted to collect and analyze data useful to the community.

In emergency medical practices the airway, or being able to breathe, is the first priority, making air pollution a major threat to those who breathe…which is everyone! In my seventh grade science classes we study the structure of the atmosphere and air pollution problems and students learn about different pollutants and how they affect our location. While students do develop an understanding of air quality conditions, they do not have the opportunity to collect their own data and analyze that data in order to answer questions, as scientists would do.

And neither did I – until my Fund for Teachers grant.

One of the challenges of being a science teacher is that I had never been an actual scientist. While I have spent my career learning to be the best teacher I can be, I lacked in experience that relates to the actual processes of scientific research and data analysis. For me to lead students to think and work as scientists, I needed the experience myself. The two-week fellowship collecting air quality data with NASA Langley provided an intensive and exciting opportunity to interact and work alongside actual scientists, followed by developing related classroom applications for students.

I had the opportunity to participate in the data campaign as a volunteer intern under the direction of NASA scientist Dr. Margaret Pippin. My air quality data research took me to sites around Hampton, VA, monitoring aerosols, or tiny solids that are considered pollutants. I became proficient in using the Calitoo, a device that measures aerosol optical thickness, and indicator of particulate matter. I learned what the impact of clouds can be on the accuracy of measurements and established my GLOBE account for submitting my own data.

Previously I had only demonstrated the Calitoo with borrowed units. Now I will be having students collect and submit data on a regular basis to the GLOBE Project. Collecting data for a long-term project is a change from just occasional measurements. Students will now be the scientists,
collecting and submitting the data for use, and have access to the data for future use, as well.

The greatest accomplishment of my fellowship was developing a true understanding of the different stages of scientific research. Data campaigns have a planning and funding period, then, if approved, all participants coordinate for the campaign period (in this case, two weeks), then hope for good weather. Collection days can be very long! After rest and recovery, analysis of the data begins and will be the focus for the next year, prompting future research.

School has started and smoke from regional wildfires has created a difficult situation for many. Outdoor activities have been cancelled as we come to grips with the loss of beautiful forests. We can’t even make aerosol measurements because the smoke blocks the sun. Students are getting an early introduction to the air quality unit. We have begun to enter data into GLOBE, but the smoke prevents the collection of quality data (a good lesson for students!). Normally our rough time is January and February when cold, high pressure settles in to create an inversion, trapping the smoke from wood stoves; however, this year may mark different conclusions. I have taken note of an unusual ozone
concentration near one city west of the Cascade Mountains, a problem we don’t have, but can study from afar.

While there are numerous environmental issues that are worth studying, air quality continues to be a challenge in our area. While the causes may sometimes be out of our control (such as weather and wild fires) awareness and understanding is not. Mitigation of contributing factors that are human-caused are something we will continue to study, learn, and take appropriate action when possible. This August we have experienced a severe air quality issue, something to study further in the fall.

Along with my personal experiences at NASA Langley, I was able to witness the inclusion of student interns in the research process. I came away more convinced that ever that science is a process and something to be understood, not just a set of facts to be learned. The future of science depends on doing science, and I must give my students opportunities to contribute to the field of science. School, in many ways, is an artificial microcosm of life and I will be able to expose students to so much more now that I was exposed to more myself.

A National Board Certified teacher, Jodie is in her 33rd year of teaching science at the middle
level, most of it in Pendleton, Oregon. She thrives on the opportunity to learn, bringing experiences back to the classroom and sharing with others professionally. While it won’t be a problem until retirement, rock collecting is a favorite activity.

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Queen of the Jungle

Fund for Teachers — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 17:58:23 +0000

Yesterday was National Wildlife Day, created in 2005 and carried forward in the memory of animal lover and conservationist Steve Irwin. Irwin sought to educate the public, especially children, about conservation and endangered animals. FFT Fellow Leanne Mortell and her fellowship in South Africa perpetuates his dream. A kindergarten teacher at Bluff Elementary School in Claremont, NH, she shares below “A Day in the Life” of her Fund for Teachers fellowship volunteering with Wildlife ACT in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in Zululand, South Africa, where she learned data gathering techniques used to monitor endangered animal populations to create a science unit teaching young students the scientific method.

My fellowship to Africa in winter was more than I could ever imagine. I arose before sunrise, gulped down breakfast with a half cup of instant coffee and headed for the truck while loaded down with my camera equipment. Our troop of five volunteers climbed in, wearing multiple warm layers and wrapped in blankets. We headed off with our researcher to be in position before the sun rose to find some of the most endangered species of the animal world.

After six or seven hours of searching for and observing African wild dogs, lions, and cheetahs, we returned to camp for a few hours of food, rest and a review of photos taken from the morning jaunt only to return to the truck for our evening rounds. After dark enveloped us leaving us with no ability to spot any more animals, our troop returned to camp to cook dinner, do dishes and crash into our beds for much needed rest so we could be revived enough to do it all over again the next day. I did this routine for 2 weeks. I loved every minute.

The mammals I saw during our drives left me in awe. We tracked a pack of African wild painted dogs along dirt roads as they ran through the terrain on a hunt. We found lions resting near the road and observed them for hours as they slept. Elephant herds blocked the road in front of us as we traveled, allowing us to observe them closely as they fed. We watched rhinos feed with their babies beside them. A cheetah emerged from the grass and jumped on a tree beside our truck. We observed him for thirty minutes before he left to watch impala in the distance. Giraffes fed from the tops of trees, then silently,
with the grace of the finest ballerinas, slipped away.

Amazing; experience of a lifetime; a childhood dream come true. These words only scratch the surface of the emotions I felt during this fellowship to Africa. Populations of many African mammals are dangerously low. Through our morning and evening drives, I witnessed many of these species roaming freely in their natural environment while collaborating with researchers working to protect them from their greatest threat – humans. This work wasn’t glamorous, nor did it seem heroic; it was hard work under difficult conditions. Yet, these people were working at it every day, living on the reserve to gather needed scientific data. And their work is making a difference. Numbers of African wild dogs and white rhinoceros are slowly on the rise. Although cheetah numbers are down, our data collection will allow more to be brought into the reserve to aid in genetically diversifying the population there to continue to promote the species. The beauty of these creatures is beyond words and now, after my fellowship, thought of loosing them brings a rising panic from deep inside. However, the knowledge that there are teams of people working these long hours under tough conditions to prevent their extinction brings admiration.

I am inspired students to help students realize that we have a gift freely given to us and we need to learn all we can to protect it. To let them see the images of these animals through my photographs and bring them outside to their own piece of the world to see it’s beauty and teach them ways to learn about it, protect it, and love it as I do is a privilege.

I now plan to educate my students on authentic methods of scientific research. Bringing the classroom outdoors will expose them to learn about their own neighborhood in a new way and help them connect to nature. By providing them the instruction, modeling and practice they need to feel proficient at these skills will give them the confidence and desire to continue to learn and expand their knowledge.

Thank you, Fund For Teachers, for this rare opportunity. I will share with my students how to observe animals, record their numbers and learn ways to identify each one. I hope to instill in my students the desire to learn how to care for the land for the benefit of all and I look forward to sharing with my
colleagues about this amazing opportunity through your organization to learn in hopes that they will be inspired to apply for their own chance at an adventure.

Leanne has worked as an educator, occupational therapist and principal. She uses these experiences to reach out to all her students to inspire in them the quest of knowledge of the world around
them and to use their unique talents for the benefit of all.

The post Queen of the Jungle first appeared on Fund for Teachers.

Climate Change from A (activism) to Z (Zanzibar)

Fund for Teachers — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 21:09:42 +0000

Supriya Kotagal reclaimed her time in an airport to send us these beautiful images and update from her fellowship. Supriya used a Fund for Teachers grant to explore the methodology and best practices of community-based efforts in the Maldives and Solomon Islands to mobilize youth in island nations and Brooklyn confronting climate change.

“My hope,” she wrote in her proposal, “hope is that my fellowship experience will enable me to leverage both of these foci as my students engage in their design thinking work. Ultimately, I hope that ideas generated in my classroom around climate change can begin to be applied to the pressing issues that impact the neighborhood our school serves. I hope to mobilize my own students to be natural drivers of change in their community by creating a student advisory board or governing organization with my colleagues where youth weigh in on key problems and solutions that can better their neighborhood and school experience.”

Read more about her learning that will precede student advocacy.

As I type this, I am at the airport in Abu Dhabi waiting for my connecting flight to take be back to New York City. I think this is probably the perfect time to reflect on the experience and provide you with some closing thoughts and some of my favorite videos from my time abroad:

Through my Fund for Teachers fellowship, I set out to document the impact climate change is having on small island developing states in the Indian Ocean – specifically the Maldives
and Zanzibar. Providing tangible examples of how climate change is impacting ecosystems and people is incredibly important to me as a science educator. We are living in a time when the impacts of climate change are deemed “debatable” by some and my goal was to make this environmental crisis as tangible as possible for my students. I did this by collecting qualitative data in the form of interviews, photographs, and film clips in order to create “Country Kits” that will enable my seventh graders to explore climate change more deeply. As part of my “Country Kits” I am also producing several mini-documentaries that help explain different environmental issues and innovative solutions I encountered along the way.

Another aspect of my fellowship was to explore sustainable, community-based efforts that empower youth to tackle the very real challenges of climate change and to use this information to engage my students in thinking more globally about the environment. In the Maldives, I partnered with a sea turtle rehabilitation center called Naifaru Juvenile which seeks to spread awareness about the endangered sea turtle population and create sustainable solutions to protecting beaches and improving waste management–both environmental issues that stem from climate change and directly impact the sea turtle population. I met some amazing young activists who helped organize and participate in a festival bringing awareness to their local community. I was able to interview young people who are developing ways to improve environmental outcomes in their community. One young woman I met started a fashion line where she develops bags and purses from the trash she finds on the beach!

Read more about Supriya’s learning on her blog.

In Zanzibar, I explored how the country’s seaweed industry is being impacted by rising ocean temperatures. I met with a seaweed scientist and attended a community festival aimed at promoting the local development of seaweed products as a way of providing supplemental income to seaweed farmers, the majority of whom are women and who have seen recent declines in profit because of climate change. I also met with a collective of female seaweed farmers who are trying to create innovative products from the seaweed they cultivate in order to support their families. Additionally, I formed a valuable partnership with a youth organization called Zanzibar Learning 4 Life that seeks to encourage young people to become environmentally engaged and develop sustainable solutions to the problems that affect their community. I learned of some amazing work and ideas young people are formulating including using discarded plastic water bottles as bricks for water tanks. I hope to develop a deeper partnership with this organization in my classroom and am working on creating a pen-pal partnership between my students and theirs.

I wanted to share with you two mini-documentaries I made. The first [above] explains the seaweed industry in Zanzibar and the changes female farmers are making there in the face of climate change to maintain a profit. The second shares the perspective of youth on the island of Naifaru, the Maldives on the environmental issues impacting sea turtles and what needs to be done.

Thanks again for such an amazing opportunity. I can’t tell you how valuable this experience has been in re-energizing my passion for this work.

Best,
Supriya

(photo below of a group of young girls getting ready to dance at the youth-led “Turtle Festival” in Naifaru, the Maldives)

Supriya, middle school teacher at The School at Columbia University, is a curriculum designer, consultant and educator who has been involved in the field of education for ten+ years. She was a 2007 Teach for America Corps Member, a New York Hall of Science Design Fellow & Master Teacher, a New York Public Library Cullman Fellow in Creative Writing and currently teaches a STEAM* science course in New York City. Through her experiences, she understands education to be a powerful and transformative tool in uplifting individuals and communities.

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

The post Climate Change from A (activism) to Z (Zanzibar) first appeared on Fund for Teachers.