Blog
Browse this page for blog postings related to middle- and high-school-teacher Adventure Learning workshops taking place across Idaho. Use the widgets to the right (or at bottom of this page, for smaller devices) to filter blog posts.
Integration for Sophomore Biology
Now that our workshop is coming to an end we need to try and figure out how to integrate some of what we have learned into our curriculum. This seems like a large task as we have seen a lot. One of the most important tasks, in my opinion, is to facilitate the fact that we are not apart from nature but rather in nature. Our decisions, daily, influence our connection to nature. It may not be obvious but our socio-ecological services connect to us and we intern connect to them. Many people probably take some of these services for granted. For example: drinking water, wastewater... more
If you can't take them to it, bring it to them!
Like so many of us, I feel that field trips are next to impossible to coordinate for my students. I have anywhere between 140-190 7th graders and that's only half of the students in our grade. Finding places that can accommodate 300+ students is next to impossible. Taking that many students out of the building really messes up the other teachers. (Field trips have to be broken up into smaller groups and maybe even stretched over more than one day. This causes issues for the other teachers in the building as they may lose multiple instruction days.) Finding funding for that many students (... more
Looks Like We Made It
As our learning adventure comes to a close I'm left with question about how to apply the knowledge I've gained. I feel very passionate about the ecology close to home. One of the biggest eye-openers this week was the amount of drinking water that is used for irrigation. I believe I can make a big difference in my community by just disseminating what I've learned. On a professional level, I would like to lead a project with students centering on Lake Lowell. Lake Lowell is in the beginning stages of wildlife management and education programs. They lack a biologist and are having... more
get them outside
Yes, lets get the students outside but for a reason. Having 30 students can make it hard to get them all outside in a controlled manner. Therefore, I will try to give outdoor assignments for students to take home. I'm an ELA teacher, so I would relate all activities to writing. Also, I would try to include electronic devices. Example: take three pictures of three different trees. Briefly study each picture. Pick one picture and write a 5 to 7 line poem. Include imagery and one poetic device,
Ideas of how to MILES
How am I gonna nag to implement all that I learned from this class. 1. Have a number of guest speakers (Janet Worthington, Trout Unlimited, Glen Edward 2. Create a nature garden 3. Have top students research some of the historical people and have them create reinacts 4. Invite students to visit some of these locations and later come by and share (since no field trips) 5. Incorporate mining and changes in ecosystems 6. Incorporate Boise River Basin and how water changed the Treasure Valley 7. Share Birding app, maybe start a birding club? 8. Skype with some guest speakers (Brian Lawless)... more
Ideas of how to MILES
How am I gonna nag to implement all that I learned from this class. 1. Have a number of guest speakers (Janet Worthington, Trout Unlimited, Glen Edward 2. Create a nature garden 3. Have top students research some of the historical people and have them create reinacts 4. Invite students to visit some of these locations and later come by and share (since no field trips) 5. Incorporate mining and changes in ecosystems 6. Incorporate Boise River Basin and how water changed the Treasure Valley 7. Share Birding app, maybe start a birding club? 8. Skype with some guest speakers (Brian Lawless)... more