Day 2: Field Trips and Mining

Submitted by Luke Stappler on Tue, 2016-07-12 00:00

 

It's been a wonderful second day!  The teachers are in high spirits, and we have been lucky to have some great speakers.  As an assistant for this wonderful program, I am excited to be apart of this!

Last night, we heard from Dick Jordan, a retired teacher whose passions are field trips and getting students outside.  He provided us with some great tools for planning and organizing field trips all over the world and offered himself as a resource if we need any help.  His two websites are: www.lifeoutdoors.org and www.beoutside.org.

Today, we heard from Brian Lawless, a graduate student from the University of Idaho.  He taught us a great lesson about mining history in Idaho and it's effects on the ecosystem, and specifically water.  He also included elements of math and great visuals.

Till next time,

Luke

 

 

Comments

Dawn Estrella's picture

I also feel passionately about getting students outside and in the field. Thank you for sharing the resources that Dick Jordan shared with you. I often struggle with the cost aspect of getting students out in the field, especially since my school does not have the easiest access to nature. I try, whenever I can, to at least get the kids outside to the school yard, to do things like search for evidence of weathering. I think it is important to do what you can, when you can.

Monica Mattinson's picture

It sounds like an amazing and rejuvenating week! I am getting so many get ideas.

Troy Gleave's picture

I am new to the Meridian School district and it seems like the only trips people took were to where they could walk. The cost and logistics of getting a couple hundred high school kids off campus to a site is a bit overwhelming on top of teaching. I want to get outside, but water quality was the only thing I used the pond near our school to walk to and do something outside of the classroom. Anybody have ideas of local things I could get to from Rocky Mountain for Biology class? I would love the opportunity to get my kids outside more, I just am in need of good local resources to make that happen.