Ecology Explorers, the Central Arizona - Phoenix Long Term Ecological Research (CAP LTER) education program, is developing into an exciting opportunity for K-12 students and teachers to carry out scientific investigations using schoolyards as research sites.
Education staff at the Center for Environmental Studies (CES) and the Southwest Center for Education and the Natural Environment (SCENE) have brought together K-12 teachers and LTER scientists to develop schoolyard protocols that parallel CAP LTER investigations. During the summer, CES offered a teacher workshop and internships in which 16 teachers from 11 elementary, middle, and high schools in the Phoenix area participated. LTER scientists (representing plant, insect and bird studies) facilitated the programs during which teachers worked on translating CAP LTER research into classroom projects.
Using this experience, the teachers are piloting school research projects during the current school year. Another group of teachers is working with SCENE to direct students in planting native habitats in their schoolyards. These habitats will be used in ecological experiments, including some LTER schoolyard investigations. From the workshop, internship, and native habitat projects, CAP has identified an initial set of 14 LTER schools.
The CAP Ecology Explorers program taps into an existing SCENE program called "Science Connections." Teachers can request that a graduate student/scientist visit their classrooms to introduce a scientific research topic and/or project. Motorola, one of the Center’s community partners, funds part of this program and supports the addition of an Environmental Educator, Monica Elser, to the LTER education team.
For more information contact Monica at meelser@asu.edu