WEATHER & EARTH SCIENCE RESOURCES |
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OTHER ACADEMIC COURSES, STUDENT RESEARCH, OTHER STUFF
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TEACHING TOOLS & OTHER STUFF
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By:
Ross Meyer
Nathaniel Minto
Leah Farzin
Introduction
The objective of this project is to develop an interactive, hands-on teaching curriculum composed for local children grades 1 through 4. The intent is to educate local children of:
1)The inherent value of the natural environment and its integrity/health
2)Basic education of ecological principles, systems and components of Collins Run
3)The geological/paleontological significance of Collins Run
We seek to develop an interactive three-day lesson plan that we will distribute to local teachers that they can use in their curriculum. This will include a map of the area, an educational trail system with specific points of interest, a booklet for the children, hands-on activities, photographs, and a teaching booklet for the teachers. The overall objective is to develop an appreciation and respect in local children for local natural systems and the importance of their integrity/health.
Research Questions
Natural Sciences:
What are the basic ecological principles and components of the Collins Run system?
What are the basic biological, physical, and chemical components of a healthy watershed ecosystem? What constitutes the integrity of Collins Run?
What are the significant animal and plant species of Collins Run, and how do they interrelated?
What are the significant geological and paleontological areas of Collins Run, including the fossils and geological features?
What is the prehistory of Collins Run? What kinds of fossils? Geological formations?
What are effective methods and activities that encourage active, discovery-oriented learning of the natural environment for young children?
Social Sciences:
How do young children relate to nature?
What are effective methods and activities that teach children of the importance of the ecological integrity of their natural environment?
How do we encourage children to become active in thinking about environmental policy and the consequences of environmental degradation?
Humanities:
What is the historical development of human interaction with the river system?
When and how do children interact with the river system?
What does the river mean (symbolical, ethical, cultural) to the children that live in proximity to it and/or interact with it regularly?
Interdisciplinary Approach:
The basis of this project is to integrate the natural sciences with social sciences and humanities to develop an interdisciplinary, discovery-oriented teaching curriculum. It will be interdisciplinary in that it will require synthesis and integration of the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, ecology, environmental studies, geology, paleontology), the social sciences (environmental advocacy, education), and the humanities (history, cultural studies).
Specific Predictions:
We predict that we will be able to develop the environmental awareness of the local children by creating an interactive, discovery-oriented program that encourages scientific inquiry and environmental ethical thinking.
Preliminary Research Design:
The Stages of this project will consist as follows:
1)Natural science research of Collins Run. We will do library source research to better understand the basic ecological components and relationships within the watershed ecosystem. We will focus on the various actors (i.e. trees, fish, insects, flow, temp., etc.) of the ecosystem and how they are interrelated and interdependent.
2)Interview children ages 6-10 years old that live near the Collins Run watershed and/or interact with it in some way. We will develop a specific protocol for these interviews. We will either find children by going door-to-door along the watershed municipalities, or through the local schools. We will be primarily asking questions to understand how they think of and interact with Collins Run and its significance to them, as well as their opinions of the consequences of environmental degradation.
3)Catalogue significant plant and animal species and fossils in the Collins Run area.
4)Digital photograph significant plant and animal species and fossils, specific areas of interest and write brief descriptions.
5)Determine unique areas of interest in the Collins Run area that display the topics of the lesson.
6)Map the Collins Run area possibly using Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology. Develop an education trail with specific sites of interest with corresponding photographs, lessons and descriptions.
7)Develop interactive, hands-on, discovery-oriented activities for the children to do at Collins Run along the trail to help them learn the ecological and environmental principles, as well as encourage general scientific inquiry.
8)Develop a booklet for the children about Collins Run that includes basic ecological principles, significant species and forces and their interrelatedness, pictures, descriptions of prehistory of Collin Run and the fossils, the importance of preserving areas like Collins Run, and ways that they can work to preserve Collins Run and other basic things that they can do to help the environment.
9)Develop a three day lesson plan for the teachers. This will include one day before the field trip to discuss basic ecological principles, environmental concerns, discussion of the childrenÕs interaction with Collins Run and nature in general, and their views of their relationship to nature. For the actual field trip, we will include ecological principles, pictures and descriptions of plant and animal species and where they can be found, the map and trail guide with site descriptions, interactive, hands-on activities for the children to do on the field trip to learn the scientific principles, sources of environmental degradation and possible solutions, and any other pertinent information. Then for the day after the field trip, the lesson plan will deal with reflection, review of ecological principles, and then ideas of ways the children can help preserve Collins Run and the environment in general.
10)Meet with local 1st to 34th grade teachers and describe our project, its objectives and benefits, and then give them the curriculum kit to use.
11)Lay out opportunity for Interdisciplinary Technology freshmen or other interested students to make our resources and lesson plan into a Dragonfly website so teachers can access it over the web.
References:
Books/Reports/Theses:
Basile, Carole G. Awareness to Citizenship: Environmental literacy for the elementary child. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2000.
Bradley, Herbert. Changes in Oxford. 1979.
Brewster, Harry. The River Gods of Greece: Myths and Mountain Waters in the Hellenic World. London: I.B. Tauris Publishers, 1997.
Colwell, Frederic S. Rivermen: A Romantic Iconography of the River and the Source. Kingston, Ontario: McGill-QueenÕs University Press, 1989.
Cushing, Colbert E., and David Allan. Streams: Their Ecology and Life. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 2001.
Enberg, Dennis Peter. ÒThe urban expansion of Oxford, OH, 1950-1966.Ó Thesis, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 1966.
Giller, Paul S., and Bjorn Malmqvist. The Biology of Streams and Rivers. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
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Harland Bartholomew and Associates. ÒA Report upon population, land use & zoning, Oxford, OH.Ó Saint Louis, MO: Harland Bartholomew and Assoc., 195-?.
Herendeen, Wyman H. From Landscape to Literature: The River and the Myth of Geography. Pittsburgh, PA: Duquesne University Press, 1986.
Jones, Jeremy B., and Patrick J. Mulholland, eds. Streams and Ground Waters. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 2000.
Kaufman, Donald. Hands-On Environmental Education Activities for K-6 Teachers. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt, 1996.
Leopold, Luna B. Water, Rivers and Creeks. Sausalito, CA: University Science Press, 1997.
Lingelbach, Jenepher, and Lisa Purcell, eds. Hands-On Nature: Information and activities for exploring the environment with children. Woodstock, VT: Vermont Institute of Natural Science, 2000.
Losew, Donald Robert. ÒZoning and urban development: A case study, Oxford, OH.Ó Thesis, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 1974.
Martin, Walter Herman. ÒExisting land use, Oxford, OH, 1955.Ó Thesis, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 1955.
Mercier, Sheryl. Exploring Environments. Fresno, CA: AIMS Education Foundation, 1999.
McGinnis, Ralph J. The History of Oxford, Ohio: From the earliest days to the present, 1930. Oxford, OH: Stewart Press, 1930.
National Research Council. Freshwater Ecosystems: Revitalizing Educational Programs in Limnology. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1996.
Outwater, Alice. Water: A Natural History. NY: Harper Collins Publishers, 1996.
Oxford, OH Planning Commission. ÒOxford land use plan Ð 1990.Ó James M. Jennings Associates Co., Columbus, OH, 1974.
Petrash, Carol. Earthways: Simple environmental activities for young children. Mt. Rainier, MD: Gryphon House, 1992.
Sanders, Randall E, ed. A Guide to Ohio Streams. Columbus, OH: Ohio Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, 2001.
Schwartz, Linda. Earth Book for Kids: Activities to help heal the environment. Santa Barbara, CA: Learning Woods, 1990.
Seelye, John. Prophetic Waters: The River in Early American Life and Literature. NY: Oxford University Press, 1977.
Simpson, Martha. Environmental Awareness activities for Librarians and Teachers: Twenty Interdisciplinary units for use in grades 2-8. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1995.
Smith, Gregory, and Dilafruz Williams. Ecological Education in Action: On weaving education, culture, and the environment. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1999.
Stauffer, Julie. The Water Crisis: Constructing Solutions to Freshwater Pollution. Montreal, Canada: Black Rose Books, 1999.
Usinger, Robert L. The Life of Rivers and Streams. NY: McGraw-Hill, 1967.
Wilke, Richard, ed. Environmental Education Teacher Resource Handbook: A practical guide for K-12 environmental education. Millwood, NY: Kraus International Publications, 1993.
Williams, Jack E., et al. Watershed Restoration: Principles and Practices. 1997.
Wohl, Ellen E. Virtual Rivers: Lessons from the Mountain Rivers of the Colorado Front Range. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001.
Zektser, Igor S. Groundwater and the Environment: Applications for the Global Community. NY: Lewis Publishers, 2000.
Websites:
Environmental Education for Kids
Environmental Learning for Kids
EPA: Office of Wetlands and Watersheds
Sustainable Watershed Planning in Ohio
PDF Files/Journal Articles:
Boon, P.J. The development of integrated methods for assessing river conservation value. (pdf file)
Galat, David, and Robin Lipkin. Restoring ecological integrity of great rivers. (pdf file)
Graf, William L. ÒDamage Control: Restoring the Physical Integrity of AmericaÕs Rivers.Ó Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 91 (2001).
Rapport, Gaudet, et al. ÒEvaluating Landscape Health: Integrating Societal Goals and Biophysical Process.Ó Journal of Environmental Management. 53 (1998).
Thomson, Taylor, et al. ÒA Geomorphological Framework for River Characterization and Habitat Assessment.Ó Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 11 (2001).
Other Sources:
David Meyer, Professor of Geology, University of Cincinnati: geology and paleontology education and resources
Kani Meyer, Berheim Research Arboretum and Forest: Nature education for young children, activities, ecological principles.
Emilou Checco, undergraduate Early Childhood Education, Miami University: Nature education to young children experience, early childhood education.
Hays Cummins, Chris Wolfe & Chris Myers: Dragonfly, science education for young children
Local children living around the periphery of the Collins Run watershed
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