|
Back to Request Proposals main.
Discovery Life In America Biodiversity Boxes (2008-2009)
In 2003 Discover Life in America (DLIA), along with their partners in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, produced several Biodiversity Boxes for teachers and classrooms to use as educational tools for demonstrating and promoting biodiversity. These boxes and this project continue to be a big hit and success with teachers, and other educators, furthermore this original project was funded, in part, by a grant received from the Entomological Foundation. After five years, there is an additional need for expanding the scope and reach of this project through additional teacher training opportunities and a new systematic process for distributing these biodiversity boxes to teachers throughout Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Funding will go toward expanding the program.
Implementation & Evaluation of Insect Based Curricula (2008-2009)
I was a Fellow in the National Science Foundation (NSF) GK-12 Education Program through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) for two years. Because my research uses insects and other arthropods as model systems, I designed lessons using these animals for the classroom. The Fellows offer workshops for the GK-12 cooperating teachers and their colleagues each March. Funding will be used for a half-day “Arthropod Symposium” at the annual day of workshops in 2009. The symposium will connect cooperating teachers in the NSF GK-12 Program with faculty and graduate students in the Department of Entomology at UIUC and will: 1) Share practical lessons for GK-12 classrooms which use insects as model systems; 2) Share strategies to evaluate the scientific and educational efficacy of the lessons; and 3) Introduce a simple statistics program so teachers and their students can quantitatively evaluate an experiment.
Insects in the Elementary Classroom with Master Gardeners (2008-2009)
Introducing elementary school children to basic scientific information regarding insects and spiders in a fun, hands-on atmosphere will contribute to their understanding of the interconnectedness of living organisms in our world and an increased respectful awareness of their unique niche. Funding will go toward Master Gardeners (MG) facilitating this educational process by bringing well developed hands-on programs into the public school classroom at no charge. These programs will be provided in response to requests by teachers based on published information available via the MG website, hard copy distributions and/or fellow teacher referrals. Appropriate evaluation of each session will be completed. The incorporation of entomology units into the existing MG classroom curriculum will greatly enrich the education of many elementary students.
Success with Pests (2008-2009)
With arthropods comprising more than 80% of all described animals, they are an often overlooked but important part of our everyday life. As the marketplace becomes a greener place, it is important to teach children that arthropods and insects are part of the natural environment and only are considered pests when they compete with man for food, water, harborage, or attention. New Florida educational standards that will take effect in 2009 take into account the diversity of animals, including insects. As teachers prepare lessons to include these new Sunshine State Standards, www.floridastandards.org, funding will go toward developing and providing lessons about how to have success with pests by using principles of integrated pest management (IPM).
Six- Legged Sensation: School Programs for Title I Classes (2008-2009)
Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region (LC-NCR) and Discovery Creek Children’s Museum (DCCM) offer some of the most engaging, fun, and adventurous sites in the Washington, DC area. Whether it is coming face to face with a Tiger Salamander or painted turtle, tromping through creeks to investigate aquatic invertebrates, climbing over boulders and scaling rock faces, trawling for aquatic life in the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers, we offer a variety of programs for youth ages six months to young adult.With help from the Entomological Foundation and the Entomological Society of America, Living Classrooms and Discovery Creek will be able to provide 10 classrooms from Title I schools in underserved areas of the DC metropolitan area some of our high-quality and engaging educational programs. The programs offered to classrooms under this grant consist of the programs that teach students about insects and use insects and other invertebrates as educational tools. Part of the funding would also cover a teacher training called Six-Legged Sensations, during which teachers would learn about insects and how to use them as educational tools.
Mini-grants funded in previous years:
Elementary Insects (2007-2008)
Kimberly Schofield, IPM Program Specialist, Dallas Research and Extension Center, Texas A&M University System, received a mini-grant to expand and distribute curricula within the Dallas area concerning mosquitoes, fleas, spiders, and other insects in the landscape. The curricula consists of student booklets targeted to grades second through fourth along with exercises to help teach integrated pest management. The booklets will be distributed to schools and learning centers in the Dallas area. As of March 2008, 130 educators participated in the program during its first year. Approximately 3,529 children have been reached as a result of the training during the program's first year. Educators involved in the program will also receive instruction on presenting each lesson within the booklet. In addition, each educator will receive extra materials such as markers, stickers, and puzzles that will help to motivate their students as they complete each lesson within the booklet. Learn more: http://elementaryinsects.tamu.edu
Inquiring with Insects: A Collection of Lessons from Pre-service Teachers (2007-2008)
Holly Travis, of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biology, received a mini-grant to develop a collection of inquiry-based entomology lesson plans, which will be created by pre-service elementary teachers. Holly's goal is to develop a collection of at least 25 lesson plans that focus on insects and meet science, mathematics, and language standards. These lessons will provide a quality resource that incorporates inquiry and higher-order thinking while exposing elementary students to a variety of insects.The final lessons will be distributed to the pre-service elementary teachers who wrote the lessons so they can incorporate the lessons in their own classrooms and to area school districts for use by elementary teachers in the area. The lessons will also be posted on the university website so they can be accessed by all teachers. During the first year of the program, which will be the pilot phase, it is anticipated that 500 students will be involved in the pilot test during the fall of 2008. During the following year, it is estimated that between 1,500-2,000 children will be involved in the program with an estimated 10% increase per year.
Insects in the Classroom: Entomology Teacher Training (2007-2008)
Molly Keck, IPM Program Specialist, will use her mini-grant to implement a summer entomology teacher training program. The program will provide teachers with information on how to incorporate insects into their lesson plans, as well as provide information about experiments and hands-on activities, curriculum, and other materials and resources for use in educating children about science through insects. The training will be open to all elementary teachers, but geared for second through fourth grade. The training program will be held during the summer of 2008.The estimated number of children researched during the first year of the training program is 1,125 during the 2008-2009 school year. Teachers will be asked to conduct a training program in their school with an anticipated increase to 25% usage during the 2009-2010 school year. Learn more: http://elementaryinsects.tamu.edu
International Bug Club (2007-2008)
The Woodland Park Zoo received a mini-grant to implement a teacher workshop for 40 teachers from eight elementary schools in Washington state on the International Bug Club curriculum. The curriculum explores insect themes through hands-on science activities, arts and crafts, outside exploration, discovery, and play. The workshop will provide new International Bug Club educators with the skills and resources needed to establish and instruct a Bug Club at their school. Workshop participants will receive Bug Club kits and curricula. Bug Club leaders will become part of the International Bug Club network, which includes U.S zoos, schools in Washington state and in Papua New Guinea. The Bug Club format is based on multidisciplinary exploration of insect biology and ecology. The project has the potential to reach 1,120 elementary students. Approximately 80,000 students and educators participate in educational programs and activities at the Woodland Park Zoom, many of which will be targeted for Club participation. Learn more: http://www.zoo.org
Outdoor Classroom and Community Garden (2007-2008)
Marianne Robinette of the Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, received a mini-grant to create an Outdoor Classroom at the Classic City High School Performance Learning Center (PLC). The Outdoor Classroom will provide an area for teaching and learning in any academic subject. Students will collaboratively design and implement an outdoor classroom including installing an aquatic garden, insect gardens, teaching areas, and art gardens. For example, an insect garden will be created for collecting and observing insects while engaging students in community outreach programs; and organic garden will provide science instruction while promoting sustainable food products and the study of nutrition. PLC, a non-traditional, voluntary high school, was created in 2003 to stem the flow of students dropping out of the Clarke County School System and to recover those who had already dropped out. PLC is a partnership between the Clarke County School District, Communities in Schools, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Invasive Insects (2006-2007)
Jessica Metzer, of the Michigan Technological University, received a mini-grant to develop and implement Invasive Insects, a curriculum targeting middle and high school students to explore the impact of invasive non-native insects. The program will provide materials and training for teacher skill enhancement, the development of an educational resource for use in grades 6-12, and provide an innovative approach to using insects to illustrate biological principles, especially related to population dynamics. Teachers will find materials to assist them in leading classroom discussion and debate on this topic in addition to three different activities meant to introduce students to the problem of invasive insects and to some of the potential solutions. These activities will encourage student's creativity and critical thinking skills. The program is planned to be completed during the close of 2007.
Collections, Communities and Classrooms (2005-2006)
The Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California-Davis, received a mini-grant to develop and implement an educator workshop to teach educators how to integrate insects into their life science units while offering educators an opportunity to earn Continuing Education Units. The information distributed during the workshops will also be made available on Bohart Museum's web site. Learn more: http://kidsnbugs.ucdavis.edu
A Bug's Life: Insects in the Park (2004-2005)
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Neighborhood Naturalist program developed a four part summer curriculum which includes hands-on activities and games to awaken participants to the world of insects. The curriculum is taught in neighborhood parks within the city of Minneapolis and serves children between the ages of 4 and 12.
Biodiversity Insect Boxes
(2002-2003)
Discover Life in America (DLIA), working with the National Park Service to conduct the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), created “Biodiversity Boxes”. Each box contains materials that provide an understanding of the diversity of organisms within a particular taxonomic group and the equipment and protocols required for students to conduct scientific studies. For more information: http://www.discoverlife.org.
Insects in the Classroom: Building a Sustainable Resource (2001-2002)
This program offers hands-on activities for elementary teachers, provides information about insect rearing, and lesson plans and inquiry-based activities for teachers through summer workshops, web-based media, and classroom visits. The Manduca Sexta is used as a live model for the program. For more information: http://manduca.entomology.wisc.edu.
|
