Journal #7: Scientific Observation

A scientific observation I made recently involved precipitation, which was hydroplaning. This process occurs when a motor vehicle slides uncontrollably on a wet surface of the road, usually due to rain. Not only are the roads more slippery when it is raining, but if a car's tires are in contact with a film of water above the road, it can cause the vehicle to slip and slide, potentially causing an accident. Although this is not an environmental issue, I consider it a "natural safety" issue, and find it important for students to learn about the dangers of it.

I observed this a few weeks ago. Driving home to my hometown of Portage, WI from WI Dells, it began to rain heavily. As I traveled further down the highway, I witnessed one road slide off the road onto the shoulder, and another that was already on the side of the road with its hazards on. As the rain began to fall harder, I slowed down slightly, but seeing what happened to these two cars, I slowed down significantly. Usually the type of precipitation that people associate with driving with caution, but conditions can be just as dangerous in the rain. As a result, I believe this is an area of environmental education that needs to be taught to students.

Going through school, the only time I recall discussing the process of hydroplaning is during driver's education class. I really feel I can educate my students on natural processes such as these that will really help them. Although I will most likely teaching at the elementary level, where students will not be able to drive yet, I still feel it is relevant to their lives. Many times students of all ages will ask, "When will I ever have to use this?" when in school. While students will use many concepts later in life, such as in subjects like math and English, I feel it is equally important to teach them concepts in environmental education as well.

Journal #6: Mapping

For this journal, I choose to make a map of the school forest from my hometown of Portage, WI. It begins on the top left of the page with a greeting/meeting area. From my experience as a student visiting the school forest, entering was always exciting because the greeting area overlooks the three major areas of the forest. The first area (on the upper right) is an open grassy field. This is a great place to have students sit and/or stand in the grass and be told their directions for the day, safety guidelines, rules, etc. This also can be a place for guest speakers to address the students. This open field is often used for snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the winter time.

The next major area of the forest (on the bottom left) is a wetland/pond area. This is used to collect organisms from the water for students to examine. With the water being about 2-2 1/2 feet deep, school forest representatives use hip waders to go into the water. After demonstrating, representatives usually offer students the opportunity to try to get into the water and collect organisms. This can be an enjoyable and educational experience for all students. Finally, the third major area of the forest is the highlight of the trip for young students, and that is the forest area and hiking trails. Similar to Schmeeckle Reserve (only much smaller), this area contains several trails for students to hike on. During my experience here in high school, students were split into small groups and given free time to explore the trails. I have not returned to the school forest since high school, and look forward to returning, possibly as a teacher in the near future.

Journal #5: Class Content-Ecosystems

One class topic that I recently become more educated about is ecosystems. Prior to this semester, I feel that I fell into the trap of only thinking of ecosystems as these complicated life cycles that only take place out in "the wilderness." I believe many young students are affected by this myth as well. However, ecosystems are present everywhere in the world, including right in your own backyard. Whether it be on a local playground, or out in the rain forests, ecosystems are the product of animals, plants, and humans each playing a specific role.

Another aspect of ecosystems that I learned more about during our recent class unit was the effect that humans have on ecosystems. Although many people may have the belief that "what can I do to effect an ecosystem?", humans do have a huge effect on individual ecosystems. For instance, people littering and leaving trash behind can negatively effect the plants and animals of an ecosystem. Another example would be cutting down trees in a forest. As a result, I think it is important for classroom teachers to educate their students on how their personal actions can impact ecosystems.

I feel a great way to further educate students about ecosystems is through a real-world approach. A teacher could start by selecting a local location, such as a nearby park, grassy area, or even the school playground. Getting up and out of the classroom will excite the students and enable them to see the environment in a hands-on fashion, rather than the traditional in-class routine. In addition to witnessing the role that the organisms in an ecosystem play, students will be able to understand the role that humans play as well. Another key concept that can serve as learning outcome is pollution. Whether this activity is conducted at a local park, or on the playground, students are most likely to see litter from humans, or human footprints. If I were to conduct this activity, I would make sure to debrief this activity upon returning to the classroom, allowing students to share their thoughts and reactions.

Journal #4: Sit-Spot/Environmental Photo

This photo was taken recently up in Pelican Lake, WI near Rhinelander. This is a place I visit a few times each year. Although the weather is warm and feels like summer still, the colors of the leaves and trees up in this area are rapidly changing. While taking a walk here, I not only admired the looks of the leaves and trees, but I also thought about how to relate this to environmental education. I believe there are multiple ways to involve students in this type of setting. First of all, a teacher could encourage students to use a setting like this as a "sit-spot." If they are ever feeling down, or just need to take a break, they could take a walk to a forest or trail such as this one.

Also, as a teacher, there are several ways I could make connections to my students using this. First, we could take a walk as a class to use as a study break. We also could start a class observation or documentation in the fall. Beginning in about mid-September or early October, we could take several short walks outside and students could begin journaling about what they see and the color of the trees. Students could mark each entry with a date, and predict what colors the leaves will change on a given date. Living in Wisconsin is great for teachers and environmental education, as the changing seasons offer opportunities for learning.