Harvard Forest Summer Institute 2019
Our Changing Forests Project Coach, Fiona Jevon, led a new group of teachers in practicing field site setup and data collection
Teachers got a chance to try out measuring and marking out 10x10 meter study plots.
Belchertown High School Teacher, Louise Levy, shared her experience leading the Our Changing Forests project with teachers trying out this project for the first time.
Harvard Forest Ecologist, David Orwig, provided background information indoors, and brought teachers out to see the impact the tiny Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is having on Hemlock trees, one of Massachusetts forests' foundation species.
Woolly Bully and the Hemlock, Project Teachers explored a large forest stand of Hemlock trees that is in decline due to the Woolly Adelgid infestation that is impacting much of the eastern U.S. forests.
J.R. Briggs Elementary Teacher, Kate Bennett, shared her 15 years of Woolly Bully project experience with new Schoolyard Teachers.
Buds, Leaves and Global Warming Project Ecologist, John O'Keefe, showed long term trends of the timing of budburst and leaf drop, in order to help teachers understand how warming temperatures are impacting the length of the growing season.
Dr. O'Keefe shared graphs of his 29 year study at Harvard Forest.
Teachers practiced labelling trees for field study that they will set up at their school sites.
Overlook Middle School Teacher, JoAnn Mossman, left and above, mentored teachers who will be starting this project in September.
Hanover High School (NH), Maryann Postans also helped mentor new teachers in the field above.
Harvard Forest Information Manager, Emery Boose, worked with a small group of experienced Schoolyard Eco. teachers to support management of Schoolyard Eco. data.
Survey Says....
Teachers said....
Not only do I feel that I thoroughly learned the protocol, but I also got some excellent suggestions for classroom implementation.
Ecological background knowledge for me is key. I learned a lot from Orwig and others.
Ecological background knowledge for me is key. I learned a lot from Orwig and others.
This time I was focused on techniques and strategies to improve the process.
I did not know much about trees, I learned a lot!
My ecology background was rusty, and this workshop got me up to speed.
My educational focus has been earth science. I learned a lot about trees and the interaction between the atmosphere and biosphere. So much more to learn!
Outstanding job explaining the science and classroom application of the lessons.
Wonderfully flexible, finding time and space for me to upload my school's data.
I'm confident that I can set up a plot.
This has improved so much over the years!
Today's itinerary seemed like it worked a lot better for getting in sharing between individuals/small groups
This is the only time my students are outside during their school day.
The buds study relates to their noticing of everyday life
doesn't last just one class period. I think the longevity of this study is eye-opening.
That the information is being reported to "real scientists" means that students more fully buy in
They (students)will actually be doing the practices (scientific practices as outlined in NGSS and Mass. Frameworks), rather than talking about them in class.
We will be able to set up study sites at Wildlands struts properties and engage students in environmental learning for years to come.
Emery helped me realize why some graphs have dots and why some have lines. John O'Keefe answered a lot of questions from red/black oak to why a graph of growing season might be varied.
I told teachers from other schools about this workshop but they were unable to attend because they had already started school. Maybe have the workshop a little earlier.
I think the date of which the workshop is offered may be challenging for teachers to attend (more and more schools are starting earlier) but I understand why it needs to be where it is.
I loved every minute of this training. I hope to work out the logistics to get it off the ground.
What did Teachers Value Most?
How to identify a hemlock tree, how to implement the study in a more complete manner and practical suggestions from a teacher in the field for its implementation.
Learning about the big picture - interaction between the atmosphere and biosphere. Identifying trees and how they change over the course of the year. Adapting the program to support elementary students. (Thanks Joann!)
Having more confidence for downloading and graphing the data. It was helpful to have the lessons being done at Belchertown High School as a model for what I can do with my students at my site
Getting an opportunity to work with an ecologist and ask questions
Links to Ecologists' and Mentor Teacher presentations
Summer Institute Buds-Leaves Scientist Presentation-2019.O'Keefe.pdf
Summer Institute Changing Forests Scientist Presentation-2019. Jevon.pdf
Buds and Leaves Mentor Teacher Presentation. 2019.Mossman.pdf
Woolly Bully and the Hemlock Mentor Teacher Presentation. 2019. Bennett.pdf
Our Changing Forests Mentor Teacher Presentation-Summer 2019.Levy.pdf
- Review of Day 2 of the Our Changing Forests Summer Institute
Thanks to Clarisse Hart for her excellent photo documentation of this workshop!
