Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Earth Partnership for Schools and RESTORE Leadership Institutes
Earth Partnership for Schools originally held the majority of its teacher training ses-
sions at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum in Madison. These sessions were quite
successful and demonstrated that the program could do even more. One weakness we
wanted to overcome was the limited number of people who could benefit from the ex-
perience. More recently, we have been holding ten-day RESTORE leadership insti-
tutes to train lead teams of teachers, natural resource professionals, and citizens. These
lead teams, in turn, conduct one-week EPS institutes for additional teachers and com-
munity partners in their respective regions throughout the United States. These Earth
Partnerships create a comprehensive, inquiry- and place-based approach, including
sustainability, biodiversity, climate change, cultural diversity, and STEM.
The Earth Partnership curriculum guide contains more than one hundred activi-
ties keyed to academic standards. All EPS activities include clearly defined curricular
goals and student learning assessment ideas, and they are adaptable to regional eco-
systems. Special supplements focus on phenology, woodland restoration, rain gar-
dens, and stormwater in the context of climate change and watershed ecology.
Restoration Education Steps
The curriculum guide, like all parts of the EPS program, is grounded in ten basic res-
toration education steps that frame the EPS/RESTORE professional development in-
stitutes and the implementation plan for students:
1.
Study species, habitats, and ecosystems
—Students visit remnant or restored
ecological communities, identify species, record observations in journals, and
imagine and plan what their restored schoolyard site can become. Our goals
for students are to cultivate their sense of wonder, help them create a mental
model of the ecosystem or habitat to be reconstructed, and get them excited
about the possibilities!
2.
Investigate school site history
—Students review General Land Office survey-
ors' notes, historical maps, written and oral histories, and other primary
sources to make some educated guesses about the ecological and human his-
tory of their place. Local literature, old letters, and interviews with elders add
additional clues.
3.
Analyze
—Students and teachers explore the current site conditions to deter-
mine the suitability for different species and restoration strategies. This can
include analyzing soil, measuring water infiltration rates, calculating slope,
and mapping existing features such as buildings, paths, sun/shade, existing
vegetation, and signs of wildlife.
4.
Connect
—Students appeal to school and community partners through pre-
sentations, interviews, and articles for school and local media describing the
project and needs. Resource professionals, neighbors, and parents welcome
the opportunity to share their expertise and resources and connect with the
school.
