Ecology Explorers is an example of how universities are teaming up with the K-12 community to give teachers and students opportunities to learn through real scientific research.
We have developed a variety of lessons that support conceptual understandings of urban ecology and sustainability, as well as integrate with our scientific protocols and games. While our Ecology Explorer lesson plans can be delivered independently, all lessons support multiple themes. You’ll find all of our lessons below, both alphabetically by title, and grouped by various topics to inspire ideas for possible units:
The particular example deals with the Phoenix, Arizona ecosystem and Allows classes to be part of the Central Arizona – Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research project. The scientific data collected is shared with other researchers and schools to see what patterns in nature exist across the Phoenix metropolitan area.
What opportunities exist in your area?