My students need a Garmin eTrex Portable GPS, a Panasonic TZ5 digital camera, a 4GB Secure Digital camera card, and a SD card reader.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Wenning's classroom raised $802
This project is fully funded
I teach Biology and Biotechnology in a large urban school in a large urban city. In the spring semester we focus on the environment, ecology and ecosystem interactions. We explore the problem with invasive species, both globally and locally.
As a part of the solution to invasive species problem, for several years, I have been leading Easter break student volunteer habitat restoration work parties from my Biology classes in conjunction with San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department. These are one day - one shot events. It has always surprised me how many of my students have never been to the many large and beautiful open space areas and parks within our city. They seem so very disconnected with the world of nature.
I would like to buy one GPS tracking device and a digital camera to have students document the work areas before, during and after the work AND the changes to our work areas over time. Students will use the GPS track log and the free program gpicsync program to geotag the photos that they will load into a Google Earth KML file for web dissemination. My students (and anyone) will be able to download the file and see changes to their work areas. I also plan to use the GPS tracks where photos are taken, so that I can return in future and to photo document changes to our work area over time.
As the work parties are one day/one shot events, I’m hoping the photo documentation will engender “ownership” in the students in their plot of land and foster a feeling of stewardship for the environment in general.
Collaborators – I will be working with Rec & Park staff to set up workparties and will maintain an ongoing relationship to continue to geotag photo document work areas. Once, I perfect the geotagging/Google Earth file creation workflow, I will share the equipment and the techniques with our Environmental Science teachers. I will also share the process and workflow on the Google Earth education lesson plan site so that other teachers might be able to use the techniques to have their students document changes in their local environment.
I believe geotagged photos in Google Earth can be a powerful tool to track environmental longitudinal changes over time – deforestation, urban expansion, invasive species, etc..
More than a third of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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