I teach at a public charter high school. We are located on an island that is bordered by brackish water marshes and the Atlantic Ocean. We offer a wide variety of programs that positively impact all grade, socioeconomic, and ability levels. Our area is surrounded by industry and tourism. Our families come from very varied backgrounds; medical, legal, education, business, tourism and those that have trouble finding and keeping employment.
My students are inquisitive and eager to learn!
All of my students love learning new 'stuff'. I love spending time outside with students and, surprisingly, most students love to have class outside. We are lucky to have a campus that is in a residential area with lots of trees. We always hear lots of birds and insects when we are outside. I would like for my students to hone their observation skills so they can write detailed descriptions of what they see when we are walking around campus. Binoculars would be a great tool for us to use!
My Project
In today's fast-paced and technology-driven world, my students have lost some of their wonder of the world around them. Many don't spend a lot of time outside. If they are outside, many stay on their phones and miss the amazing things happening in nature all around them.
Observations and science go together like peas and carrots!
Observational skills are critical to helping students make sense of what they are learning. Teaching students how to use binoculars to describe the birds, insects, and plants we have on campus will translate into helping them better describe experimental results.
Sitting in a stuffy classroom can stifle a student's desire to learn. I have found that fresh air is important to activate the mind. If my students can spend time outdoors observing nature and these skills translate to improvement in other data analysis tasks, then everyone wins!
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