I teach thirteen and fourteen year old eighth grade students. We spend our year together exploring the world It is so exciting to see them develop an understanding of different locations and cultures, something that is definitely needed in today's global society.
Students in my classes have a unique opportunity to participate in a hands-on environmental field experience that allows them to apply both science and social studies skills in the natural environment.
Selected students have the opportunity to participate in a two-and-a-half day field experience at Trees For Tomorrow, a natural resources specialty school, located in Eagle River, WI. As a part of that experience, students conduct field studies involving identification of flora and fauna, examine and plan for future land use in the area, utilize GPS skills to map and locate land features, examine how animals have adapted to their environment, and design inventions based on plant and animal adaptations.
My Project
For many of my students, their trip to Trees For Tomorrow represents the culmination of their 8th grade year. It affords them a hands-on opportunity to apply many of the skills they learned in science and social studies. Anytime students can complete field tasks themselves, their understanding and knowledge increases exponentially.
The Trees For Tomorrow field experience is unique in that students use a variety of field-based research techniques to make judgments regarding present and future land use in Wisconsin's Northwoods.
Students employ dichotomous keys to identify plant species, examine animal adaptations to determine who the generalists and specialists are, and plan for the future of our forests.
My goal is to make this an affordable experience for my students. Therefore, I am requesting partial funding to defray to overall cost of the field experience. The remainder of the costs will be covered by my district and via student fees.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Bruening and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
