News - United States of America
U.S. GLOBE Midwest Regional Updates — September 2023
University of Wisconsin
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The GLOBE-based camp for autistic middle and high school students, The Sky's The Limit STEM Camp, was held at the Welty Environmental Center in Beloit, Wisconsin, during June and July under the direction of GLOBE Partner Dr. Michael Notaro.
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During August, Dr. Notaro began collaborating with the University of Wisconsin Division of Extension on a new autism camp, Nature's Navigators, held at Upham Woods in the Wisconsin Dells.
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Dr. Notaro led a GLOBE teacher professional development workshop at Ridges Sanctuary in Door County, Wisconsin, during August.
Xcite Learning/Toledo Zoo/ Bowling Green State University GLOBE Partnership
Jodi Haney has a new GLOBE role. She is working part-time as a consultant for the GLOBE U.S. Coordination Office under Jennifer Bourgeault. Jodi will work on projects as assigned, including providing mentorship for new and existing U.S. GLOBE Partners and assisting with the GLOBE trainer/mentor trainer process. As a result of this new role, Jodi stepped down as the At-Large Member of the U.S. Partner Forum.
Purdue University GLOBE Partnership
In June, two professional development opportunities around solar eclipses were presented by Purdue University staff and faculty, in collaboration with NASA Langley Research Center and My NASA data.
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From 12-13 June, middle school teachers attended in-person professional development. Lessons and hands-on activities were presented to help teach science content for the middle school science curriculum.
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Elementary teachers attended in-person professional development from 15 to 16 June. Lessons and hands-on activities designed around the eclipse were presented to help teach science content for the elementary school curriculum.
GLOBE Mission EARTH/University of Toledo
Earth Heart Farms
GME/University of Toledo hosted teacher professional development at Earth Heart Farms in Oak Harbor, Ohio, from 13 to 15 June. They hosted five local teachers for the in-person training; another five teachers will be participating throughout the school year, for a total of 10 teachers. Teachers will engage their students in collecting GLOBE data during the school year and bring students to Earth Heart Farms for the Fall and Spring Field Days, where they will collect GLOBE data and meet with conservation specialists to learn about birding, wildlife, plants, and careers in STEM. They will also learn how to put the A in STE(A)M by engaging in Musical Linguistics.
Note that merely hours after the in-person PD ended, a tornado tore through the area and destroyed the home where teachers had been hosted. The plan is to engage students in the rebuilding process for the farm and land by making the natural disaster part of their learning experience.
Photo album for Earth Heart Farms PD, including some tornado damage.
Toledo Zoo
From 26-30 June, GME hosted 19 teachers at the Toledo Zoo in partnership with Xcite Learning and the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium’s Project Prairie. The goal was to engage teachers, and subsequently their students, in collecting data before, during and after the upcoming solar eclipses. Participants will collect GLOBE Atmosphere data — surface temperature, air temperature, clouds — and prairie or other natural environment data — soil temperature, soil moisture, plant and animal diversity and population studies — using both the GLOBE Observer app and the Seek and iNaturalist apps.
The intent is to have students learn about abiotic and biotic changes that occur due to solar eclipses, and to engage them in collecting similar data to study the Urban Heat Island Effect and the ecological importance of prairie and other natural environments throughout the school year.
Approximately 10 other educators participated virtually during the same week from remote locations.
The GLOBE team conducted the professional development in a hybrid format: in the mornings, participants collected GLOBE data; in the afternoons, everyone joined together virtually to hear from subject matter experts and to dive deeper into the science of eclipses, prairie environments, urban heat islands, and practical ideas and resources for classroom implementation.
News origin: United States of America