Expeditions in Education
  • Home
    • Meet Us!
    • Impact Stories
    • Giving Tuesday Page
  • 4th Grade (Crossing America)
    • Crossing America LIVE- SC
    • Crossing America LIVE- WV
    • Crossing America LIVE- NC
    • Crossing America LIVE- IN
    • Crossing America LIVE-KY
    • Holiday in the Parks 3
    • Episode One: Homestead NHP
    • Episode Two: Holiday in the PARKS
    • Episode Three: Biscayne National Park
    • Episode Four: Everglades National Park
    • Episode Five: Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
    • Episode Six: Assateague Island National Seashore
    • Episode Seven: George Washington's Birthday 2022
    • Episode Eight: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
    • Episode Nine: Tumacácori National Historical Park
    • Episode Ten: San Antonio Missions NHP
    • Episode Eleven: MotorCities National Heritage Area
    • Episode Twelve: Death Valley National Park
    • Episode Thirteen: Hot Springs National Park
    • Episode Fourteen: Isle Royale National Park
    • Episode Fifteen: Dry Tortugas National Park
    • Episode Sixteen: Olympic National Park
    • Episode Seventeen: Voyageurs National Park
    • Episode Eighteen: Lewis and Clark
    • Episode Nineteen: Jewel Cave National Monument
    • Episode Twenty: Pipestone National Monument
    • Episode Twenty-One: Alcatraz island
    • Episode Twenty-Two: César E. Chávez National Monument.
    • Episode Twenty-Three: Lava Beds National Monument
    • Episode Twenty-Four: Haleakalā National Park
    • Episode Twenty-Five: Hawai' i Volcanoes
    • Episode Twenty-Six: Pearl Harbor National Memorial
  • National Parks Expedition Challenge
    • Acadia National Park
    • Arches National Park
    • Assateague Island National Seashore
    • Badlands National Park
    • Big Bend National Park
    • Big Cypress National Preserve
    • Biscayne National Park
    • Black Canyon of the Gunnison
    • Bryce Canyon National Park
    • Cape Cod (ONE) National Seashore
    • Cape Cod (TWO) National Seashore
    • Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    • Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
    • César E. Chávez National Monument
    • Chaco Culture National Historical Park
    • Crater Lake National Park
    • Cuyahoga Valley National Park
    • Dayton Aviation National Heritage Historical Park
    • Death Valley National Park
    • Denali National Park
    • Dry Tortugas National Park
    • Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
    • Everglades National Park
    • FDR Memorial
    • First State National Historical Park
    • Flight 93 Memorial Park
    • Ford's Theatre
    • Fort Monroe National Monument
    • Gateway Arch National Park
    • Gettysburg National Military Park
    • Grand Canyon National Park
    • Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    • Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
    • Haleakala National Park
    • Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
    • Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
    • Homestead National Historical Park
    • Home of Franklin Roosevelt National Historic Site
    • Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
    • Hot Springs National Park
    • Indiana Dunes National Park
    • Isle Royale National Park
    • Jewel Cave National Monument
    • Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
    • Joshua Tree National Park
    • Kenai Fjords and Alaska Coastal Parks
    • Lava Beds National Monument
    • Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
    • Lincoln Home National Historic Site
    • Lincoln Memorial
    • Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
    • Mammoth Cave National Park
    • Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
    • Mesa Verde National Park
    • New River Gorge and Preserve National Park
    • Niobrara National Scenic River
    • Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
    • Olympic National Park
    • Palo Alto Battlefield
    • Pearl Harbor National Memorial
    • Petroglyph National Monument
    • Pipestone National Monument
    • Pullman National Monument
    • Redwood National and State Parks
    • Rocky Mountain National Park
    • Saguaro National Park
    • San Antonio Missions NHP
    • Shenadoah National Park
    • Tidal Basin-NAMA
    • Tumacácori National Historical Park
    • Vanderbilt Mansion National Historical Site
    • Voyageurs National Park
    • Wright Brothers Memorial
    • Yosemite National Park
    • Zion National Park
    • National Park Careers
    • National Park Perceptions
  • STEAM in the Park
    • STEAM in the Park - 2022 >
      • STEAM 2022 Highlights
      • STEAM in the PARK 2022 BLOG
    • STEAM in the Park - 2023 >
      • Ambassadors 2023
      • Mammoth Cave National Park 2023
      • Great Smoky Mountains National Park 2023
      • Cumberland Island National Seashore 2023
      • New River Gorge STEAM in the PARK
      • Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
      • Big Cypress National Preserve 2023
      • Redwood National Park 2023
      • Jimmy Carter National Historic Site 2023
      • Acadia National Park 2023
      • Rocky Mountain National Park 2023
      • Olympic National Park 2023
      • Voyageurs National Park 2023
    • "What's In Your Pocket?"
    • Nature Journaling Resources
    • STEM in the Mountains

Unconventional PD (Guest Blog)

7/25/2022

0 Comments

 
(Thanks to Kristen Albright (Acadia STEAM in the PARK) for these heartfelt words.)
The briny smell of the ocean, the sound of waves crashing against the rocks, a night of a million stars in the Milky Way, laughter and song around the campfire with my firefly friends, and miles of hikes through the spruce-scented forest—these are the moments that I treasure from my time in STEAM in the Park.  This was the most unconventional professional development I have ever attended in my 26+ years of teaching, and it truly changed my life for the better. 
When I heard from a dear friend and colleague about the first STEAM in the Park that took place last year in Acadia, I knew that I had to apply this year.  I was thrilled to learn that I had been accepted after waiting to hear for weeks.  The Zoom calls with fellow attendees in the months leading up to STEAM in the Park Acadia allowed me to have a glimpse of what was to come, making friendships and connections with teachers across the country. I was so impressed with Dacia’s organization and communication leading up to the event. 

In Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, we had several days packed with learning and networking.  The park rangers provided sessions on mapping, dichotomous keys to identify species, water quality and pH, and the methods biologists use to monitor the invasive green crab. Our STEAM in the Park ambassadors presented on literacy connections, poetry, and even a fun yoga session! Each of us had an opportunity to hone our artistic skills by painting a picture of monarch butterflies or scenery around Acadia.  Our final night was a ranger-led session on constellations under the most beautiful, star-filled sky. In between sessions, we dined together, went to town for ice cream, hiked the beautiful vistas, and took time to enjoy beautiful Acadia National Park.
After taking a few days to reflect on my time in Acadia with STEAM in the Park, I have two main takeaways that I will always cherish. First, I know now that I can do things outside of my comfort zone.  Walking over rocks and digging through seaweed to find the elusive yet invasive green crab is not something I have ever done before, but accomplishing this feat in a completely supportive environment allowed me to try something new!  Secondly, I have been reminded that teachers do make a difference. Following a few difficult years of the pandemic and beyond, my zest for teaching was somewhat diminished.  STEAM in the Park rejuvenated me by showing me how teachers can use UN Global goals to do real, important work with our students that can change the world.  We did research that scientists in the field will use and wrote lesson plans that will be used by teachers worldwide. 

The “firefly” friendships and connections that I made with fellow campers will give me the energy and support I need to make this school year a success!  I feel truly lucky to have had this opportunity and I can’t wait to apply to another park next year!

0 Comments

Day 59...

7/21/2022

0 Comments

 
We cannot believe that this is Day 59 of #STEAMinthePARK. Our bodies are weary but our hearts are full. We had an amazing experience at Acadia National Park and Schoodic Institute. Check out our video!
0 Comments

Experiential Learning w/ #STEAMinthePARK (Guest Blog)

7/3/2022

0 Comments

 
Guest Blog by Megan Rodriguez

This past week I had the opportunity to attend #STEAMinthePark with Expeditions in Education. It is unique combination of professional learning and adult summer camp. This summer the camp will take place at eight different National Parks across the country. I participated at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. This series of posts explores my reflections on the week.


 As educators we can hopefully agree that when students are engaged in hands-on experiences they are able to build their own learning and make connections to previous content. Countless philosophers, psychologists, and educators (formal and informal) agree with this.

            John Dewey says, "Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand   
            thinking, or the intentional noting of connections; learning naturally results."


            Confucius is quoted with "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."

            In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle writes, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them."'

​
If these hold true for students, then why not for adults and teachers as well?!? During #STEAMinthePark we were pushed into carefully planned and organized learning experiences. On the first full day we were told to gear up with water shoes and life vests. We split into groups with other educators who we had just met the previous evening to collect water samples and search for benthic macroorganisms. We used electronic and manual methods for determining water clarity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and phosphates. We then compared data with each other and in multiple locations at the site. All going back to answer a guiding question for the work: "What makes a healthy ecosystem?"
We continued working from this guiding question as we began our quest for benthic macroorganisms. If you're like me you have NO CLUE what those are...enter Merriam-Webster.
          Benthic = of, relating to, or occurring at the bottom of a body of water
          Macroorganisms = organisms large enough to be seen by the normal unaided human eye
This is a moment I will NEVER forget. The previous night we found dobsonflies (male and female) on the outside of the main cabin. I thought those looked creepy as it was but enter the larvae of said dobsonflies - hellgrammites. Check out THIS dobsonfly lifecycle graphic. As a kid I learned the lifecycle of a frog and butterfly but there are so many other insects which go through similar life cycles that we can use to expand our teaching and learning.
Picture
If you thought the learning experiences would end here, you're wrong! The following day we jumped back into the New River to participate in the Dragonfly Mercury Project. Similar to the dobsonfly, the larvae of dragonflies also lives in the water. The dragonfly larvae is collected by students and teachers at National Parks around the country for mercury analysis to provide insight into the health of the rivers and ecosystems (still going back to the guiding question from the previous day - see what they did there 🤯). ​​
Even though I'm currently teaching engineering and robotics - these experiences energized me. They reminded me the benefits of hands-on learning. Had I not searched for benthic macroorganisms could I tell you the name for a hellgrammite or that it's the larval stage of the dobsonfly? Probably not. Had I not dug for and helped identify the species of dragonfly larvae could I talk to you about the different mouth parts or hooks on the back of their abdomen? Definitely not.
​

How will you bring purposeful, active, hands-on experiences to your students? I know that my brain is already spinning with ideas!
Picture
0 Comments

    Archives

    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

​Expeditions In Education, INC is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
​
EIN: 85-1846134
Dacia and Steve Jones (dacia@expeditionsineducation.org) (828)244-7586
Copyright 2023
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
    • Meet Us!
    • Impact Stories
    • Giving Tuesday Page
  • 4th Grade (Crossing America)
    • Crossing America LIVE- SC
    • Crossing America LIVE- WV
    • Crossing America LIVE- NC
    • Crossing America LIVE- IN
    • Crossing America LIVE-KY
    • Holiday in the Parks 3
    • Episode One: Homestead NHP
    • Episode Two: Holiday in the PARKS
    • Episode Three: Biscayne National Park
    • Episode Four: Everglades National Park
    • Episode Five: Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
    • Episode Six: Assateague Island National Seashore
    • Episode Seven: George Washington's Birthday 2022
    • Episode Eight: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
    • Episode Nine: Tumacácori National Historical Park
    • Episode Ten: San Antonio Missions NHP
    • Episode Eleven: MotorCities National Heritage Area
    • Episode Twelve: Death Valley National Park
    • Episode Thirteen: Hot Springs National Park
    • Episode Fourteen: Isle Royale National Park
    • Episode Fifteen: Dry Tortugas National Park
    • Episode Sixteen: Olympic National Park
    • Episode Seventeen: Voyageurs National Park
    • Episode Eighteen: Lewis and Clark
    • Episode Nineteen: Jewel Cave National Monument
    • Episode Twenty: Pipestone National Monument
    • Episode Twenty-One: Alcatraz island
    • Episode Twenty-Two: César E. Chávez National Monument.
    • Episode Twenty-Three: Lava Beds National Monument
    • Episode Twenty-Four: Haleakalā National Park
    • Episode Twenty-Five: Hawai' i Volcanoes
    • Episode Twenty-Six: Pearl Harbor National Memorial
  • National Parks Expedition Challenge
    • Acadia National Park
    • Arches National Park
    • Assateague Island National Seashore
    • Badlands National Park
    • Big Bend National Park
    • Big Cypress National Preserve
    • Biscayne National Park
    • Black Canyon of the Gunnison
    • Bryce Canyon National Park
    • Cape Cod (ONE) National Seashore
    • Cape Cod (TWO) National Seashore
    • Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    • Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
    • César E. Chávez National Monument
    • Chaco Culture National Historical Park
    • Crater Lake National Park
    • Cuyahoga Valley National Park
    • Dayton Aviation National Heritage Historical Park
    • Death Valley National Park
    • Denali National Park
    • Dry Tortugas National Park
    • Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
    • Everglades National Park
    • FDR Memorial
    • First State National Historical Park
    • Flight 93 Memorial Park
    • Ford's Theatre
    • Fort Monroe National Monument
    • Gateway Arch National Park
    • Gettysburg National Military Park
    • Grand Canyon National Park
    • Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    • Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
    • Haleakala National Park
    • Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
    • Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
    • Homestead National Historical Park
    • Home of Franklin Roosevelt National Historic Site
    • Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
    • Hot Springs National Park
    • Indiana Dunes National Park
    • Isle Royale National Park
    • Jewel Cave National Monument
    • Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
    • Joshua Tree National Park
    • Kenai Fjords and Alaska Coastal Parks
    • Lava Beds National Monument
    • Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
    • Lincoln Home National Historic Site
    • Lincoln Memorial
    • Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
    • Mammoth Cave National Park
    • Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
    • Mesa Verde National Park
    • New River Gorge and Preserve National Park
    • Niobrara National Scenic River
    • Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
    • Olympic National Park
    • Palo Alto Battlefield
    • Pearl Harbor National Memorial
    • Petroglyph National Monument
    • Pipestone National Monument
    • Pullman National Monument
    • Redwood National and State Parks
    • Rocky Mountain National Park
    • Saguaro National Park
    • San Antonio Missions NHP
    • Shenadoah National Park
    • Tidal Basin-NAMA
    • Tumacácori National Historical Park
    • Vanderbilt Mansion National Historical Site
    • Voyageurs National Park
    • Wright Brothers Memorial
    • Yosemite National Park
    • Zion National Park
    • National Park Careers
    • National Park Perceptions
  • STEAM in the Park
    • STEAM in the Park - 2022 >
      • STEAM 2022 Highlights
      • STEAM in the PARK 2022 BLOG
    • STEAM in the Park - 2023 >
      • Ambassadors 2023
      • Mammoth Cave National Park 2023
      • Great Smoky Mountains National Park 2023
      • Cumberland Island National Seashore 2023
      • New River Gorge STEAM in the PARK
      • Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
      • Big Cypress National Preserve 2023
      • Redwood National Park 2023
      • Jimmy Carter National Historic Site 2023
      • Acadia National Park 2023
      • Rocky Mountain National Park 2023
      • Olympic National Park 2023
      • Voyageurs National Park 2023
    • "What's In Your Pocket?"
    • Nature Journaling Resources
    • STEM in the Mountains