Stefanie Frump challenged her high school students to consider what would happen if Tampa Bay’s blue crabs disappeared. Groups of students took on the perspectives of different stakeholders, presented possible solutions, and considered each other’s needs and ideas while developing a compromise. Continue reading Educator Spotlight: Uncovering an Ecological Mystery
Lyanne Abreu connected her urban students with the natural world around them through a challenge offered by the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. Students learned about native and migratory bird species in South Florida and collected data, making observations at specific sites and documenting their findings in journals. Continue reading Educator Spotlight: Developing the Patience to See
ENVIRONMENT It turns out that Florida’s prettiest pinkos are natives of the Sunshine State after all. (National Geographic) Learn more about American flamingos with the Photo Ark! Discussion Ideas What is the species range of the American flamingo? Until recently, the species range of the American flamingo was thought to be mostly in the countries of the Caribbean—hence the bird’s other name, the Caribbean flamingo. … Continue reading Florida’s Flamingos Were Hiding in Plain Sight
By Jennifer Adler, National Geographic Young Explorer The thermometer in my car read 45° F, yet every inch of my trunk was stuffed with life jackets, masks, and snorkels. Beneath layers of fuzzy sweatshirts and leggings hid a pink bathing suit. I wasn’t the only one dressed for summer in mid-March. Forty fifth-graders from Williams Elementary School in Gainesville, Florida, also woke up and donned … Continue reading A Quick Dip in the Aquifer!
By Jennifer Adler, National Geographic Young Explorer Where does your water come from? It’s easy to take water for granted when we always see it flowing from our showers, faucets, and lawn sprinklers. But when was the last time you thought about the natural source of your water? Does it come from a nearby reservoir or river? Is it piped in from far away, or … Continue reading The Water Beneath Your Feet
