2013 GK-12 Belize Program Rebecca Sanders-DeMott Ryan Keser

Program Goals 1)Engage firsthand in global change research 2)Develop K-12 curriculum modules for classrooms in both the US and Belize 3)Create partnerships between K-12 teachers and students in Belize and the US 4)Afford graduate students opportunity to broaden their research

Participants BOSTON Nathan Stewart: BU Researcher Assistant Professor Ryan Keser: Science Teacher, Brookline Scott Hess: Science Teacher, Brighton Margaret Hendrick: BU Glacier Fellow Rebecca Sanders-DeMott: BU Glacier Fellow BELIZE Eden Garcia: UB Biology Instructor Carolyn Williams: UB Faculty, Education Jonelle O’Brien, UB Pre-Teacher Loretta Sorano, UB Pre-Teacher

Itinerary Days 1-5: La Milpa Research Center, Rio Bravo Conservation Area Day 5: Belize Zoo Day 6-10: Calabash Caye Field Station, Turneffe Atoll near Belize Barrier Reef Reserve

Experience-Based Curriculum Design Process Research Experience Cultural Experience Mind Mapping Backwards Design Process Curriculum Writing and Editing

La Milpa EcoLodge and Research Center Rio Bravo Conservation Area Semi-deciduous subtropical moist upland forest La Selva Maya – includes areas of Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize as the 2 nd largest continuous tropical rainforest with 240 tree species

Research Experience -Identification of birds, amphibians, herbs, trees, insects -Biomass assessment: Tree height and circumference -Ecological indicators: Old growth and new growth

Rio Bravo Conservation Area Carbon Sequestration Plots Established in 1996 under the U.S. Initiative on Joint Implementation, in collaboration with the Nature Conservancy, We Energies, and U.S. energy companies as a 40-year project

Cultural Experiences Mennonite farming and Belizean food economy Ancient and modern Mayan civilization and culture

Calabash Caye Field Station Belize Barrier Reef km, 2 nd Largest in world Turneffe Atoll, seagrass beds, mangroves Habitat for threatened American crocodile, Hawksbill sea turtle, Antillean manatee and Nassau grouper.

Research Experience -Identification of invertebrates, fish -Community survey transects -Ecological indicators: parrot fish and Diadema

Research and monitoring – Coral reef, mangrove, seagrass ecosystems – Coral bleaching monitoring – Coral spawning – Monitoring of reef herbivores parrotfish and Diadema – Lionfish monitoring – Seagrass Net monitoring Inventories and environmental assessments Biodiversity and environmental monitoring Restoration and rehabilitation monitoring Environmental Research Institute Ongoing Research Boston University establishing long term monitoring sites

Cultural Experiences Sustainable conch shell fishing Garifuna dancing…

Environmental issues in Belize – Conservation and Economics Energy Independence Food security Tourism industry

Mind mapping Connecting the big ideas

Backward Design Process Students will explore the role that trees and forests have in global carbon sequestration. Establish learning goals

Backward Design Process 1.The increase of green house gasses in the atmosphere is causing climate change, which is changing ecosystems- 2.When in tact, natural carbon storage provides an ecosystem-service that currently tempers climate change, as humans go about their activities. 3.Human activities are significantly affecting land, ocean, and atmosphere and those changes are altering global climate patterns. Human choices have the power to modify the current trajectory of global climate change. 4.Some systems are experiencing change at a more rapid rate than others. Certain species in these systems can be monitored as indicators of change. 1.The increase of green house gasses in the atmosphere is causing climate change, which is changing ecosystems- 2.When in tact, natural carbon storage provides an ecosystem-service that currently tempers climate change, as humans go about their activities. 3.Human activities are significantly affecting land, ocean, and atmosphere and those changes are altering global climate patterns. Human choices have the power to modify the current trajectory of global climate change. 4.Some systems are experiencing change at a more rapid rate than others. Certain species in these systems can be monitored as indicators of change. Establish learning goals Identify “Big Ideas”

Backward Design Process 1.Where is carbon produced (sources) and stored (pool) and how do humans perturb this cycle? 2.How do different ecosystems respond to long-term changes in climate? 3.How do our energy choices impact climate change? 4.Are there choices you, as a global citizen, can make to mitigate human impact on climate? 1.Where is carbon produced (sources) and stored (pool) and how do humans perturb this cycle? 2.How do different ecosystems respond to long-term changes in climate? 3.How do our energy choices impact climate change? 4.Are there choices you, as a global citizen, can make to mitigate human impact on climate? Establish learning goals Identify “Big Ideas” Develop essential questions

Curriculum Writing and Editing Partner-Teams Lesson Introduction Teacher Instructions Student Worksheets Group Editing Post-trip Processing

Program Outcomes Unit 1: Forest Carbon Sequestration Unit Summary Unit Outline Part 1: Measuring Up Part 2: Model Measures Part 3: Stand and Deliver Unit 2: Marine Carbon Sequestration Unit Summary Unit Outline Part 1: What’s Going On? Part 2: Who Eats Who? Part 3:Walk the Line. Part 4: Making Sense of Data. Part 5: Make a Model

Background Information and Teacher Instructions

Materials and Student Worksheets

Assessments

Where are we going? Finalize curriculum Implement in classrooms Disseminate to broader community (NSTA) Develop new themes and experiences for new cohorts