This program was modeled off of the Murie Museum programs that the graduate students would teach over at Teton Science Schools. The 8th graders rotate through stations that reflect tasks, jobs, and duties that our staff of the Conservation Science department do on a daily basis.
The students also get a tour of the Daniel Smiley Research Center's archive room where many of Daniel Smiley's specimens and historical data of the Shawangunk Ridge is housed. I am super proud of this program. The students get to examine skulls, herbarium specimens, archaeological specimens, taxidermy birds and mammals, collect weather data, and much more.
From what I hear, the boys really like this program as you do a variety of things inside while the weather is super cold. Also, seeing the specimens up close and hearing the stories behind many of them is super fun. If there is time, we take the boys up to Mohonk Lake (always a special treat) and they assist with collecting lake data.
I think this year's program went super well - got a lot of great feedback from the other educators, the SMAN teachers and students, and from the Conservation Science department. I cannot wait to revisit this program and make it even better for next year!
It's been really nice to actually create new programs for the Preserve (than just teaching pre-made ones). I feel that when I get to make new programs, I am actually using my degree to its fullest. I was super proud to definitely develop, implement, tweak, and re-teach this program for the second year in a row.
TheChristyBel
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| A Skull Study - Examining Mammals of the Ridge |
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| Getting the DSRC Tour from legendary, Paul Huth |
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| Studying Birds |
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| Examining Native American Artifacts |
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| Identifying Different Avian Adaptations |
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