Mahtomedi High School (MHS) students in the Field Ecology & Conservation course study how living things including humans, alter and interact with the environment. Students study conservation, ecological interactions, and resource management. Students create lesson plans to apply their learning and inspire younger generations to think about conservation and nature.
During the spring of 2022, the MHS students visited Wildwood Elementary School second-grade students during their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) specialist class. Field Ecology & Conservation teacher, Mr. Jim Lane, shared this about the collaboration with elementary students, “This collaboration is memorable for all students involved and empowers my students to apply and share their learning in a creative and engaging way.”
The MHS students prepared lessons that were held outside at Wildwood’s outdoor learning classroom and focused on appreciation and conservation of the outdoors. Some of the types of lessons the students used included making books about the outdoors, playing trivia games, and doing quiet activities like having students close their eyes and use their senses to observe nature.
See what the lessons looked like over on our Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChlBc7bF7yA/
Wildwood STEM teacher, Ms. Julie Comfort, shared this about her students’ experience, “The second graders are always excited to work with the “big kids,” and love the variety of ecology experiences. They hope to be on the teaching end in their high school years.”