Practice Citizenship
Apply principles of ethical leadership, collaborative engagement, socially responsible behavior, respect for diversity in an interdependent world, and a service-oriented commitment to advance and sustain local and global communities.
E is for EarthwormAlong with information provided by researchers here at the University of Idaho... Kindergarten students at Palouse Prairie School created this book during an expedition on an animal native to their region: the Giant Palouse Earthworm. During their study, students constructed a worm bin in their classroom and learned how to care for, observe, and collect data about worms. They used this knowledge, in combination with their understanding of the alphabet to create their book: E is for Earthworm.
After examining several alphabet books, students decided on the elements they would include on the pages of their book: a large letter, text related to worm habitats, and on each page the text must correspond to the pictures. Each student made a drawing of a letter using a student-created criteria list and then conducted peer critiques. They used the information they gathered during their research studies to write a sentence on worm habitat. |
Summer Camp
I was lucky enough to be invited to work for the university's science camp for kids last summer. I was shocked at how much I learned by looking at the world through kids eyes. They question everything and are not constricted into looking at issues through the established avenues that adults tend to see. There were a couple times, in fact, where the observations of my young charges gave me new ways of looking at my current research on invasive species. Kids see to have no problems looking outside the box for answers because they do not even know that a "box" exists.
I really loved working with these kids and was surprised at the enjoyment I got out of this service-oriented summer work that I committed to late last spring only after I realized I needed to stay in town for the summer get Idaho residency. |