hale kula climate stewards presentation 07.12
DESCRIPTION
Presentation to HKES Sea Urchins Project teachers by Dr. Rick Jones of University of Hawaii, West Oahu on July 23, 2012TRANSCRIPT
NOAA Climate Stewards in Hawaii: A Case Study in Teaching Climate Science
Many teachers have trouble talking about climate change in their classrooms
Discussions of climate change have become politicizedSome teachers are not sure of the science themselvesLike any “hot button” issue, the loudest voice may not
be supported by the data.58% of US Citizens accepted climate
change as real last year (Pew Research Center poll, 2011)
More than 25% of teachers reported having arguments over this issue
(NESTA Survey of Earth Science Teachers, 2011)
Down from 77% in 2006
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from: Inman, M. (2012)
A need for teaching climate change in the classrooms
Yale survey finds that even those teens who accept that humanity is heating up the planet are often confused about the reasons (Inman, 2012)
Build Climate Literacy so educators can:
• understand the concepts of climate
•assess the scientifically credibility of information
•make informed and responsible decisions, and initiate actions in the community
NOAA Climate Stewards Purpose
NOAA Climate Stewards ProgramIs all about providing scienceOffers mini grants (Hale Kula received $500.00) Offers travel support for Climate Stewards to
attend professional development opportunitiesEstablished six regional groups with a goal of
fostering regular communication and collaboration among educators within those regions
Focus projects in your communitiesFocus projects in citizen science
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projects in your communities
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Reusable Bags School/Community Garden
projects in citizen science
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Sea Urchin Sciencein the classroom
Sea Urchin Scienceon the reef
Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program
Based on an earlier research project conducted on a Kaneohe Bay patch reef that had been cleared of invasive seaweed using the “Super Sucker” and then had native collector urchins placed and monitored to see how well they were able to control the invasive algae.
This project originates from the $500.00 Climate Stewards mini grant that focuses on continued improvement of the health of Oahu’s coral reefs. This year, Hale Kula teachers agree to participate by housing salt
water aquariums in five classrooms. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources agreed to
provide small urchins to the school for students to raise and to actively engage in scientific research.
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Image source: ryanphotographic.com
The “Super Sucker”An underwater vacuum that
“sucks” invasive algae right off the reef!
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Is all about providing science:Prior to this project, teachers from Hale Kula, Wheeler and Solomon Elementary schools engaged in active professional development opportunities including monthly workshops focused on climate change and corals.
One full day experience at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology on Coconut Island with Dr. Fenny Cox
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Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program
Image source: c.weiner Image source: hmbi.hawaii.edu
Is all about providing science: On site teacher professional development, focused on the
physical properties of water and what happens to sea level as ocean water warms.
As the Earth warms, its waters will also expand slightly.
As Earth’s atmospheric temperature rises from global warming, the oceans will warm and sea levels will rise from the expansion of the water, as well as from the
addition of water from melted land-based glaciers.
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Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program
Is all about providing science:Professional Development focused on the chemistry of ocean water and the impact changes in the chemistry have on marine life.
As CO2 increases in the atmosphere the pH
of the ocean decreases leading to ocean acidification.
Acidic ocean waters stress and react with the carbonate skeleton of corals.
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Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program
Project Goals:Through Comprehensive evaluation we will measure:
whether the program increases environmental and climate literacy of the teachers and the students
whether the program increases the number and impact of climate stewardship activities at the school and in the community
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Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program
Image source: hawaiiarmyweekly.com Image source: ryanphotographic.com
Project Goals Continued:Increased control of invasive algae on the reefs of Kaneohe BayContinued participation of Hale Kula and addition of schools in the Scholfield/Wheeler
Complex and then to other schools in Central Oahu and the Leeward CoastSchool and community adoption of
project management after year five
to sustain climate stewardship
activities
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Sea Urchin’s for Coral Recovery: Hale Kula’s Climate Stewards Program
Image source: ryanphotographic.com
National Climate Stewards Project
• 140 educators in 40 States and DC
• Formal Educators - elementary through university
• Informal educators - nature centers, science centers and zoos.
• Climate Stewards Wiki
NOAA Climate Stewards Process
National Leadership Team
Additional Professional DevelopmentOpportunities for other Teachers
Education Conferences, Workshops, and Webinarse.g. Climate Change Here and Now: Impacts on Pacific Islands, Coastlines, and OceanNASA’s Aquarius: Ocean concepts in the classroom Webinar Series
Free Online Courses and Workshops From the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and funded by NOAA, NASA, and the Navy - Space is available for the fall 2012 cohort
Stewardship in Action!
National Contacts Peg Steffen [email protected]
NOAA’s National Ocean ServiceCommunications & Education Division
Bruce Moravchik [email protected]’s National Ocean Service
Communications & Education Division
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Hawaii Contacts Richard Jones [email protected]
University of Hawaii – West OahuEducation Division
Maggie Prevenas [email protected]
Kalama Intermediate School, Maui 7th Grade Science
NOAA Climate Stewards Impacts
"It is better to teach people in advance about the environment, than to reverse the damage they do..."
6th grade student
Image source: mprevenas
Climate Stewards