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The Okavango River Basin Is One of a Kind. Explore It With This StoryMap

Educator Heidi Ragsdale wrote this post. As an eighth grader, I saved up money for months and months and used it to fund a trip that activated my curiosity for exploring the world. After a bus ride, train trip, shuttle seat, van expedition, and eight hours of hiking with a 40-pound pack, I found myself staring at the blue-green water of Havasu Falls at the … Continue reading The Okavango River Basin Is One of a Kind. Explore It With This StoryMap

Educator Spotlight: Investigating Ecosystem Diversity

Zana Pouncey, an educator at a botanical garden, asked students to step into the shoes of botanists studying the diversity of native plants in an ecosystem. Following methods used by the garden’s conservation team, students practiced identifying plants and conducted diversity surveys. Continue reading Educator Spotlight: Investigating Ecosystem Diversity

Educator Spotlight: Comparing Global Biomes

Kevin Rohn’s sixth-graders applied the scientific process to investigate and compare locations around the world. Each student used an interactive world biome map to select two locations, develop a question about them, and answer the question based on data from the map. Students then shared their findings by designing infographics. Continue reading Educator Spotlight: Comparing Global Biomes

Sacred Sites Can Be Hotspots of Conservation

ENVIRONMENT Sacred natural spaces can offer biodiversity and great opportunities for conservation. (Smithsonian) How do spiritual landscapes differ from other cultural landscapes? Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas A new study examines biodiversity in sacred natural sites. What are sacred natural sites? Sacred natural sites (SNSs) are locations, natural landmarks, or natural geographic features that … Continue reading Sacred Sites Can Be Hotspots of Conservation

Educator Spotlight: Discovering Biodiversity Close to Home

Judy Joung teaches 9th-grade biology at Schurz High School in Chicago, IL. She took students on a field trip to a state park, where they completed a modified BioBlitz and shared their findings using iNaturalist. A BioBlitz is an event that brings together community members to find and identify as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. Continue reading Educator Spotlight: Discovering Biodiversity Close to Home