middle of the ocean rather than the cool bug, leaf, or bird’s nest found outside their home or classroom. As tempting as it may be to rally kids to “save the Earth” with regards to daunting challenges, it can be counterproductive. If we don’t balance these messages with hope-provoking stories and les- sons on tangible ways to help address our collective concerns, it causes anxiety and promotes a sense of hopelessness.3 There is also a pervasive view that nature will take care of itself and is separate from the control of humans. Amid all of these barriers, what can we do as educators? Take students outside. Connect outdoor sessions with


curriculum requirements to foster in children a strong sense of place and love for their local surroundings. The more con- nected students become to their local environment and the more they adopt sustainable habits and strategies throughout all disciplines, the more likely they are to become environ- mental stewards in their local communities.4,5,6,7


Why earthworms? Earthworms’ importance to soil health in many ecosys- tems has been recognized for more than a century, so the worms are considered important bioindicators of soil qual- ity. They are responsible for soil development through recy- cling organic matter, aerating the soil, and creating natural drainage passageways, which prevent erosion and allow for nutrients to be transported from elsewhere.8


tal education. Journal of Outdoor & Environmental Education, 21(2), 173–185. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-018-0014-9


4. Boehnert, J. j. (2015). Ecological Literacy in Design Education. Formaka- demisk, 8(1), 1-11.5. Clayton, S. & Myers, G. (2009). Conservation psychol- ogy: Understanding and promoting human care for nature. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, (15-33).


5. Clayton, S. & Myers, G. (2009). Conservation psychology: Understanding and promoting human care for nature. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, (15-33).


6. Kudryavtsev, A., Stedman, R. & Krasny, M. (2012). Sense of place in envi- ronmental education, Environmental Education Research, 18:2, 229-250, DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2011.609615


7. Orr, D. (2005). Place and Pedagogy. In M. Stone & Z. Barlow (Eds.), Ecolog- ical Literacy: Educating Our Children for a Sustainable World (pp. 85 -94). San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.


8. Butt, K., Grigoropoulou, N. Basic Research Tools for Earthworm Ecology. (2010). Applied and Environmental Soil Science. Vol. 2010, pp. 1-13.


9. Lavoipierre, F. (2009). Garden Allies: Earthworms. Pacific Horticulture. Vol. 70, No. 1.


The three com-


mon earthworm species found in North America’s Pacific Northwest, Red Wigglers (Eisenia fetida), Red Marsh or Leaf Worm (Lumbricus rubellus), and Nightcrawler (Lumbricus Terrestris), are considered helpful to soil ecology.9,10 The following series of lessons is used in a first-grade


class in Seattle, Washington, where the students began the year studying the importance of living and nonliving things in the environment. This unit and another on the study of weather, properties of water, and the water cycle set the foun- dation for our study of ecosystems later in the year. Each of these units provides opportunities for students to discuss and plan how people can take action as environmental stewards.


Suzanna Joor has been teaching for twenty years, eighteen of which have been with highly capable and gifted children in independent schools. She uses assessments to challenge each child to reach her/his potential and to think critically and creatively, while having fun. Integrating Math, Art, Lan- guage Arts, and social-emotional learning into Science and Social Studies units is one of her strong suits. Ask her about special celebrations of learning such as Ecosystems Day or the Inclusive Playground.


Endnotes:


1. Myers, C. et. al (N.D.) Dragonfly QUEST Leaders Guide: Leading Teams of Young Investigators on Astounding Expeditions. Project Dragonfly (c) www. masters.projectdragonfly.org


2. Louv, R. (2006). Last child in the woods : saving our children from nature-deficit disorder. Chapel Hill, NC : Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2006.


3. Thomas, G. J. (2018). Pedagogical frameworks in outdoor and environmen- Green Teacher 121 Page 9


Please find the complete lesson plan on the following pages.


10. Kalu, S., Koirala, M., and Khadaka, U.R., Earthworm population in relation to different land use and soil characteristics, (2015). Journal of Ecology and the Natural Environment. Vol 7(5), pp. 124-131


11. Llewellyn, D. (2007). Using questioning skills in inquiry. Inquire within: Implementing inquiry-based science standards in grades 3-8 (pp.201-214) (2nd) Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.


12. Gautier, N. (2017). Developing a Curriculum Framework for Field Studies Using Experiential and Environmental Education Theory. Science and Mathe- matics Teaching Center. University of Wyoming: Wyoming Scholars Repository. Spring 5-13-2017. SMTC Plan B Papers.


13. Goodlad, K., & Leonard, A. E. (2018). Place-Based Learning across the Disciplines: A Living Laboratory Approach to Pedagogy. Insight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 13150-164.


14. Lowenstein, E., Grewal, I. K., Erkaeva, N., Nielsen, R., & Voelker, L. (2018). Place-Based Teacher Education: A Model Whose Time Has Come. Issues in Teacher Education, 27(2), 36–52. Retrieved from: https://proxy. lib.miamioh.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?di- rect=true&AuthType=ip,url,uid,cpid&custid=s9002934&db=eric&AN=E- J1185420&site=eds-live&scope=site


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52