natural resources research project middle school

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Youth Education Resources for Ages 11-14

Interactive nature-based lesson plans for middle school age students. 

All Resources for Ages 11-14 (U.S. Grades 6-8)

Download our educational resources for students ages 11-14 (U.S. grades 6 through 8). Lessons include biological interactions, terminology, the impact of reforestation and urban trees on human health, and more. Each lesson plan comes with a free teacher's guide and video.

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Teacher Guide

Seeing the wood for trees: sustainable forestry (video).

In this lesson, students interact with Google Earth to identify forests that have been logged selectively versus those that have not. They also learn how to distinguish the appearance of forestry methods in satellite images.

Fighting Fire with Fire (video)

Wildfires occur naturally when lightning strikes a forest or grassland. Alternatively, controlled burns, also known as prescribed fires, are set by land managers and conservationists to mimic the effects of natural fires. In this lesson, students explore controlled burn scenarios and the positive impacts of fire on ecosystems. Download the Powerpoint here .

Bee Detective: Declining Bee Populations (video)

Honeybees benefit humans in many ways: They are important pollinators of food crops and producers of honey and beeswax. Learn about the features of a honeybee colony and the potential causes of colony collapse disorder (CCD). 

The Need Is Mutual: Biological Interactions (video)

Organisms have a variety of relationships. In this lesson, students learn to categorize relationships according to their impact on organisms and the terminology for these biological interactions, for example, symbiosis.

How Natural Areas Filter Water (video)

Nature works to filter water and to release water over time, thereby reducing the amount of artificial treatment needed to filter water and helping to prevent flooding. In this lesson, students learn about the importance of water quality for human health and agriculture. 

Population Management (video)

The needs of cattle herds overlap the needs of wildlife in communities, such as Kenya. In this lesson, students learn how balancing cattle herd size, grazing rights and wildlife populations is beneficial. 

Reforestation: Impact on Climate (video)

Students explore how reforestation can help decrease carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, thereby minimizing climate change and improving air quality.

Urban Trees (video)

In this lesson, students learn how trees renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, and how they clean our air by filtering out dust and greenhouse gases. 

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Access resources aligned to The Nature Conservancy's research and designed specifically for a young audience and classroom use.

Natural Resources Mini-Research Project

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are

For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html .

In this activity, students are given a brief introduction to the breadth and diversity of natural resources, and then separated into small groups. Each group conducts literature research on a specific topic relating to natural resources, creates a five minute presentation on their topic, and then presents it to the class. Through their own research, students learn that we use more resources from the Earth than oil, that all resources we use are finite, and their extraction and use have a variety of impacts.

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Activity Classification and Connections to Related Resources Collapse

Grade level.

Learning Goals

• Describe what non-fuel resources are mined from the Earth, and what they are used for
• Quantify the impact of mineral and rock resources on society and the environment
• Estimate the rate of loss in non-renewable resources on a human time-scale

How to Navigate this Site (for Beginners)

General tips, answer sheets, extension ideas for biomes, related literature/media.

• Informational Products for Educational Use

Welcome, teachers, to Mission: Biomes ! This site was designed for teachers to use in classrooms as a supplementary, interdisciplinary unit. Mission: Biomes is especially appropriate for grades 3 through 8. It is designed to be interactive and self-correcting which will allow each student to work at his or her own pace. We encourage educators to preview the site before using it with students. We hope you enjoy your visit!

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Students will be able to:

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) alignment with Mission Biomes

To read all of the Next Generation Science Standards and learn about the different methods of searching the standards, visit https://www.nextgenscience.org/ . You can search by grade levels, practice area, cross cutting concept, or disciplinary core idea.

Mission Biomes NGSS Alignment by Performance Expectation (PEs) :

• 3-LS3-2. Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
• 3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
• 3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change
• 3-ESS2-1. Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
• 3-ESS2-2. Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
• 3-ESS3-1. Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.
• 4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
• 4-ESS2-1. Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
• 4-ESS2-2. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.
• 5-LS1-1. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water
• 5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
• 5-ESS1-2. Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
• 5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
• 5-ESS2-2. Describe and graph the amounts of saltwater and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.
• 5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

Middle School:

• MS-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
• MS-LS1-4. Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.
• MS-LS1-5. C. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
• MS-LS1-6. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms
• MS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
• MS-LS2-2. Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
• MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
• MS-LS2-5. Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• MS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
• MS-LS4-1. Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.
• MS-LS4-2. Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.
• MS-LS4-4. Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
• MS-ESS Earth’s Systems
• MS-ESS2-1. Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process
• MS-ESS2-4. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses result in changes in weather conditions.
• MS-ESS2-6. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates
• MS-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity
• MS-ESS3-1. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.

Mission Biomes NGSS alignment by Disciplinary Core Idea (DCIs) :

• LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
• LS1.A: Structure and Function
• LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
• LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
• LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
• LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
• LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
• LS3: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
• LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits
• LS3.B: Variation of Traits
• LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
• LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
• LS4.B: Natural Selection
• LS4.C: Adaptation
• LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
• ESS1: Earth’s Place in the Universe
• ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System
• ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth
• ESS2: Earth’s Systems
• ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems
• ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
• ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
• ESS2.E: Biogeology
• ESS3: Earth and Human Activities
• ESS3.A: Natural Resources
• ESS3.B: Natural Hazards
• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
• ESS3.D: Global Climate Change
• PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
• PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life

Mission Biomes NGSS alignment by 8 Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) :

• Analyzing and Interpreting Data
• Asking Questions
• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
• Developing and Using Models
• Engaging in Argument from Evidence
• Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
• Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

Mission Biomes NGSS alignment by 7 Cross Cutting Concepts (CCCs) :

• Patterns. Observed patterns of forms and events guide organization and classification, and they prompt questions about relationships and the factors that influence them.
• Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation. Events have causes, sometimes simple, sometimes multifaceted. A major activity of science is investigating and explaining causal relationships and the mechanisms by which they are mediated. Such mechanisms can then be tested across given contexts and used to predict and explain events in new contexts.
• Scale, proportion, and quantity. In considering phenomena, it is critical to recognize what is relevant at different measures of size, time, and energy and to recognize how changes in scale, proportion, or quantity affect a system’s structure or performance.
• Systems and system models. Defining the system under study—specifying its boundaries and making explicit a model of that system—provides tools for understanding and testing ideas that are applicable throughout science and engineering.
• Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation. Tracking fluxes of energy and matter into, out of, and within systems helps one understand the systems’ possibilities and limitations.
• Structure and function. The way in which an object or living thing is shaped and its substructure determine many of its properties and functions.
• Stability and change. For natural and built systems alike, conditions of stability and determinants of rates of change or evolution of a system are critical elements of study
• The Great Graph Match
• To Plant or Not to Plant?
• The Great Graph Match - Beginner & Advanced Answer Sheet
• To Plant or Not to Plant - Answer Sheet

Some students may be very interested in learning more about specific biomes. The links on the biome information pages provide more in-depth information. Here are some possible research questions to guide them.

Hands-on Activities

USFS Ecoregions My NASA Data GLOBE ECOSTRESS

Coniferous Forest Taiga by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Biomes of the World: Taiga by Elizabeth Kaplan, 1996, Benchmark Books, New York, NY. Very informative.

The Tree in the Ancient Forest by Carol Reed-Jones, illustrated by Christopher Canyon, 1995, DAWN Publications, Nevada City, CA. Describes interdependence of living things with a Douglas Fir as the central tree. Uses repetitive text to make point. Modeled on the Pacific Northwest forests.

Temperate Deciduous Forest Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins, 1998, Scholastic Press, New York, NY. Photographs of a variety of leaves, very basic, includes description and an easy classification system for leaves.

Temperate Deciduous Forest by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

A Tree in a Forest by Jan Thornhill, 1992, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York, NY. Presents the life story of a 200-year-old maple tree.

EcoZones Temperate Forest by Lynn M. Stone, 1989, Rourke Enterprises, Inc., Vero Beach, FL. Examines the temperate forest as an ecological niche and describes the trees, plants, and animals supported there.

America’s Forests by Frank Staub, 1999, Carolrhoda Books, Inc., Minneapolis, MN Examines forests as an ecological niche, with good photographs and clear text, upper elementary level.

Desert One Day in the Desert by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Fred Brenner, 1983, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, NY. Narrative story about a child’s life and journey in the desert biome, contains many desert facts about climate, plants and animals.

Endangered Desert Animals by Dave Taylor, 1993, Crabtree Publishing Co., New York, NY. Begins with information about the desert biome, then proceeds with loads of information about desert animals.

Cactus by Peter Murray, 1996, The Child”s World Inc., New York, NY. Gives information about the desert and the plants that live there, great photographs.

Desert by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Ecology Watch: Deserts by Clint Twist, 1991, Dillon Press, New York, NY. Part of a series, great book with lots of information.

A Desert Scrapbook by Virginia Wright-Frierson, 1996, Simon & Schuster, New York, NY. Story written by author as she journeyed around the desert sketching what she saw, good drawings, lots of information on the animals and plants that live in the desert, not as informative about the climate itself.

Desert Life by Barbara Taylor, 1992, Dorling Kindersley, New York, NY. Lots of good photographs.

The Gentle Desert by Laurence Pringle, 1977, MacMillian Publishing Co., New York, NY. Older book with lots of great information on climate, plants and animals.

Deserts by Seymour Simon, 1990, Morrow Junior Books, New York, NY. Lots of information, good photographs.

Desert Trip by Barbara S. Steiner, illustrated by Ronald Himler, 1996, Sierra Club Books for Children, San Francisco, CA. Relates the experiences of a young girl and her mother as they backpack in the desert where the child learns about the plants, animals, birds, and rock formations.

Grassland One Day in the Prairie by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Bob Marshall, 1986, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, NY. Narrative story about a child’s life and journey in the prairies, contains many grassland facts about climate, plants and animals.

Endangered Savannah Animals by Dave Taylor, 1993, Crabtree Publishing Co., New York, NY. Begins with some general information about the savannah, then proceeds with lots of information about animals that live there.

Grasslands by April Pulley Sayre, 1994 ,Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Ecology Watch: Grasslands by Alan Collinson, 1992, Dillon Press, New York, NY. Part of a series, includes information about savannas, prairies, steppes, and pampas, also gives information about the plants and animals in these grasslands.

What Do We Know About Grasslands? by Brian Knapp, 1991, Peter Bedrick Books, New York, NY. Great book, includes temperature and precipitation graphs, explains the differences in grasslands.

Biomes of the World: Grasslands by Edward Ricciuti, 1996, Benchmark Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, gives good information on grasslands.

Prairies by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, photographs by William Muñoz, 1996, Holiday House, New York, NY. Great book, lots of great photos.

Chicaro, Wild Pony of the Pampa by Francis Kalnay, 1958, Walker Publishing Company, Inc., New York, NY. Newbery Honor Book — Adventures of a boy and his pony on the Argentine Pampa.

Our World Grasslands by David Lambert, 1987, Silver Burdett Ginn, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Explores grasslands around the world, lots of photographs, upper elementary level.

EcoZones Prairies by Lynn M. Stone, 1989, Rourke Enterprises, Inc., Vero Beach, FL. Examines prairies as an ecological niche and describes the trees, plants, and animals supported there.

Rainforest Rainforest by Michael George, 1992, Creative Education, Minnesota. Beautiful illustrations, great information.

Tropical Rainforest by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Rainforest: Lush Tropical Paradise by Jenny Wood, 1991, Gareth Stevens Children’s Book, Milwaukee. Great book, shows canopy and map, very informative on plants and animals.

At Home in the Rainforest by Diane Willow, illustrated by Laura Jacques, 1991, Charlesbridge Publishing, Watertown, MA.

What Do We Know About Rainforests? by Brian Knapp, 1991, Peter Bedrick Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, great information.

Exploring the Rain Forest by Mattias Klum and Hans Odoo, 1997, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., New York, NY. Describes the variety, beauty, and interrelatedness of plant and animal life found in rainforests in Costa Rica, Brazil, Nigeria, and Borneo.

Nature’s Green Umbrella, Tropical Rain Forests by Gail Gibbons, 1994, Morrow Junior Books, New York, NY. Describes the climatic conditions of the rainforest as well as the different layers of plants and animals that comprise the ecosystem.

Rainforests and Reefs by Caitlin Maynard, Thane Maynard and Stan Rullman, 1996, Franklin Watts, New York, NY. Journal of a 14-year-old who went to Belize and wrote about her experiences and observations, also includes many postcards, photos, and other writing samples.

Here is the Rainforest by Madeleine Dunply, illustrated by Michael Rothman, 1994, Hyperion Books for Children, New York, NY. Repetitive poem about the rainforest and the plants and animals that live in the rainforest. Has good accurate information.

Forests and Jungles by Rae Bains, illustrated by Joel Snyder, 1985, Troll Associates, Mahwah, NJ. Explores the rainforest biome, elementary level.

Tundra Tundra by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Above the Treeline by Ann Cooper, illustrated by Dorothy Emerling, 1996, Denver Museum of Natural History Press, CO. Mostly about the animals that live in the tundra.

Biomes of the World: Tundra by Elizabeth Kaplan, 1996, Benchmark Books, New York, NY. Lots of information, great pictures.

Arctic Tundra: Land with No Trees by Allan Fowler, 1996, Children’s Press, New York, NY. Very easy reading, but still informative.

Tundra by Donna Walsh Shepherd, 1996, Franklin Watts, New York, NY.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, 1972, HarperCollins Publishing, New York, NY. Newbery Medal Book. An Eskimo teenager is lost in the Artic tundra. She survives with the help of a wolf pack.

EcoZones Arctic Tundra by Lynn M. Stone, 1989, Rourke Enterprises, Inc., Vero Beach, FL. Examines the Arctic tundra as an ecological niche and describes the trees, plants, and animals supported there.

Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George, paintings by Wendell Minor, 1999, Hyperion Books for Children, New York, NY. Picture book about a little girl and a polar bear cub, with references to the tundra biome.

Other What is a Biome? by Bobbie Kalman, 1998, Crabtree Publishing, New York, NY. Great resource and quick reference for many biomes.

Magic School Bus series by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen: MSB in the Rainforest MSB Goes to Seed

National Geographic Really Wild Animals series: Totally Tropical Rain Forest Amazing North America Swinging Safari

Mission: Biomes

• Coniferous Forest
• Temperate Deciduous Forest
• Metric Converter
• About Mission: Biomes

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Middle school Earth and space science - NGSS

Course: middle school earth and space science - ngss   >   unit 5, natural resources.

• Understand: natural resources

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Lesson 1: natural resources on earth.

Grade Levels

Planet Earth

Lesson Plans / Activities

This 5-E lesson plan helps students identify natural resources on Earth, natural resources that help seeds and plants grow, and plants that provide food for humans. Student sheets include booklets that students complete and assemble about Natural Environment, Seeds on Our Earth, and Plants. Rubrics and national education standards are also included. Lesson 1: Natural Resources on Earth  [742KB PDF file] This lesson plan is part of the Moon Munchies Educator Guide .

Natural Resource Research Project - 100% Editable

Description

This resource is 100% EDITABLE using Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. You can add, subtract, or modify any of the content to suit the needs of your students. Great for differentiation!

Engage your students in understanding the importance of protecting our natural resources!

Since the beginning of humanity, people have used sources and supplies from nature to benefit them in some way. As time goes on, using resources in a sustainable way while understanding the cost/benefit of such use becomes increasingly important. From non-renewable sources such as coal to renewable sources such as sunlight, the range of natural resources and their applications vary greatly. For this assignment, students will choose a natural resource to study and create a project to showcase their learning. Have fun!

This resource guides students through conducting their own research report on a natural resource (68 topics are listed). After choosing a topic to focus on, students are asked to conduct research using the Internet and books while following criteria. Next, students are asked to share their learning by creating a poster board, presentation board, power point presentation, or dodecahedron (Instructions and Pentagon Template included). Artwork may also be created to further display learning. Finally, students present their work to the class.

This Resource Contains:

★ Step-by-Step instructions

★ Research Instructions & Templates

★ How to Avoid Plagiarism Instructions

★ Dodecahedron Instructions & Template

★ Reference List Instructions

★ Example Photos

★ Student Self-Assessment & Rubric

★ Access to Google Slides (Distance Learning)

★ PDF Version Included

How is this Resource Useful?

✔ Perfect end of term project

✔ Gives students choice

✔ High level of interest for students

✔ Perfect for differentiation

✔ Great for fast finishers

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy in which students are challenged to actively learn about a subject for an extended period of time. It is a form of active learning or inquiry-based learning. Project-Based Learning is in contrast to paper-based, rote memorization, or teacher-led instruction that presents established facts.

Thanks so much,

Creative Lab

Tags: school natural resource project, science fair project, science fair ideas, canada, canadian natural resources, oil gas timber lumber water air, project middle school, writing project, computer skills, , no prep, print and go

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Forestry/Natural Resources Lesson Plans

Forestry/natural resources lesson plans (k-5).

Keywords: stewardship, forest management; Grade Level: kindergarten (ES); Total Time for Lesson: 20 minutes; Setting: outdoors, classroom

Keywords: maple syrup; Grade Level: kindergarten (ES); Total Time For Lesson: 20 minutes; Setting: outdoors, classroom, nature center

Keywords: sugaring, maple tree, sap, history; Lesson Plan Grade Level: can be adapted for kindergarten through third grade; Total Time Required: 40-60 minutes, depending on grade level; Setting: classroom or kitchen

Keywords: sugaring, maple tree, sap, natural resources, maple syrup; Lesson Plan Grade Level: can be adapted for kindergarten through third grade; Total Time Required: 40-60 minutes, depending on grade level; Setting: classroom or outdoors

Keywords: leaves, tree, trunk, bark, leaf formation, seasonal change; Grade Levels: first through fourth grade; Total Time for Lesson: 1 hour initially, then 30-45 minute lessons through the seasons; Setting: inside the classroom and outdoors near the playground

Keywords: trees, wood, paper, sap, and food; Grade Levels: first and second grade; Time Required: 45 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: tree, trunk, crown or canopy, deciduous, evergreen, photosynthesis, fencing, regeneration, deer grazing; Lesson Plan Grade Level: remedial reading, 2-3; Total Time Required for Lesson: 60 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: leaf, compound, simple, tree species, art project; Grade Level: Elementary—grade 2 through 5; Total Time Required: 2-3 hours over 3 class periods *Note: Leaf preparation takes about a week, therefore, leaf collection must take place one week before art lesson; Setting: outdoors in wooded area (first class), classroom for other parts

Keywords: consumerism, wants versus needs, benefits of trees, wood products; Grade Level: third grade (ES); Total Time for Lesson: 45-60 minutes as one continuous time block; Setting: classroom

Keywords: Leaf/Tree Identification, Terminology, Dichotomy Key; Lesson Plan Grade Level: 3rd grade; Total Time Required: for review and game, approximately 50 minutes. Depends on students understanding of concepts, might be best to do over two days or more; Setting: Classroom

Keywords: endosperm, embryo, seed coat, dormant, renewable resource, germinate; Lesson Plan Grade Level: third grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 60 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: paper recycling ;Grade Level: third grade (ES) ;Total Time for the Lesson: This is a unit spread over a several-week period (depending on the length of time given for the assigned project and the number of students giving presentations). I have given the unit outline, however, this lesson is for Day 1. The time for this lesson is 30-45 minutes; Setting: classroom instruction with a project to be completed at home

Keywords: tree growth, annual rings, plant science; Grade Level: third grade (GS); Total Time For Lesson: approximately 45 to 60 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: Leaf/Tree Identification, Terminology; Lesson Plan Grade Level: 3rd grade; Total Time Required: Assuming students had already completed Step 1 of the directions, Step 2 may take 30 minutes and then time to assemble books. (could be done at home or over a few days in the classroom); Setting: Classroom

Keywords: wood, renewable natural resources, fibrous; Lesson Plan Grade Level: remedial reading third and fourth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 40 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: tree growth, invasive plants, tree competition; Grade Levels: third through sixth grade (ES); Total Time for Lesson: 2-hour field trip; Setting: outdoors

Keywords: trenches, slag pile, stumps, regrowth; Lesson Plan Grade Level: enrichment third through sixth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 60 minutes; Setting: classroom, state park, or forest nearest to the school

Keywords: watershed, forest layers, canopy, understory, shrub layer, forest floor, shade tolerant, non-shade tolerant; Grade Levels: 4; Time: 40 minutes; Setting: indoors

Keywords: community forests, urban forestry, tree planting; Grade Level: fourth grade; Total Time for Lesson: 30-40 minutes instruction time (many additional minutes/hours for follow-up activity); Setting: classroom and outdoors/school grounds

Keywords: tree identification, tree natural history, map making, recycling; Grade Level: fourth grade to adult; Total Time for Lesson: several class periods and homework; Setting: tour route should be close walking distance to school. All work can be done in classroom late spring, summer, or early fall (when leaves are on trees)

Keywords: forest products, tree life cycles, forest habitat, forest ecology, stewardship; Lesson Plan Grade Level: 3-5 year olds; Total Time Required: Introductory Activity 30 minutes and Ongoing project investigation timeline variable; Setting: Classroom, outdoors on campus walks

Keywords: tree life cycle, ecosystem, William Shakespeare; Total Time Required: Four 45 – 60 minute sessions

Key words: Wood products, natural resource, renewable resource; Grade Level: Lesson plan can be adjusted for levels K-3; Time required: 45 minutes: Setting: inside the classroom

Keywords: paper, recycle, pulpwood, wood products; Lesson Plan Grade Level: 3; Total Time Required: two 45 minute periods; Setting: classroom, outside if possible

Keywords: Renewable, Durable, Benefits; Grade Level: 4th – 5th grades; Total Time Required: 45 minutes to one hour; Setting: Indoors

Keywords: simple and compound leaves, hard and soft wood trees, leaf margins; Grade Level: pre-K, 3-5 year olds; Total Time Required: 30 minutes; Setting: Classroom, outdoors

Keywords: Conifer, Deciduous, Photosynthesis, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Chlorophyll, Alternate, Opposite, Margin, Serrate, Pinnate, Palmate, Vein, Leaflet; Grade Level: Grade 3; Total Time Required: Three forty minute classes; Setting: Classroom, Outdoors with a variety of trees(I use a State Park)

Keywords: Forest Management, Well Managed Forest, Poorly Managed Forest, Silviculture, Competition, Diversity, Clear Cut, Shelterwood, Single Tree Selection, Group Tree Selection; Grade Level: Fifth Grade; Total Time Required: Four days, one thirty minute class session each day; Setting: Outdoor and Indoor

Key Words: Opposite-leaves, Alternate-leaves, Whorled-leaves, Margins, Entire Margins, Lobed Margins, Toothed Margins; Grade Level: 4; Time Required: 50 minutes; Setting: Classroom and Playground

Keywords: Responsibility, under-story, canopy, life span, forest management, forester; Grade Level 4th – 5th; Total Time Required: 2 hours (depending on driving distance to a forest site); Setting: A nearby forest, preferably a managed forest setting

Keywords: Recreation, Environment, Sustainability, Management; Lesson Plan Grade Level: Fourth; Total Time Required: 43 minutes (1-2 classes); Setting: Classroom

Keywords: Hardwood, Softwood, deciduous, conifer, stand, shelter; Lesson Grade Level: 2nd - 5th grade; Total Time Required: 45 minutes; Setting: Outdoor Playing Field

Keywords: natural resource, renewable, aesthetics, environment, manufacturing, and economics; Grade Level: 2nd Grade; Total Time Required: 4 days (approximately 1-2 hours per day); Setting: South Mountain Forest (Emmaus, PA) and the classroom

Keywords: Leaf/Tree Identification, Terminology, Dichotomy Key; Grade Level: 3rd grade; Total Time Required: for review and game, approximately 50 minutes and Depends on students understanding of concepts, might be best to do over two days or more; Setting: Classroom

Keywords: Tree Identification, Leaf Terminology, crown, bark, stem, leaf; Grade Level: 3rd grade; Total Time Required: 60 minutes; Setting: Classroom and outside, Start in the classroom for a discussion about trees and their usefulness, Take class outside for observation and discovery, Finish the lesson in the classroom to discuss and share what they observed and discovered.

Keywords: Tree Identification, Leaf Terminology, bark, stem, leaf, crown, pine, oak, maple; Grade Level: 3rd grade; Total Time Required: 60 minutes; Setting: Classroom

Keywords: Tree Identification, Leaf Terminology, bark, stem, leaf, crown, pine, oak, maple; Grade Level: 3rd grade; Total Time Required: 70 minutes; Setting: Classroom and outside

Forestry/Natural Resources Lesson Plans (6-8)

Keywords: bud scale, leaf bud, twig; Lesson Plan Grade Level: sixth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 40 minutes; Setting: wooded area just outside of the school playground in early spring (location in mind is Charles W. Longer Elementary School)

Keywords: forest products, sustainable forestry, consumers; Grade Level: sixth (MS); Total Time for Lesson: 45 minutes (10 minutes to launch, 1 day and 35 minutes to discuss and make assignment); Setting: home and school

Keywords: hazard trees; Lesson Plan Grade Level: sixth through eighth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: entire morning session of 2.5 to 3 hours; Setting: classroom and in a wooded recreational area outside classroom

Keywords: cankers, fungus, galls, wilts, pests, borers, miners; Grade Level Lesson Plan: intermediate; Lesson Time: three 45-minute periods; Setting: forest and classroom

Keywords: angiosperms, seed plants, flowering plants; Grade Level: sixth through eighth grade; Total Time for Lesson: 60 minutes; Setting: classroom, outdoors

Keywords: seeds, gymnosperms; Grade Level: sixth through eighth grade (middle school); Total Time for Lesson: 60 minutes; Setting: classroom, outdoors

Keywords: density, deciduous, conifers; Grade Level Lesson Plan: intermediate; Lesson Time: two 45-minute class periods; Setting: classroom

Keywords: veneer, phloem, xylem, cambium, heartwood, springwood, summerwood, annual ring; Grade Level: intermediate; Lesson Time: two 45-minute class periods; Setting: forest and classroom

Keywords: wood, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, hardwood, softwood, veneer; Grade Level: sixth through ninth grade; Total Time Required: 50 minutes (one class period); Setting: classroom

Keywords: Pennsylvania forests, leaf collection, id; Grade Level: seventh and eighth grades(MS); Total Time: Two to three weeks should be allowed for the entire project. Two 45-minute class periods are used to introduce and to wrap-up the project; Setting: This activity is done in the fall for two reasons. First the leaves are nearly ready to fall from the trees and, therefore, will not adversely affect the tree's photosynthetic production. Second, the leaves tend to be drier in the fall and will not be as likely to mold in the binders. First and last class periods may be inside or outside, remainder of the work will be done outside.

Keywords: renewable resources, environmental impact, sustainability, ecosystem; Lesson Plan Grade Level: seventh and eighth grades; Total Time Required by Lesson: 45 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: tree, planting trees, tree environments; Lesson Plan Grade Level: seventh through ninth grade; Total Time Required: one 45-minute period (does not have to be continuous); Setting: classroom, computer lab/library

Keywords: Charcoal, Pennsylvania forests, chemical reaction, ground forest kiln, smelt; Grade Level: 7 - 10; Total time required by lesson: 2 class periods each 45 minutes; Setting: Classroom

Keywords: tree growth, tree health, tree anatomy; Grade Level: seventh through tenth grade (middle school, high school); Total Time for Lesson: 50 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: pulpwood, board foot, cubic foot, cord, forest inventory; Lesson Plan Grade Level: seventh through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: one class period (50 minutes); Setting: classroom for instruction, introduction of new terms, and discussion of how to use them, neighbor's yard to practice measuring amount of firewood

Keywords: cultural impact on the environment, uses for wood, wood products, environment; Lesson Plan Grade Level: seventh through twelfth grade (could be used for elementary grades as well); Total Time Required for Lesson: one class period; Setting: classroom

Keywords: canopy, evergreen, deciduous, coniferous, biotic, abiotic, photosynthesis, regeneration; Lesson Plan Grade Level: eighth grade; Setting: Reed's Gap State Park (Nature Trail)

Keywords: timber harvesting, compromise, clear cutting, selective cutting, wildlife management, silviculture, diameter limits, select cutting, high grading, shelterwood cutting; Lesson Plan Grade Level: eighth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: two 40-minute class periods; Setting: classroom

Keywords: consumerism, natural resources, renewable/non-renewable resources, energy web; Grade Levels: 8; Time: 1 hour, additional time may be given for art work; Setting: indoors or outdoors with writing surface

Keywords: mass, volume, density, characteristic properties; Lesson Plan Grade Level: eighth; Setting: classroom

Keywords: trees, identification, leaves, summer; Grade Level: eighth and ninth grade (high school); Total Time for Lesson: Two 43-minute classes; Setting: Woodworking Area and Forest Area

Keywords: abiotic, biome, biotic, browse, community, conservation, cover, deciduous, decomposer, ecology, ecosystem, edge, environment, habitat, indigenous, natural resource, niche, organism, population, succession; Lesson Plan Grade Level: 6; Total Time Required for Lesson: 3-class periods and 2-nights of homework TOTAL TIME is 180-minutes; Setting: forest (Cameron County is 97% forested), classroom, school library, public library

Keywords: conifers, deciduous, forest, forestland, forest products, forest stewardship, land ethic, overstory, regeneration, renewable resources, sapling, seedling, silviculture, trees need wildlife, understory, wetlands, wildlife use of trees; Lesson Plan Grade Level: 5-8; Total Time Required: 5 days; Setting: the lesson will require two meetings in the classroom and three meetings using the computer laboratory

keywords: forest entomology, forest pathology, defoliators, skeletonize or mine, sapsucking, boring, vectors, fall makers, biological control, chemicals, sanitation, mechanical procedures, regulatory controls, quarantines, containment, silvicultural controls, integrated pest management, biotic disease, abiotic disease; Lesson Plan Grade Level: 5-8; Total Time Required: 5 days; Setting: the lesson will require three days in the classroom and two days in the computer room

Keywords: Dendrology, tree identification; Grade Level: grades 5-6; Total Time Required: Five 35-minute class periods; Setting: Classroom and Outdoors (Yellow Creek State Park); Subjects Covered: Environmental Science; Topics Covered: Dendrology or Tree Identification

Keywords: watershed, sustainable, rain garden, riparian buffers, wetland, carrying capacity; Grade Levels: 4 - 12; Time: 40 minutes plus allow 25 additional minutes to present Lorax book or DVD; Setting: indoors; Subject: Science; Topic: Develop an environmentally sustainable plan for a forest within the Lorax Watershed

Keywords: Forestry, Forest History, Jim Nelson, Industries, Williamsport, Sawmills, Charcoal, Rivers, Streams, Booms, Logging Camps, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Great Depression; Lesson Plan Grade Level: grades 6-8; Total Time Required: Two 45-minute class periods, with additional time for extension projects if desired; Setting: Classroom with DVD player (with connections to our State Park field trip activities); Subject(s) Covered: Forestry, Environment and Ecology, Pennsylvania History, U.S. History (Great Depression), Economics

Keywords: Observations, Questioning, Trees, Plants, Leaves, Bark, Animals, Forests, Photography; Lesson Grade Levels: 5 – 7; Total Time Required: Two – Three 45-minute class periods; Settings: Outdoor forested setting, then classroom with computers and projector; Subjects Covered: General Science, Forestry / Basic Biology (depending upon students’ choice of subject to observe)

Forestry/Natural Resources Lesson Plans (9-12)

Keywords: sustainable forestry, silviculture, forest management; Grade Level: ninth and tenth grade (high school); Total Time for Lesson: 43 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: dendrology, simple, compound, alternate, opposite, entire, toothed, lobed, deciduous, coniferous; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: one class period; Setting: This lesson is meant to be a follow-up to a lesson on the basic terminology and concepts necessary for dendrology. Students should be taken to an area that has a variety of different tree species

Keywords: forest history, reading the land, iron production, hot-blast furnace; Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade (could be modified for college students); Total Time Required for Lesson: 50 minutes as one continuous time block; Setting: forested area near old iron furnace (adapted for the Monroe Furnace site)

Keywords: growth rings, cookie, sapwood, cambium, outer bark, heartwood, pith; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 30 minutes of explanation and examples, teacher can decide on length of time to give students to research topic, one week from date of assignment given; Setting: an area where they can research historical events, computer lab works great for this lesson but sometimes makes the lesson easier for the students to complete because they can find a time line that can be cut and pasted.

Keywords: Archeology, local history, forest history, reading the land, Cooper Settlement; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: two class periods; Setting: local forested historic site (adapted for the Cooper Settlement, Drifting, PA)

Keywords: alternate, opposite, whorled, simple, compound, leaf arrangement; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: minimum 30 minutes, may expand to two or three class periods according to depth and amount of repetition to be sure students truly understand the concepts; Setting: This activity probably works best outdoors, ideally in an open area adjacent to a variety of different tree species. It can be adapted to areas of less species diversity or even inside a classroom if necessary by bringing a variety of different samples to the program site.

Keywords: cambium, springwood, summerwood, annual ring; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 2 hours in 2 days (1 hour each day); Setting: shop or laboratory area

Keywords: Compaction, Cultivation, Habit, Rate, Resistant, Susceptible, Tolerant; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 3 hours (four or five 42-minute class periods); Setting: parking/common areas on school grounds.

Keywords: media, rooting hormone, hardwood cutting, softwood cutting; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 50 minutes; Setting: courtyard or area where trees or shrubs can be found, and classroom

Keywords: sustainable forestry, forest sustainability, forest harvesting, forest regeneration, interfering plants, overstory structure, high grading, stand age structure, stand vertical structure; Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade and adults; Total Time Required for Lesson: 90 to 120 minutes; Setting: forest stand with small to large sawtimber trees (12 to 18 inches and larger), some overstory species diversity is desirable, nearby a stand with recent harvesting

Keywords: simple, compound, alternate, opposite, whorled, entire, toothed, lobed, deciduous, coniferous; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 1 or more periods (repetition is good to check understanding and retention); Setting: This lesson is intended to be a way of reinforcing knowledge gained in the basic dendrology units. It can also be an excellent way of evaluating retention of and understanding of basic dendrology principles.

Keywords: Biltmore stick, board feet, DBH, hardwood; Lesson Plan Grade Level: ninth through twelfth grade; Time Required: 2 hours; Setting: Outdoor Woodlot on Campus

Keywords: orienteering, topographic map, compass, bearing; Lesson Plan Grade Level: tenth through twelfth grade ecology/natural resource management class; Total Time Required for Lesson: two 70-minute blocks (can be modified to fit different times); Setting: classroom and outdoors in a nearby forest

Keywords: forest products, tree measures, forestry tools; Grade Level: tenth through twelfth grade; Total Time for Lesson: five standard (40- to 45-minute) class periods; Setting: classroom and mature forest, wooded park, or older tree-lined residential neighborhood

Keywords: sustainability, silviculture, clearcut, shelterwood; Lesson Plan Grade Level: tenth through twelfth ecology/natural resource management class; Total Time Required for Lesson: 70-minute block (can be modified to fit different times); Setting: classroom

Keywords: forest products, renewable, non-timber, energy, ecology, environment, recreation; Grade Level: eleventh and twelfth grade; Total Time for Lesson: two class periods of 45 minutes; Setting: classroom

Keywords: forest management, biodiversity, watershed management, timber harvesting, wildlife management; Grade Level: eleventh and twelfth grade; Time Required: 40 minutes (one class period); Setting: library media center

Keywords: trees, logging, forest management, federal land use, ethics, politics; Grade Level: eleventh and twelfth grade; Time Required: 40 minutes (one class period); Setting: library media center

Keywords: charcoal, booms, splash dams, tannery, erosion, Great Depression, CCC, eco-tourism; Grade Level: eleventh and twelfth grade, could be adapted to college students; Total Time Required for Lesson: two 40-minute class periods; Setting: classroom

Keywords: urban forestry, community forestry, tree identification, keying, mapping; Lesson Plan Grade Level: twelfth grade; Class Size: 20 students; Total Time Required For Lesson: 3 hours (can be continuous or fragmented); Setting: downtown area, park, arboretum, or large school campus with a minimum of 20 healthy tree species

Keywords: urban forestry, community forestry, function, aesthetics, values; Lesson Plan Grade Level: twelfth grade; Class Size: 20 students; Total Time Required for Lesson: 50 minutes as one continuous time block; Setting: classroom

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UT School of Natural Resources team receives grant to remove ‘forever chemicals’ from water

Student team led by assistant professor Mi Li to participate in the EPA’s national student design expo

University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

Mi Li, assistant professor in the UT Center for Renewable Carbon (center), received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to research removing harmful chemicals from water. Kailong Zhang, a Ph.D. student in the School of Natural Resources (left), and Ryan Baskette, an undergraduate in the Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, are members of the team. 

Credit: Photo courtesy UTIA.

Mi Li, assistant professor in the University of Tennessee Center for Renewable Carbon and the UT School of Natural Resources, received a $75,000 research grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a two-year project using a cellulose-functionalized adsorbent to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water. Li has built a student team to work on this project including Kailong Zhang, a Ph.D. student in the School of Natural Resources, and Ryan Baskette, an undergraduate student in the Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology.

The grant comes from the EPA’s  People, Prosperity, and the Planet Program , which provided almost $1.2 million to  16 college student teams  across the U.S. to develop solutions for environmental and public health challenges. The team plans to create a cellulose-metal organic frameworks (Cello-MOFs) hybrid adsorbent to remove PFAS from water. PFAS are synthetic chemicals that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. “They’re forever chemicals. They’re applied almost everywhere from firefighting foams to nonstick cooking utensils to textiles and cosmetics. After leaching, they accumulate in the soil, water, and environment, and they’ve been there for a long time, harming the environment, wildlife, and humans,” Li said.

The team will demonstrate how their judiciously designed adsorbent cleans water contaminated with PFAS at the EPA’s National Student Design Expo in 2025. “Our team aims to functionalize naturally derived cellulose with MOFs to capture these substances and contribute to a cleaner and safer environment,” Li said.

Li said the showing at the expo could lead to additional funding for the project or its commercialization. The team also plans to put the project’s results in a technical manuscript for a peer-reviewed journal. Li added, “Having one or two co-authored, peer-reviewed journal publications will benefit the students when applying for graduate school or jobs. It is a big deal!”

“I am thrilled to be a part of the U.S. EPA P3 project as a graduate student team member. This project offers more than just an opportunity for my academic research exploration. It is a valuable hands-on learning experience crucial for my future academic pursuits,” Zhang said.

“As an undergraduate, the lab skills and research experience I have gained as part of this team will be invaluable to my future endeavors. Working on sustainable solutions to environmental and health issues, like PFAS pollution, has been fulfilling and impactful,” Baskette said.

The project will continue through December 2025.

The UT School of Natural Resources is part of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT AgResearch and UT Extension at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The curricula focus on a mastery learning approach, emphasizing practical, hands-on experiences. The School’s faculty, staff and students conduct research and extension that advances the science and sustainable management of our natural resources. For more information, visit  naturalresources.tennessee.edu .

Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions.  utia.tennessee.edu

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Reimagining Design with Nature: ecological urbanism in Moscow

• Reflective Essay
• Published: 10 September 2019
• Volume 1 , pages 233–247, ( 2019 )

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The twenty-first century is the era when populations of cities will exceed rural communities for the first time in human history. The population growth of cities in many countries, including those in transition from planned to market economies, is putting considerable strain on ecological and natural resources. This paper examines four central issues: (a) the challenges and opportunities presented through working in jurisdictions where there are no official or established methods in place to guide regional, ecological and landscape planning and design; (b) the experience of the author’s practice—Gillespies LLP—in addressing these challenges using techniques and methods inspired by McHarg in Design with Nature in the Russian Federation in the first decade of the twenty-first century; (c) the augmentation of methods derived from Design with Nature in reference to innovations in technology since its publication and the contribution that the art of landscape painters can make to landscape analysis and interpretation; and (d) the application of this experience to the international competition and colloquium for the expansion of Moscow. The text concludes with a comment on how the application of this learning and methodological development to landscape and ecological planning and design was judged to be a central tenant of the winning design. Finally, a concluding section reflects on lessons learned and conclusions drawn.

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The politics of designing with nature: reflections from New Orleans and Dhaka

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The landscape team from Gillespies Glasgow Studio (Steve Nelson, Graeme Pert, Joanne Walker, Rory Wilson and Chris Swan) led by the author and all our collaborators in the Capital Cities Planning Group.

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Evans, B.M. Reimagining Design with Nature: ecological urbanism in Moscow. Socio Ecol Pract Res 1 , 233–247 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-019-00031-5

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-019-00031-5

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Letovo school (moscow).

A research-based professional learning experience (PLE) that focused on high quality instruction, coherent curriculum, and formative assessment given in August 2017. The PLE is supported by video-based coaching and a research program.  It was designed to leverage the Letovo School's mission and build on the strengths of the skilled, experienced faculty who will be preparing students in the international baccalaureate program.

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• university of new orleans
• campus news
• two uno chemistry professors selected for nsf career awards

CAMPUS NEWS: APRIL 26, 2024

Nsf career awards, two uno chemistry professors selected for nsf career awards.

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University of New Orleans chemistry professors Phoebe Zito and David Podgorski have been selected for a National Science Foundation CAREER Award.

Two University of New Orleans chemistry professors have been awarded CAREER grants, the most prestigious award presented by the National Science Foundation. Chemists David Podgorski and Phoebe Zito, whose expertise is in environmental chemistry, are the recipients of a 2024 Faculty Early Career Development Program award.

The award seeks to support faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. In selecting recipients, the NSF favors research with the potential to build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.

"The awarding of two prestigious NSF Career Awards to Dr. Zito and Dr. Podgorski in the Chemistry Department is unheard of and is a testament to their outstanding skills as researchers in environmental effects of pollutants on ecosystem health across a broad range of environments,” said Steven Johnson, dean of the College of Sciences.

The awards, which are for five years, each total more than $700,000. The NSF awarded only 500 CAREER grants for the 2024 cycle.

“This award validates my path to become an independent researcher in this field. It also attests to the four years I put into the development of this research program, including my plan for education and outreach,” said Zito, who joined UNO’s faculty in 2019.

Podgorski, who has been at UNO since 2017, said receiving the award as a faculty member in the UNO Department of Chemistry is the “cherry on top.”

“It is no secret that UNO lacks the research infrastructure that you would find in other major laboratories. This award is evidence that we can succeed despite those challenges and contribute to bringing resources to UNO instead of going elsewhere to find them,” Podgorski said.

Podgorski applauded the support he receives from his department.

“The work environment is polar opposite from my previous experience,” said Podgorski, who described the climate at a former job as toxic. “The support I received from my colleagues in the Department of Chemistry re-energized me, even through COVID. Although I’ve been relatively successful over the past few years, this award provides confirmation that I have transcended those who tried to bring me down.”

For Zito and Podgorski, who are married, their awards mean double the exposure for their department and having an academic partner who can appreciate the research journey is a bonus.

“One of the perks of marrying your colleague is that you do not have to go on the academic rollercoaster alone and we both support one another’s professional and personal growth,” Zito said. “We couldn’t imagine our lives any other way.”

The awards also serve as testament to the impactful research—both locally and globally—that UNO’s faculty members are conducting, Zito and Podgorski said.

“Our chemistry department is very small, so this type of award means so much to us and helps put us on the map to be competitive at the national level,” Zito said. “Also, UNO is the only public research university in New Orleans. I can use it as a platform to let others know that despite our size and lack of resources, we can still do good science.

“At the end of the day, it helps provide better resources and opportunities for students who come to UNO to study chemistry.”

Podgorski’s Research

Thousands of oil spills occur each year in U.S. waters and energy from the sun can chemically break down the components released in such oil spills, Podgorski said. There are hundreds of thousands of chemical compounds in oil, and the products of their chemical transformation can have deleterious effects on human health and sensitive aquatic ecosystems, he said.

“Louisiana’s coast is invaluable to the state in terms of our economy and food resources,” Podgorski said. “The information obtained from this study will help us understand more about how our coast is impacted after an oil spill. Podgorski’s research, titled “Measurement of Photochemical Mechanisms, Rates, and Pathways of Radical Formation in Complex Organic Compounds,” will study the process, length of time, and compounds that survive when hydrocarbon compounds are exposed to sunlight.

There is a plethora of information about the breakdown and removal process of a couple of hundred small-size compounds in oil by the sun. However, knowledge is lacking about the chemical fate of the polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fraction, an important compound class in oil, Podgorski said.  

The research will provide fundamental information on the reactivity of large compounds present in petroleum, he said. Data from the project will show how the sun removes these compounds from the environment and how long it takes.

“Essentially, this information will tell us how the compounds break apart in the environment, where they end up, and whether we should be concerned about them,” Podgorski said. “In turn, this information can be used in risk assessment models.”

In addition, his project will provide training and mentoring to college and high school students.

Zito’s Research

Zito’s research titled, “A Bottom Up Approach Toward Understanding the Sunlight Driven Mechanisms and Pathways for the Release of Metals from Petroleum,” will study how sunlight changes petroleum-bound metals and their impact on ecosystem health.

The energy in sunlight can break down petroleum, but very little is known about the resulting materials, Zito said. Even though the oil is invisible once it has been cleaned up, it can still have detrimental effects on aquatic health, she said. Oil in the presence of sunlight produces compounds that are water-soluble and can mobilize through the water. Several of these compounds contain heavy metals which are frequently found in petroleum mixtures, Zito said.

“This research is important to the public due to the increasing amount of pollution entering our water every day,” Zito said. “In Louisiana there are thousands of oil spills a year, each one having the potential to release heavy metals into the environment.” Research is necessary on heavy metal reactivity as well as heavy metal effects on aquatic life. Data from the project will show how sunlight helps release the metals from petroleum and how their transformations affect the natural biogeochemical cycle, Zito said.

Zito said the research will also include education and outreach activities to introduce students to potential STEM careers, including in industry.

“Educating the community through outreach events and having hands-on research available for New Orleans high school students is a way to spread awareness about the effects of heavy metal pollution on the environment,” Zito said.

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