Learning About Ecology and Energy at Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Two hundred and sixty (260) seventh grade students (10 classes from 2 academic teams) at East Hills Middle School will bring their environmental science unit to life through a detailed study of Lehigh Gap Nature Center (LGNC) in nearby Slatington, PA. The nature center's unique environmental restoration project at the Palmerton Superfund Site, its new green visitor and education center, and its all-native educational habitat gardens provide many avenues for the exploration of ecological principals and the greening of our energy technologies. Classroom lessons will address the PA standards listed above and segue into the on site programs. LGNC director and education staff will provide in-kind services to run the programs and the students will also use exhibits and display materials available at LGNC to learn about ecological restoration, energy efficient building (spray foam and spray cellulose insulation, insulated concrete forms, geothermal heating and air conditioning, highly efficient lighting, etc.). The center has models of its walls and insulated forms, plus a demonstration of the geothermal heat pump system. Making use of substitute teachers will enable other members of the academic teams, including language arts and reading teachers, to join the science teachers on field trips. The incorporation of student journals and the reading of ecology and energy related books will help to integrate the science, technology, and society aspects of the trip. It should be noted that this grant proposal expands on the highly successful trips taken by Ms. Frederick's team last May. Supported by a one-time grant from Northampton Community College, last year's program emphasized ecology only. This year's project will double the number of students and add the complementary energy standards.
    
 

Cultivating Wyoming Valley Tree Trout Plantings & Exploring Aquatic Habitats in Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) Impacted Watersheds

The WB Area SD Kistler Elementary 5th Grade Class is proposing to create a new partnership with the EPCAMR and several of its local environmental partners within the Greater Wilkes-Barre Area to conduct a series of watershed field tours and aquatic resource habitat assessments of macro-invertebrates, fish, and stream habitat throughout the Wyoming Valley to allow students the first time opportunity to explore their local streams and the Susquehanna River. Just over 125 5th Graders will have the opportunity to go on a Wyoming Valley Watershed Tour of streams impacted by AMD within the WB Area SD, led by the EPCAMR Program Staff that already have implemented a place-based philosophy of educating area youth about local environmental health and quality of life issues that have a direct impact on their neighborhoods, the Susquehanna River, and tributary streams located in the N. Anthracite Coal Fields. The tours will be broken up into several days to be scheduled in the Spring 2011. The students will get to conduct aquatic resource biological sampling (kick sampling) in AMD and non-AMD impacted streams to learn and identify macro invertebrates, stream health indicators, and perform a visual habitat assessment. The students will get to see and learn about some beautiful watersheds in the Wyoming Valley and will also see some of the negative impacts of past mining practices on others.