SCHOOLYARD LTER
TEACHER PROFILES

Jocelyn Baker - Manhattan High School Science

Joc collaborated with the Konza Environmental Education Program last fall by helping to develop the "Effect of fire on tallgrass prairie plant diversity" activity for her 1998 botany class.  She is also an active docent and participant on the Friends of Konza Prairie committees.  She was helpful in offering ideas and concerns about possible projects.  She is aware of the need to get students involved with their natural surroundings, and has each student participate in an activity.  She incorporates information on the tall grass prairie ecosystem into her botany class.  She is definitely willing to continue with her ongoing projects, plus incorporating new projects into her other science classes. 

Stacey Cooke - Fort Riley Middle School Science

Stacey has a unique opportunity to teach kids who have been all over the country and/or all over the world with their military parents.  He awakens them to the prairie ecosystem, so that they might take this knowledge with them in their future travels.  He seems very aware of what his kids would be interested in and capable of doing.  His love for the prairie will be a benefit in getting the kids involved.  He is willing to participate long-term. 

Joe Gelroth - Eugene Field Elementary, 6^th grade Math/Science Lead Teacher

Joe was site manager of KPRNA about 10 years ago.  He has a MS in biology.  His knowledge of the tallgrass prairie and particularly of KPRNA will prove beneficial in helping his students understand the importance of their ecosystem.  His school is limited in the number of field trips because of lack of funds.  He is interested in new ways to keep Konza interesting for the kids who have had previous visits.  Many of the students in Manhattan have been to Konza on a trail hike, and have the attitude of "been there, done that".  He wants his students to learn how to be scientists by doing science on the prairie. 

Kathleen Jones - Eisenhower Middle School Science

Kathleen has participated in KEEP activities this spring when her teaching team brought their 7^th graders to Konza.  She came to this workshop to learn the variety of ways this resource can be used and integrated into her classroom and gave excellent suggestions and ideas for incorporating the new projects into her curriculum.  She gave helpful suggestions and comments on all of our evaluations and write-ups.  She expresses her interest in the prairie through her willingness to get her kids involved in hands-on activities and inquiry-based science. 

Eric Koppes - Westmoreland Elementary - 5^th & 6^th grade

Eric came to the workshop because the curriculum at Westmoreland had been social studies based in the second year of their 2 year program.  He wants  a way to integrate more science.  He felt that trips to Konza would best fill this need.  He seems willing and able to incorporate most if not all of the projects into his curriculum. 

Brenda McMurphy - Topeka Outdoor Environmental Education Program

Brenda comes from a unique program in Topeka, where she is coordinator and  lead teacher in their outdoor environmental education program.  Her program serves 6000 students of the district of Topeka by having each elementary grade level class on a field experience.  All levels enjoy unique locations for study, including a 90-acre site at Lake Perry for the 5^th level classes where an overnight stay is an option.  Science hikes, social studies, language arts and math activities using nature are included.  She has many opportunities to use what she has learned here, and also to share information with us, about projects that have worked for her.  She is more than willing to exchange ideas and to have KEEP docents come to observe her program.  She originally thought that this workshop was only to teach her how to do projects at her site.  But she is more than willing to bring students here to participate in the Schoolyard LTER projects.   She gave wonderful insight and suggestions.  She will be a valuable resource. 

Debbie Roberts - Harveyville Elementary - 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grades

Debbie asked her students if she should come to this workshop.  They wanted her to come!  This fact will benefit her by having her students input be a part of her teaching goals.  She is interested in getting the kids involved with hands-on projects, and was happy that the teachers got to participate in these activities prior to bringing their students out.   She seems willing to continue to bring her students to KPRNA. 

Connie Walker - Amanda Arnold Elementary - 6^th grade

Connie gave many great ideas in utilizing the Konza in her classrooms.  She wants to incorporate not just science, but also social studies, math, and language arts to add to the students visits.  She seems willing to communicate and share ideas about the projects.  She felt that it helped to exchange ideas with other teachers. 

Joleen Yapp - Westmoreland Elementary - 5^th & 6^th grade

Joleen and Eric work together and share the same goals of incorporating more science into their curriculum and participating in many of the Schoolyard LTER projects.  Joleen was very enthusiastic and cooperative in making this a lasting relationship.  She said, "We'll be out here every chance we can get."  She suggests having a follow up next June with the participants in this workshop to talk about how the year went and any possible additional activities.