Konza Environmental Education Program

Schoolyard Long-term Ecological Research

Teacher Profiles 2006

Teacher

Classroom Unit

Prairie Site

Plant Inventory

Johnson County Park & Recreation District Kill Creek Park Prairie

Jan Alderson has been a Science teacher for thirty-seven years at all levels and all areas of Science as well as a beyond-the-classroom educator.  Jan is a 1991 Presidential Awardee for innovative educational initiatives and as an educational writer. She currently teaches Honors Biology 1 and Human Anatomy and Physiology at Shawnee Mission South High School (SMSHS) in Overland Park and is the science research competition club sponsor. Information and activities learned from the Prairies Across Kansas Teachers Workshop will become incorporated within the Honors Biology 1 research program as well as used for research purposes using the twenty-two acre SMSHS Shawnee Mission Environmental Science Lab, the Indian Creek nature trail, the R & F Farm, and the Prairie Center.

Biomass

Private land in Nemaha County

David Clements has been teaching in U.S.D. 451 since 1974, teaching his first four years at the Junior High and the last twenty-eight years at the High School.  He presently teaches Biology I & II, Applied Physics, and College Biology.  In 2006-2007, he will be adding a Human Anatomy & Physiology class.  David does many labs in the classroom, but very little outdoors.  He is planning on adding the Prairies Across Kansas research program to his Biology II and concurrent College Biology curriculum.  Each class will be working on one or two projects that will be continued each year, accumulated data interpreted to see observable trends.  David believes everyone needs to be aware of the environment and the importance of what is out there.  With Prairies Across Kansas he hopes to get environmental awareness started with his students and their families and so on.  David believes ecological awareness must start at the local level if we hope to make a change in what is taking place anywhere else.

Plant Inventory

Wagon Bed Springs

Erika Downing is a 6^th & 7^th grade Science teacher at Kepley Middle School in Ulysses, Kansas.  The 2006-2007 academic year will be Erika’s seventh year teaching and her third year at Kepley Middle School.  Originally from Garden City, she earned her B.S. degree in Education from Newman University in Wichita.  Upon graduation, Erika returned to the southwest Kansas lifestyle she loves.

Volunteer for Jan Alderson

Volunteer for Mike Govert

Cathy Govert is the School Librarian at Greeley County Schools, and she will teach 3^rd grade part-time during the 2006-07 school year.  She and her husband, Mike, reside 20 miles SW of Tribune, Kansas, on their family farm.  Cathy’s hobbies include reading, gardening, outdoor activities and traveling.  Mike and Cathy have three grown children who live in South Bend, Indiana, Baltimore, Maryland, and Golden, Colorado.

Plant Inventory

Private land in Greeley County

Teaches with Lyle Jones

Chitra Harris teaches Honors Biology at Wichita South High School. Her love for the great outdoors and the need for research-based activities for her students brought her to “Prairies Across Kansas”. Chitra was a Science teacher and administrator in a high school in the city of Chennai, INDIA, before she immigrated to the USA with her family in 2003. She was very involved with the Girl Guides, and as a National Leader Trainer, conducted many training camps that focused on environmental protection. Her hobby is promoting recycling with ‘Wealth Out of Waste’, a program that teaches how waste can be used creatively to make useful things. She loves nature and is passionate about making people aware of nature conservation and the interdependence of all living creatures.

Grasshoppers

The Nature Conservancy Cassoday Prairie

Lyle Jones was born and raised on the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania and gained a love for the hardwoods there. He earned a B.S. degree in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University, which he put to work as a ranger with the Boulder County Parks and Open Spaces for seven years. Lyle continued his education and earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Education from Wichita State University.  Lyle currently teaches Biology and Zoology at Wichita South High School and is the Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site (OWLS) Project Coordinator on the high school campus. Among his greatest joys are his family, faith and a free country where he can teach what is dear to him… an appreciation of nature through science.

Volunteer for Joe Pickett

Eldon Pickett earned a B.S. degree in Biology from Fort Hays State University and a certificate in Physical Therapy from the University of Kansas in 1972.  He taught at Edson Middle School and High School in Edson, Kansas, from 1967 to 1972.  Then Eldon worked as a Physical Therapist at the Topeka and Leavenworth Veterans Hospitals for 32 years. He lives North of Lawrence, Kansas, and owns approximately 36 acres of natural prairie.

Grasshoppers

Johnson County Park & Recreation District Kill Creek Park Prairie

Joe Pickett has taught 7^th grade Science at Eudora Middle School in Eudora, Kansas, since 1998.  He earned a B.S. degree in General Science Education and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Kansas.  Joe is interested in getting students involved in outdoor learning activities that allow them to practice science process skills.  He also continually looks for opportunities to increase his knowledge of the outdoors.  When Joe is not teaching and coaching, he enjoys mountain biking and playing the mandolin.

Galls

Konza Prairie Biological Station

Christina Schmalzried finished teaching her first year of 6^th grade Science at Junction City Middle School in 2005-2006.  She loves to introduce students to the amazing variety of our world.  Christina grew up on a farm in northwest Kansas and received a B.S. degree in Animal Science.  After eight years with the Geary County Conservation District, she returned to school for an education degree.  She lives in rural Geary County with her husband, daughter and son.  They have a herd of meat goats plus a variety of other critters and are very involved in church and 4-H.

Biomass

Private land in Sedgwick County

Heather Stewart teaches at West High School in Wichita.  She grew up in Minnesota and moved to Wichita after earning a B.S. Degree in Biology and Secondary Education certification from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.  In her four years at West, Heather has taught physical Science, Biology, Honors Biology and Botany. Having visited Konza Prairie while in college, Heather jumped at the chance to return and participate in “Prairies Across Kansas”.  She thought this would be an excellent opportunity to get her students out of the city and into the field to reinforce the scientific method and learn more about the ecosystem where they live. Heather’s husband is also Science teacher with Wichita public schools and when they are not collaborating on lesson plans, they enjoy traveling, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Effect of Fire

Konza Prairie Biological Station

Dina Wingfield teaches Science at Wabaunsee High School in Alma, Kansas.  As one of only two science teachers, Dina teaches Earth Science, Environmental Science (team taught with the Life Science teacher), Chemistry and Physics.  In addition to teaching, Dina is the sophomore class sponsor, Pep Club sponsor, Student Council sponsor and co-sponsor of the Scholar’s Bowl.  Dina, husband, and their two children live in Alma, where their lives at this point seem to revolve around Wabaunsee High School sports and activities.