High School Environmental Education

Hands-on High School is a program that brings together students, scientists, teachers, and others to explore conservation concepts through field trips, guest speakers, presentations, and discussions. The program goals are to expose students to conservation and field science in a real-world setting. Ideally, the work will demystify the fields of conservation and biology and inspire students to continue their education in the sciences with the goal of pursuing careers in science.

Currently, we work with students at Tomales High School in Marin County, who join us in the classroom, and in the field to learn conservation science, field techniques, and participate in outdoor project-based learning. Their work contributes to a well-respected research project that produces quantifiable and useful results. The students’ participation includes learning otter track and sign, collecting scat, survey and camera trapping, as well as learning scientific methods and documentation, and science communication skills. The results of the project may include papers, posters, oral presentations, and/or website or social media articles.

 

Needs

 

  • to provide outdoor, place-based learning in public schools,
  • to inspire public school students to pursue education in the biological sciences,
  • to comprehend how understanding a single species can help inform watershed-level decision-making, and
  • to expand understanding of the importance of healthy watersheds, and the link between research and watershed management, beyond scientists and agencies to the general public, including high school students.
 

Goals

 

  • to engage students in place-based, project-based learning,
  • to help students understand the reality of working in biology and inspire them to continue their education in the sciences,
  • to serve underserved student populations, and
  • to increase student awareness and support of environmental stewardship and watershed conservation.
 

Objectives

 

  • to provide students with hands-on outdoor field biology experience,
  • to provide students with hands-on biological lab experience,
  • to engage underserved and/or low-income students in outdoor and project-based learning, and
  • to partner with diverse entities to expand public interface.

The River Otter Ecology Project is a registered 501 (c)(3) EIN #45-4997526 non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of river otters and our watershed. Our organization is not affiliated with any other otter-related research group or community outreach organization.

© 2022 River Otter Ecology Project

Contact
River Otter Ecology Project
PO Box 103
Forest Knolls, CA  94933
General email