CALLING HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS! Help us teach systems and sustainability using live data from one of the most sustainable buildings on the planet!
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is seeking 5-10 high school science teachers to assist in the development and testing of instructional resources. We have funding to develop interactive lessons using real-time renewable energy and water data at the Frick Environmental Center, a LEED Platinum and Living Building Certified campus located in Frick Park, as well as a series of videos highlighting the sustainability features of the building and landscape.
The videos and interactive lessons will showcase science in action in the real world and allow students to engage in authentic inquiry using real-time data. The lessons will support existing curricula and state standards in Environment and Ecology, notably those pertaining to renewable and nonrenewable resources (section 4.2) and humans and the environment (section 4.8).
We believe these resources are the best curricular fit for courses in Environmental Science and Earth Science. However, if you teach another discipline (Biology? Conceptual physics?) and think you could use these materials, we welcome you to join us!
PARTICIPATING TEACHERS WOULD:
- Attend a 1.5-hour live online tour of the Frick Environmental Center and offer suggestions for video scripts under development on Thursday, April 22 at 4:30pm
- Attend 2 in-person workshops at the Environmental Center in spring 2021.
- Thursday, April 29, 4:30-6:30pm: Explore the environmental center’s energy-production and energy-use dashboard and brainstorm ways they could use the dashboard data with their students.
- Thursday, May 6, 4:30-6:30pm: Explore the environmental center’s water-collection dashboard and stormwater mitigation technologies and brainstorm ways they could use them with their students.
- Attend an optional online screening party of the completed video series in June 2021.
- Agree to use the developed videos and lessons with at least one class, either at the end of this school year or in September of 2021, and complete a brief survey for Parks Conservancy staff about their experience.
PARTICIPATING TEACHERS WOULD RECIEVE:
- Access to all completed resources: sustainability videos, dashboard lesson plans, and supporting materials.
- A free field trip to Frick Environmental Center for one class (up to 30 students) to explore the living building and surrounding park in person with Environmental Center Naturalist Educators.
- Act 48 credit is available (up to 7 hours)
- Upon completion of the workshops and post-use survey, participating teachers will receive a $200 stipend.
INTERESTED IN THIS OPPORTUNITY?
Please email jschnakenberg@pittsburghparks.org to register and/or request more information.
Want to explore the data dashboard on your own? Start here.
