Bath County High SchoolOutdoor Classroom and WeatherBug

WeatherBug A real challenge faced by the

educational community is the identification and integration of application technologies that harness the power of the Internet, while also being designed to address student needs in core content areas, for ease of use and practicality in the classroom.

WeatherBug Grant Proposal For incorporation into the Outdoor Classroom

activities supports improved learning and STEM (Science,

Technology, Engineering and Math) concept connections and skills development for students

Beyond the classroom benefits, the WeatherBug Program will provide BCHS with live weather data and advanced warning capabilities for lighting and other severe weather

WeatherBug It will also serve as a valuable weather

information resource that will be available to local television and accessible to the community on smartphones and via the Internet.

PR recognition for the school Plaque acknowledging you as making it

possible and noting your service to BCHS

WeatherBug The live weather data is fed into

interactive lessons, tools and activities that will be used for enhanced mathematics, science, geography, and technology education in the school

Students and teachers will have access to the live data from the station on all school computers

WeatherBug They will also have access to the entire

WeatherBug network, comprised of more than 8,000 sites across the country which will allow students to make comparisons of the data.

The WeatherBug Program can be used in all grades and will be available to all students and teachers both at school and at home

WeatherBug It supports National and State Education

Standards, EETT (Enhancing Education Through Technology), STEM concept developments and will be an integral part of a school’s push to improve academic initiatives.

ImplementationSchools use a two-phased plan to implement the WeatherBug Schools Program. 1. Installation of the hardware2. Professional development for teachers

who will be using the program in their classrooms.

Support for all phases of implementation will be provided by expert WeatherBug staff.

Training SessionsTraining Sessions Provided by WeatherBug1. system and software demonstration2. hands-on software training3. curriculum applications and classroom

implementation. The training session are held on the school site.

IMPORTANT Environmental Education is not the same

as “Environmentalism” The goal is to help students learn about

the environment NOT to join groups or political movements

Environmental Education is about inquiry Environmental Education produces

“Environmental Literacy”, not “Environmentalists”

Environmental EducationEnvironmental Education is learner-centered, providing students with opportunities to construct their own understanding through hands-on, minds-on investigations.

Environmental EducationRecognizes the importance of investigating the environment within the context of human influences, incorporating an examination of economics, culture, political structure, and social equity as well as natural processes and systems

Environmental EducationIs effective education. It increases public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and provides the skills to make informed decisions and take responsible actions. Environmental Education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action.

Outdoor ClassroomThis project will involve the revival and restoration of the outdoor classroom at Bath County High School. Determination of the present usage, if any, determine what our final goal may be, gather data for the grant writing for the WeatherBug station and discuss possible interested parties for collaboration from the faculty, students and community.

Outdoor ClassroomThere will be representation from the faculty, staff, parents, community members and students in the planning and implementation process to best serve all interests in the school population. Student parity in the process is important, ensuring they have equal authority in decision making and responsibility.

Outdoor ClassroomConcerns include getting community involvement for

implementation, construction and materials to be used in the renovation

creating and ensuring student parity creating curriculum connections to

encourage the use of the completed project.

Outdoor Classroom21st Century Schools More holistic than past attempts Does not limit our PD to development of

curriculum design to workplace readiness

Interdisciplinary Integrated Project-based

Goals of 21st Century Schools Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Collaboration across Networks and

Leading by Influence Agility and Adaptability Initiative and Entrepreneurialism Effective Oral and Written Communication Accessing and Analyzing Information Curiosity and Imagination

21st Century SchoolsHelp students become global citizens

Schools in the 21st century will be laced with a project-based curriculum for life aimed at engaging students in addressing real-world problems, issues important to humanity, and questions that matter. 

21st Century SchoolsSchools will go from ‘buildings’ to 'nerve centers', with walls that are porous and transparent, connecting teachers, students and the community to the wealth of knowledge that exists in the world.”

21st Century Teachers Teacher - From primary role as a

dispenser of information to orchestrator of learning and helping students turn information into knowledge, and knowledge into wisdom. 

The 21st century will require knowledge generation, not just information delivery, and schools will need to create a “culture of inquiry”. 

21st Century Learners In the past a learner was a young

person who went to school, spent a specified amount of time in certain courses, received passing grades and graduated.  Today we must see learners in a new context

21st Century Learners First – we must maintain student interest by

helping them see how what they are learning prepares them for life in the real world. 

Second – we must instill curiosity, which is fundamental to lifelong learning. 

Third – we must be flexible in how we teach. Fourth – we must excite learners to become

even more resourceful so that they will continue to learn outside the formal school day.

Critical Attributes of 21st Century Education

Integrated and Interdisciplinary

Technologies & Multimedia

Global Classrooms, Globalization

21st Century Skills Student-Centered

Project-Based & Research-Driven

Relevant, Rigorous and Real-world

Adapting to and Creating Constant Personal and Social Change, and Lifelong Learning

Multiple Literacies for the 21st Century

The Arts and Creativity

Financial Literacy

Ecoliteracy

Media Literacy

Physical Fitness and Health Literacies

Social/Emotional Literacies

Cyberliteracy

Globalization & Multicultural Literacy

20th Century Classroom vs. the 21st Century Classroomfrom http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/what_is_21st_century_education.htm

USA 1960’s typical classroom – teacher-centered, fragmented curriculum, students working in isolation, memorizing facts.

A classroom at the School of Environmental Studies, aka the Zoo School, in Minneapolis. A perfect example of real-life, relevant, project-based 21st century education.

20th vs 21st Time-based Outcome-based

 

Focus:  memorization of discrete facts Focus:  what students Know, Can Do and Are Like after all the details are forgotten. 

Lessons focus on the lower level of Bloom’s Taxonomy – knowledge, comprehension and application.

Learning is designed on upper levels of Blooms’ – synthesis, analysis and evaluation (and include lower levels as curriculum is designed down from the top.) 

Textbook-driven Research-driven 

Passive learning Active Learning 

Learners work in isolation – classroom within 4 walls

Learners work collaboratively with classmates and others around the world – the Global Classroom

20th vs 21st Teacher-centered:  teacher is center of attention and provider of information 

Student-centered:  teacher is facilitator/coach

Little to no student freedom Great deal of student freedom 

“Discipline problems" – educators do not trust students and vice versa.  No student motivation.

No “discipline problems” – students and teachers have mutually respectful relationship as co-learners; students are highly motivated. 

Fragmented curriculum Integrated and Interdisciplinary curriculum 

Grades averaged Grades based on what was learned 

20th vs 21st Low expectations High expectations – “If it isn’t good it isn’t done.”  We

expect, and ensure, that all students succeed in learning at high levels.  Some may go higher – we get out of their way to let them do that. 

Teacher is judge.  No one else sees student work. Self, Peer and Other assessments.  Public audience, authentic assessments. 

Curriculum/School is irrelevant and meaningless to the students.

Curriculum is connected to students’ interests, experiences, talents and the real world. 

Print is the primary vehicle of learning and assessment. Performances, projects and multiple forms of media are used for learning and assessment 

Diversity in students is ignored. Curriculum and instruction address student diversity 

Literacy is the 3 R’s – reading, writing and math Multiple literacies of the 21st century – aligned to living and working in a globalized new millennium.

20th vs 21st Factory model, based upon the needs of employers for the Industrial Age of the 19th century.  Scientific management. 

Global model, based upon the needs of a globalized, high-tech society.

Driven by standardized testing mania. 

Standardized testing has its place.  Education is not driven by standardized testing mania.

21st Century Curriculum

Twenty-first century curriculum has certain critical attributes.  It is interdisciplinary, project-based, and research-driven.  It is connected to the community – local, state, national and global.  Sometimes students are collaborating with people around the world in various projects.  The curriculum incorporates higher order thinking skills, multiple intelligences, technology and multimedia, the multiple literacies of the 21st century, and authentic assessments.  Service learning is an important component.

Greening the Curriculum and the Classroom - "Green Education" Our planet and its citizen residents are

facing a growing number of issues related to the environment.  Education is the key.  From environmental awareness to producing scientists, politicians, international relations experts, media producers, and others, our schools will assist students in finding the answers to our environmental problems.

"Green Education"Students will be motivated as they achieve higher levels of learning in all content areas from science and math to cultural studies and nutrition and other areas when they are involved in projects such as The Edible Schoolyard, The Globe Program, Jason Projects, the Global Johnny Appleseed Project and many

more global classroom projects focused on the environment. 

"Green Education" From renewable fuels, to designing “green”

buildings (including “green” schools), gardening, nutrition, environmental law, and more, we can teach “green”.

spaces will be needed by students and teachers as they conduct their investigations and implement their projects. 

Spaces will be needed for large groups, small groups and for independent work.

Environmental Education Integral part of 21st Century Schools NOT “environmentalists” but

“environmental education” Students are taught how to investigate

and learn about their environment, not take political actions or join various groups

In the Beginning The first step is approval, In order to

undertake the project, approval must be gained by the administration of the school

Determine the location. An outdoor classroom existed before, it must be evaluated to determine how the structure should be renovated, updated and improved

Decide whether to pursue the project or not

Organizational PlanningInterested parties must be identified

Administration Faculty Staff Parents Students Community

Setting a GoalDetermination of the goals for the outdoor classroom Structure Purpose Usage Design

FundingHow will this be paid for? Grants (WeatherBug Grant and others to

be determined) Community donations of supplies and/or

funding Donation of time and skills

Planning Implementation Gathering of supplies Gathering of labor Schedules for working Evaluation of progress at various stages

Implementation Hard work Dedication Interactions Intrinsic and Extrinsic rewards Providing for the future of our learners

in the 21st Century