A Portrait of SYEFEST, California By V. L. Holland (Lead Ecologist) and Lynne Dee Oyler (Lead Teacher) Summer Institute June 24-July 8 Cal Poly State University, San Luis OBISPO We began our Summer Institute with an introduction to the SYEFEST concept, followed by a discussion of participating teachers' concerns and hopes. The teachers reflected on our objectives and described their uncertainties and hopes about using their schoolyards for teaching ecological concepts. We discovered a wonderful synergy that developed as each of us contributed the best of our creative and intellectual abilities. Through SYEFEST we learned about ecological principles and processes that can be easily taught to all children using inquiry investigations on the schoolyard. Introduction The ultimate goal of the SYEFEST project is to promote quality ecological education for elementary school students by ensuring that they have the opportunity to learn ecological concepts using local organisms and environments directly. The more immediate goal is to support elementary teachers in using the environment most readily available - the schoolyard - for teaching ecology. SYEFEST addresses the needs of teachers to: Understand and be able to teach the nature and processes of science (ecology). Be comfortable teaching outdoors. Have a sufficient familiarity with and knowledge of their schoolyard environment and its potential for ecological investigations and inquiries. The SYEFEST California Summer Institute started on Friday, June 24 with excitement and enthusiasm and ended with a celebration on Friday, July 8. We worked together from 9 to 3 (sometimes longer) and also had take home assignments. Class meetings were held at Cal Poly and on every school site represented at the Institute. Going to each school site provided us all the opportunity to explore new and different schoolyard habitats that turned out to be a real plus. We conducted guided and open inquiry activities at each school, and we also worked together to develop our own unique inquiry exercises specific to each site. At the end of each day, the teachers were given a few minutes to reflect and write about the day's activities. We finished each day sharing and discussing our thoughts and insights about what we had accomplished. Teachers were encouraged to start thinking about some interesting ecological questions and bring any ecology books or materials they wanted to share. Several follow-up sessions were held to check teachers' progress and to share ideas. The entire group met three times so we could share successes and failures that teachers and students had experienced as a group. We discussed ways to convert experimental "failures" into successful experiences that lead to further investigations. This was also a time when teachers could show us what activities they were using and how it fit into the curricular framework for their school. V. L. Holland (Lead Ecologist) and Lynne Dee Oyler (Lead Teacher) made follow-up site visits to check on the various activities that had been incorporated into the curricula, try to solve problems or answer questions regarding schoolyard ecology, and provide assistance in using the SYEFEST philosophy in teaching ecological principles on the school sites. Teachers' concerns and hopes regarding the Institute We wanted to know what concerns the teachers had about the Institute and what they hoped to leave with in terms of knowledge and skills. The discussion that followed allowed us to establish a starting point. From this, we determined the most effective methods to work toward achieving the goals of SYEFEST. Some of the teachers' concerns and hopes are listed below. Concerns What's for lunch? That we may be intimidated by SYEFEST. That we may be overwhelmed by SYEFEST That the schoolyard will not be enough to keep students interest That there is no water on the school site. Hopes To feel comfortable with hands-on and inquiry approach To gain experience in the scientific method To learn to use the schoolyard for ecological studies To learn practical activities and the best way to use the schoolyard To create a nature study walk and area To learn to manage outdoor labs and classes To learn how best to have students work outdoors To learn to use habitats and ecological areas available To be able to apply learning to everyday life The ecosystem concept - our guiding theme The ecosystem concept and perspective were used as the guiding theme for the activities and learning during the Summer Institute. The teachers discussed and listed components of the ecosystem, attributes of ecosystem components, division of labor in ecosystems, interactions that occur in ecosystems, inputs and outputs in ecosystems, and feedback loops that develop if ecosystems are balanced (homeostasis). We then discussed how the ecosystem concept could be applied on the schoolyard and used in schoolyard ecology. The teachers developed a simple ecosystem model and had a lively discussion of how this could be used on their school sites. We emphasized that all of the components of the ecosystem are interrelated and interconnected and that no one factor can be changed without affecting the other components in the ecosystem (holocoenotic concept). We asked them to explore what would happen if they changed just one factor and think about how that might affect the rest of the ecosystem. For example, if we simply raised the air temperature by 5 degrees, how might that affect other abiotic and biotic features of the ecosystem? How would the ecosystem change through time? We had an interesting and thought provoking discussion of all the interactions that would be affected and all the changes that would occur in the ecosystem by simply changing one factor. Later the teachers were given a homework assignment in which they compared an ecosystem and ecosystem dynamics with the human body. This included comparisons mechanisms that maintain balance in the a human body and in an ecosystem (organismic concept of ecosystems). Teachers even developed some fascinating posters to present. After our exploration of the ecosystem concept, we took a field trip up Poly Canyon (a natural coastal canyon behind the Cal Poly campus) to examine the diversity of habitats and ecosystems that occur in close proximity to one another. We had inquiry discussions trying to describe and explain the diversity we observed. How would we determine what caused the diversity? We also collected soil samples for laboratory and plant growth experiments. How will the same plant species grow in soil from the oak woodland compared to soil of the chaparral? The teachers designed and set up decomposition experiments and compost buckets in the laboratory from soils collected in the field. A discussion ensued on how these activities related to nutrient cycles in ecosystems. Teachers examined the compost buckets regularly throughout the Institute to see how the decomposition processes work on different materials ranging form apple cores and banana peels to Styrofoam, plastic bags, and aluminum cans. How can these principles be applied to the schoolyard? Where do nutrients come from? How do nutrients leave ecosystems? Agricultural fields? Schoolyards? Long-term experiments dealing with plant competition, plant growth, seed germination, and allelopathy (illustrations of ecosystem interactions) were also set up so we could analyze the results toward the end of the Institute. Teachers designed and set up plant growth experiments to investigate how plants grow under different environmental conditions and in different soils. Plants were grown both from cuttings and from seeds so that teachers could observe different types of growth. Teachers were also given the opportunity to design and set up inter- and intra-specific competition experiments in different soils. Activities from several sources were used as references. After a discussion of how plants interact chemically in ecosystems, teachers were challenged to design and set up experiments to test for allelopathic or other types of chemical interactions in nature. They were given a sample lab from Cal Poly on allelopathy as a guide. Many interesting experiments were conducted using soil, leaves, twigs, and leachate from soils and leaves. The importance of understanding seed germination requirements in relationship to where plants grow was explored by the teachers. Several seed germination inquiries were set up to see how factors like moisture, light, and chemicals affect germination rates and plant establishment. We finished the first day with a scavenger hunt around the campus to get an idea of the diversity of habitats and living organisms that one can find on a schoolyard if one looks carefully. The assignment for the weekend was for the teachers to draw a detailed map of their schoolyard keeping in mind the ecosystem theme. As we began exploring schoolyard ecosystems in more detail, we starting by having the teachers list all the various abiotic and biotic components of schoolyard ecosystems and think of ways that they could study them using open and guided inquiry methods. The first ecosystem components we decided to discuss were the abiotic factors and how these factors affect the living organisms that occur in ecosystems. We discussed a diversity of factors such as soil and air temperature, soil characteristics (pH, texture, color, organic matter, moisture, compaction, etc.), wind speed, and light. Each teacher was provided with a custom made soil testing kit for their school site that allowed them to examine the characteristics of the various soils found on their schoolyard. They had already collected soils from various ecosystems in Poly Canyon so they could try their soil testing kits. We posed several questions in the class such as how are the soils of the oak woodland different from those in the chaparral? The emphasis was always on how all these abiotic factors interacted with one another and with the various plants and animals on the schoolyard. How can we examine interactions? What role does soil play in an ecosystem and on a schoolyard? We gave the teachers examples of inquiries that they could use and also asked them to design their own. We provided various instruments to measure abiotic factors and they learned how to make simple instruments such as light and wind meters for children to use on the schoolyards. After inquiries on abiotic factors, we focused on the diversity of living organisms that occur on schoolyards, their characteristics, and how they interact. We started each session at a new school site with some form of treasure or scavenger hunt to sharpen the observation skills of teachers and to acquaint them with the habitats and ecological areas on campus. We emphasized that good ecologists are keen observers. V. L. even wore two different types of tennis shoes one day to see how long it would take before someone noticed. It did not take too long! They would not believe it was done on purpose. After orientation activities on a schoolyard, we usually had a guided inquiry that focused on the theme for that day such as species diversity, plant and animal adaptations, food webs, populations, protective coloration, and plant and animal distribution. Activities from many sources were made available and used as guided inquiries. Teachers also developed their own open or guided inquiry activities dealing with the unique environmental factors that might influence distribution of plant and animals, growth of plants, etc. for specific school sites. We encouraged teachers to learn vegetative terminology, learn to identify plants using keys, and make a plant collection of all the plants on their schoolyard. We provided material to assist them in gaining this knowledge, and we assisted them with the collection and identification of the plants. Guided and open inquiries varied from school site to school site but included treasure hunts, plant hunts, plant patterns, comparison of species diversity in different habitats, life in the soil, food chains and food webs, etc. Teachers made their own sweep nets to sample for insects and spiders. We discussed the various habitats on the schoolyards and what characteristics of these habitats were important in determining what species occurred in them and why some habitats had a greater species diversity than others. Plant and animal adaptations and variations were explored using several activities. We designed an inquiry on predation and protective coloration in different habitats using various seeds as the prey. Seeds of different sizes, colors, shapes, and textures were scattered in different habitats, and the teachers served as the predators. We analyzed the results as a group and tried to explain why certain 'prey' species were taken in some habitats and but not in others. Teachers discussed how this inquiry could be applied to predator-prey relationships in nature. We talked about adaptations that make predators successful in different habitats (such as different bird beaks) and designed inquiries to demonstrate these adaptations in nature. Peter Feinsinger joined us for a couple of days and presented a great talk on schoolyard ecology projects he has developed in other countries (Central America) as well as in Florida. He visited one of the school sites with us and led some fascinating inquiry activities including one on scale in ecosystems and one of food preferences of animals (ants). The teachers felt his visit was one of the highlights of the institute. Dennis Frey, a professor at Cal Poly, also guided some inquiries on dispersal, mark and recapture, and home range using sow bugs. We discussed how size of animal populations were estimated by ecologists. Using real data from a Monarch butterfly study locally, teachers were shown how to estimate population sizes using mark and recapture methods. These activities were also considered highlights of the institute and inspired the song "Sow Bug Blues" that we presented at the meeting in Georgia, February 1995. Schoolyard maps prepared by the teachers were reviewed at each site. Suggestions were made about how the maps could be used and refined. Activities related to mapping and scaling were conducted at several school sites. These included looking at stratification in grasslands and wooded areas. We posed several questions such as: How does an ant visualizes the schoolyard compared to a bird flying over? How can one estimate slope angle? size of trees? Ecosystems and watersheds were explored using an excellent series from the San Luis Obispo 4-H Youth Development Program called From Ridges to Rivers: Watershed Explorations. Each teacher was provided a copy of the series which includes several activities and inquiries. We set-up several of the activities and conducted them as a group in the lab. At the end of the Institute, teachers analyzed the various long term experiments that they had set up the first day dealing with plant competition, allelopathy, seed germination, decomposition and compost buckets, and plant growth. They were asked to analyze their data following the scientific method and decide the most effective way to present their findings to the rest of us at a scientific meeting. We videotaped their presentation so they could review and critique them if they wished. Overall, the results were excellent and resulted in a very enthusiastic interchange of ideas and questions. Many new ideas for additional inquiries were generated. On the last day, teachers were provided an opportunity to develop ideas for implementing schoolyard ecology on their schoolyards. We had an ecological materials fair with a local representative from a nature company who demonstrated various educational materials that could be used by students to examine ecological principles on schoolyards. Teachers put together individual Schoolyard Ecology Classroom Study Kits to be used to develop inquiry activities for their students during the next school year. Each teacher was also asked to share SYEFEST with the other teachers at their school sites. Some even did mini in-services. The principals and superintendents from each school site were invited to our final activities and awards ceremony where we presented all participants with a certificate of completion and a small gift reflecting their unique contributions to our institute. We sang ecology songs for children and video taped "Sow Bug Blues" for the meeting in Georgia. School year activities We had three follow-up sessions with our teachers. One of our sessions emphasized fire ecology because the Highway 41 fire had just burned thousands of acres in San Luis Obispo County within close proximity of many of our school sites. We discussed various experiments and inquiries that students could conduct on fire ecology and succession. At our follow-up session held at Winifred Pifer Elementary School in Atascadero, our class made suggestions and participated in planning an ecological and native American garden area that one of our teachers, John Beccia, was developing on the schoolyard. The inspiration for the design came from John's SYEFEST experience. The ecological area has now been constructed and is being used by the students and teachers at Pifer Elementary School. Teachers were asked to provide anecdotes about SYEFEST on their school sites. These and our meetings show that our teachers are successfully using inquiry-based methods for teaching schoolyard ecology after shifting some paradigms. First, they learned that a diversity of habitats is actually present in the schoolyard. Second, they realize that ecology can be taught away from environmental camps, outdoor schools, and videos. Third, they overcame the idea that students cannot be managed outside the classroom, except for PE. From leaves to lacewings, weather patterns to nematodes and pesticides, our teachers are using their schoolyards in creative, new ways to develop inquiring minds. Teachers provided us with some anecdotes, notebook entries including the items in Schoolyard Ecology Study Kits, inquiry questions written for their specific schoolyard, and sample work including songs inspired by and written for SYEFEST. Both V. L. Holland and Lynne Dee Oyler have made follow-up site visits to check in with the teachers. Teachers are still using what they learned at the summer SYEFEST institute and have incorporated many new ideas on using their schoolyards. Many also ordered additional materials during 1995 to supplement their Schoolyard Ecology Classroom Study Kits and add additional inquiries. Teachers call us on a fairly regular basis to talk about schoolyard ecology and SYEFEST. We have all remained good friends and colleagues. The SYEFEST experience led to other opportunities for both V. L. Holland and Lynne Dee Oyler. We received a special invitation to participate in another N.S.F. sponsored summer program on the Cal Poly campus called the San Luis Obispo Science Project.. This project was established to meet the science in-service needs for elementary and middle school teachers in northern Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. The project's summer institute provides a forum in which educators acquire and share science knowledge and skills focusing on the theme of Diversity and the Everchanging Coast of California. K - 8 teachers are introduced thematically to life, physical, and earth sciences using various activities. We were asked to lead a one day session on SYEFEST. During our session we explained the SYEFEST program and led the teachers in inquiry activities. We showed them how schoolyards and campuses could be effectively used to teach ecology. After the introductory remarks, we had them do a treasure hunt around the science buildings. Teachers from all levels were surprised at what they found once they started looking closely in different microhabitats on campus. The teachers worked in small groups and designed an inquiry experiment to test food preferences in ants. They were very creative and enthusiastic, and the results of their investigations surprised many of them. They presented their results orally to the group at a mini scientific meeting. In July 1995, V. L. Holland and Lynne Dee Oyler joined other SYEFESTians and presented an inquiry activity for kids at the Ecological Society Meetings in Snowbird, Utah. The inquiry was "Abiotic factors--learning ecology using the inquiry approach". We had a good group of students and parents who were excited to explore the abiotic features of the forests and open areas around Snowbird. It was very well received by both the students and the parents that attended. Since the SYEFEST summer institute, V. L. Holland and been responsible for a capstone course in Applications of Biological Concepts, a course designed to teach future elementary teachers how to teach biology. The SYEFEST experience resulted in some significant changes in the way we teach the course. We have incorporated many eco-inquiries and we use the Cal Poly campus for the schoolyard for many of them. These future teachers thoroughly enjoy schoolyard ecology once they become comfortable with the open and guided inquiry approach. Lynne Dee Oyler is now working on her Ph.D. at University of California, Santa Barbara and has introduced many SYEFEST ideas to students in her Biological Environment class. Syefest teacher growth The SYEFEST Summer Institute resulted in tremendous growth in the participating teachers as shown by their evaluations of themselves and of the workshop. Some characteristic quotations are provided below: I am now interested in the inquiry process. I'm looking forward to discovering ecology with my class. I would never have considered our sandbox, a tree trunk, or a weedy slope as ideal places to conduct experimentation. So now I feel we have an unlimited resources on our schoolyard. I look forward to sharing schoolyard facts with our school population via assemblies, ecology newspaper, etc. In looking over our concerns list from the first day, I'm feeling much better about schoolyard ecology. I think I have a grasp of the inquiry method. I feel more comfortable on my schoolyard. I loved the practicality of the SYEFEST summer institute approach, materials and experiments. Scientific inquiry can be applied in a variety of ways to one's immediate area and there are even more microhabitats on my schoolyard than I had previously imagined. Inquiry based investigations can be a reality using the SYEFEST system. I believe my students will be as excited as I am about this curriculum. I learned an incredible amount of information about ecology and the scientific method. I really feel a lot more confident about teaching schoolyard ecology to children. I realize now that there is an inquiry or experiment for almost everything you see on your schoolyard - both biotic and abiotic. Because we visited so many schoolyards and practiced schoolyard ecology, I feel comfortable about teaching it. Everything we did in the workshop has helped me grow as a eco-inquirer. This has been the best workshop I have attended. Not continuing it would be a shame and a waste for our kids and their future. The workshop has given me the tools to make science inquiry-based and relative. Before the workshop I felt my schoolyard might be lacking. Now I feel excited about the things kids can do on the yard. SYEFEST stressed getting the kids outside in native, working cooperatively, using leadership skills, being curious and observant about our surroundings, and being respectful of nature. Yes, I feel empowered! Thank you. Now I look for interactions in the ecosystem as opposed to looking at something in isolation. Reflections from V.L. Holland and Lynne Dee Oyler Exploring the possibilities for ecological investigations on schoolyards is rewarding at multiple scales. Students learn to observe plants, animals, habitats, and processes in discrete areas on their own schoolyards. They begin to ask focused ecological questions based on observations of natural phenomena. Using questions derived from their own experiences, students and teachers begin to study mechanisms or controls on interactions, behaviors, or processes that they have observed. As they learn to recognize ecological patterns and processes, students can relate them to core concepts in ecology and are eager to apply these concepts to phenomena observed or discussed beyond the schoolyard. Philosophically, we sometimes found it difficult to withhold answers from our students (teachers or elementary children) as they pursued ecological investigations on their schoolyards. We wanted to provide a wealth of information. Through our SYEFEST experience with our teachers, we learned the value of empowering our students' abilities to develop an understanding of ecology. By NOT providing all the answers to their ecological questions, they no longer deferred their concerns or misunderstandings to us, but learned to investigate their own questions. Our job was to ASK more questions that provided perspective or helped alleviate potential misunderstandings. Our job was also to provide suggestions for materials and methods when their own creativity was stumped, and to supply equipment as necessary for ecological inquiry on their schoolyards.