education Archives - EcoReach

Virtual Connections: From Microbes to Water!

Ben Taylor — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 16:02:55 +0000

This fall we’ve had to do things a little differently, but the pandemic has not stopped kids from learning about how neat science is and how important our environment is! In September, there was a virtual guest lecture for a high school microbiology class. The class consisted of 24 students and they learned how microorganisms affect microorganisms and nutrient cycling! Megan Tomamichel led an interactive group activity using google docs to research arbuscular mycorrhiza and ectomycorrhiza. Students also watched awesome videos about zooplankton that live in water. The zoom session ended with a fun thought exercise about a Mars colony – What kind of microbes would you need to make a fully-functioning Martian ecosystem?

In October, EcoReach contributed materials to “Athens Water Festival in a Box”, which took place virtually this year! EcoReach volunteers contributed to the “virtual water box” with five different activities for K-12 students, mostly geared toward elementary-middle school aged children. The overall goal was to provide fun and interactive ways to teach students about water in a safe, but intellectual manner. EcoReach member Anna Baynes came up with the first two activities. The ‘Water Cycle in a Bag activity’ includes instructions for students to observe the entire water cycle by putting water in a plastic bag! The second activity, ‘Float or Sink’, encourages young children to make predictions and observe items that float or sink in water. Abby Ryder helped to put together clips of EcoReach members dancing the Water Cycle in order to get kids to remember the steps of the water cycle.

Check out this snapshot from of EcoReach coordinator, Carolyn Cummins, demonstrating the beginning of the Water Cycle dance.

Max Kelly coined the third activity, ‘Athens Water Rangers,’ with instructions for students to find macroinvertebrate insects in their local streams! Coles Ehlers compiled online resources for additional water-themed activities. Coles took to the web and found several additional relevant activities for students, families, and teachers to reference.

The Virtual Water Box was emailed to 250 people! 180 of those also received a physical water box, while the additional 70 received the virtual box. The recipients of these boxes may also include families with multiple children, extending the reach of these activities!

Thank you to all the EcoReach members who helped organize and bring all these fantastic learning activities together for students in the Athens area!

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Weekly Pollinator Series – Malcom Bridge Elementary School

Kaylee Arnold — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 19:03:44 +0000

This spring 2019, EcoReach was contacted by Malcom Bridge Elementary School in Oconee County to organize a weekly series on pollinators (animals that move pollen from one flower to another). This was apart of the school’s work to become STEM certified. EcoReachers Angela Burrow, Heather Levy, Kristen Lear and Kyle Stewart lead the lecture series on pollinators for the 2nd graders at this school. These lectures emphasized the importance of different types of pollinators, as well as providing basic information on each of them (birds, bees, butterflies, and bats).

These EcoReach members also made plans to design and plant a pollinator garden at the school so that the kids could observe, ask questions, make predictions, and take data on what they see. In April, Heather Levy and Kyle Stewart successfully obtained a grant from the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society to support the planting of this garden. Native plants, bird feeders, and other supplies for the school were purchased with these funds. Carol Seaddle of the Angel Creek Nursery also donated several herbs . This garden was planted by Kyle Stewart, Angela Burrow, Emma Dickinson, Ashley LaVere, and Ania Majewska on May 15th. 40+ native plants were planted in two locations at the school; the reading garden and vegetable garden. Two humming bird feeders and a 4-arm bird feeder system were also set up and seeds for the feeders and sugar for nectar solution were given to the teachers.

EcoReachers Angela, Emma, Ashley, Ania, and Kyle planting the new pollinator garden!

Next year, the MBES teachers and Kyle plan to do a monthly lecture series over the course of the entire 2019-20 academic year for the next group of 2nd graders. Kyle will also visit the old group, now 3rd graders, to see how their observations are going, and to help them develop questions to ask about the pollinators they see. If you would like EcoReach to visit your classroom, or your child’s class, please contact us!

Kyle and Ashley working on the garden!

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Microorganisms: South Jackson Elementary School 5th grade lesson

Kaylee Arnold — Thu, 30 May 2019 20:26:48 +0000

After UGA’s classes ended and its graduations commenced, EcoReach stayed busy! Most public K-12 school remain in session beyond UGA’s calendar, so EcoReach had several opportunities to work in some different classrooms. This May 14th, EcoReach visited South Jackson Elementary School in Jackson County and presented a lesson on microorganisms to their 5th graders!

These 5th graders had learned about microorganisms earlier in the year, and EcoReachers Ashley and Kaylee were brought to campus to review this topic and to play some activities with the kids. We went over bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and reminded the students that not all microbes are bad! Both Kaylee and Ashley study bacteria in their own research, and they were able to explain all the different ways to research microbes, and how microbes can be both harmful and beneficial!

After the review session, we played a game to see if the kids knew which types of microbes are good, bad, or both! The students were great and we hope to return again next year!

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New Sandy Creek Series-Women in Science Talk Microbes

Kaylee Arnold — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 21:29:22 +0000

Sandy Creek Nature Center hosted their first ever annual women in science event on March 30th. And EcoReach got to help out!

Female researchers from the University of Georgia used a fun game to spread their message. Firstly, they introduced the game: “Meet Your Microbe Neighbors.”

Next, they taught families about diseases they can get from animals near them.

In short, these included rabies, toxoplasmosis, canine parvovirus, and canine distemper. Next, they talked hosts, symptoms, and ways pests spread. And after that, they listened to what locals had to say. In conclusion, they talked disease prevention in both people and their pets! EcoReach enjoyed supporting women in science and will be on the look-out for future similar events.

Learn more about Ecoreach and their fun events by visiting their newly improved website

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