Green

We've had quite a bit of rain this month already, everything is deep green for September. My students and I are studying the "Ecology of Our Backyards". Im all for understanding Ecosystems around the globe such as the Amazon Rain Forest, but lately Ive ben thinking a bit more locally. After reading "Last Child in the Woods", I decided that my 8th graders needed to learn more about the natural world where they live and the impact they have here. Even though this is Kansas very few of them are rural kids, most are more urbanized, many come from impoverished homes. So far its been great, teams of students are looking into all kinds of research questions related to our topic. Teams have begun looking for things to study in our local park, the schoolgrounds, their yards, and some have ventured out and even turned over a rock or two. When they are finished I hope that they will have a little sense of what Aldo Leopold called a "Land Ethic".