Jaffrey-Rindge Gifted and Talented Students Explore Their Ocean Connection

Every year the students in the Gifted and Talented program in the Jaffrey Rindge Cooperative School District spend time planning projects for National Environmental Education Week (EE Week).  The focus this year was on how human behavior contributes to environmental problems in the local water system and how students can educate themselves and their community in order to make positive changes that will help keep the ocean clean. This year, in celebration of EE Week's Ocean Connections theme, second grade Gifted and Talented students participated in two authentic learning experiences organized by Whale Times - Bold in the Cold and Creep Into the Deep. Students exchanged emails with scientists working in Antarctica and diving off the coasts of Hawaii to study coral reefs. Students were even able to "virtually" accompany the researchers at the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory when it made its 1,000^th dive in the Pisces submersible.

"It was thrilling for them to have their questions answered and see the unbelievable photos. Anytime you are able to bring that kind of authentic learning experience into the classroom, it is guaranteed to be a success!," recounted Gifted and Talented Coordinator Teresa Morris. "After I finished reading one email from a researcher explaining how she collects samples of scat, a second grade girl jumped up and said ‘I love science!'"

Students in other grade levels explored their ocean connections in different ways. Sixth grade students made movies about a recycling superhero and fourth grade students made model boats from plastic taken out the school trash. Fifth grade students designed coral reefs using sugar cubes.  

Morris stated that many teachers, especially at the elementary level, have a difficult time fitting environmental studies into their curriculum.  Her position affords her more flexibility with what she teaches and enables her to share these resources with classroom teachers.  Many of the skits, movies and poems created by her students are taken back and shared with the rest of the school. 

"The students I work with are very capable of understanding the complex issues that we face today. They worry about oil spills and nuclear waste ending up in the ocean. I believe that when you give them opportunities to get involved in creating solutions, they feel less anxious about the future," she said.

Submitted by Teresa Morris.

Do you have an EE Week story to share? Email it to EEWeek@neefusa.org

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