Track 2, GK-12: Exploring California Biodiversity

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal describes a Track 2 project developed by the University of California Berkeley, the Berkeley Natural History Museums (BNHM) and Field Stations with local K-12 urban schools, and with the rural schools near the Field Stations. The program starts with a short Summer Institute for Teachers, Graduate Fellows, and their Advisors. The school year then involves the collection of natural history data, from natural areas and schoolyards adjacent to the school, and then at Field Stations. The collections provide a foundation for a study, curation and identification of specimens using information from BNHM. Bioinformatics data are put into a database from schools and field stations to BNHM. Finally, an End-of-year Celebration involves all program persons to meet and present their results. Data generated is shared among participating schools and, over the course of the program, data becomes accessible to schools throughout the Bay Area. Graduate Fellows serve as facilitators with K-12 Teachers in student data collection, curation and identification, bioinformatics data preparation and end of year celebration activities.