Skip to main content

Kellogg Schools Teacher Workshop

Kellogg, Idaho, 2019 Teacher's Air Quality Workshop


On August 29, 11 Kellogg School District teachers and administrators attended the West Silver Valley Environmental Education Program Teacher's Workshop. Dan Smith from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality told teachers about the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Targeted Air Shed Grant that supports the West Silver Valley Environmental Education Program. Dr. Tony Ward, University of Montana School of Public and Community Health Sciences department chair, provided a history and overview of the West Silver Valley Environmental Education Program. Brett Taylor, education coordinator for the University of Montana School of Public and Community Health Sciences , reviewed  air quality curriculum activities and demonstrated the use of available PM2.5 air quality monitors.

Brett Taylor demonstrates PM2.5 monitors.
The workshop concluded with a strategic planning session emphasizing increased student participation in the student research component of the West Silver Valley Environmental Education Program. Teachers discussed strategies for incorporating student air quality research into their curriculums and initiated plans where high school students would be available to mentor elementary and middle school students through their research projects. Teachers also discussed developing specific projects their students could work on in collaboration with their peers from New Zealand. They thought the I Wonder About Air Quality web site, https://sites.google.com/view/arrowtown-wonders-about-air/home, developed by Ayushi Kachhara from New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, would provide an excellent communication platform for Idaho and New Zealand students. The Second Annual West Silver Valley Air Quality Symposium, where students can present their air quality research findings, will be held on May 20, 2020.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

West Silver Valley Environmental Education Program is Underway for 2019-20 Brett Taylor talking with students at Canyon Elementary School Brett Taylor, the Education Coordinator for the West Silver Valley Environmental Education Program, introduced the program to Kellogg students. During the Fall, Taylor visited 13 classrooms and presented to nearly 300 students. The presentation included an overview of the program, the significance of particulate air quality issues in the West Silver Valley, and a discussion about  air quality research and possible research project ideas.  Wynd Air Quality Tracker New Air Quality Monitors to be Used in the West Silver Valley The Wynd Air Quality Tracker will be added to the arsenal of particulate air quality monitors available to students for their air quality research projects. The Wynds are compact, about half the size of a standard deck of cards, accurate, and they work in conjunction with a cell phone app. The Wynd ...
Post a Comment
Read more

West Silver Valley, Idaho, Environmental Science and Health Fair

The West Silver Valley Environmental Education Project hosted an informational display at the Kellogg Environmental Science and Health Fair. The fair was held at the Kellogg Community Center on April 11 and was coordinated by Val Wade from the Kellogg office of Panhandle Health. Attendees included area university, high school and middle school students as well as Kellogg community members. Brett Taylor, from the University of Montana School of Public and Community Health Sciences, and Bridgett Cote, a student at Kellogg High School, led students and instructors through demonstrations on the mechanics of breathing; measuring lung function; and collecting particulate air quality data using a variety of particulate matter, PM, monitors. Bridgett Cote is showing how pig  lungs inflate Weather Balloon Launch Students from Jennifer Ferreira's 4th/5th grade combined class at Canyon Elementary School will be participating in a weather balloon launch on May 9. The West Silver...
Post a Comment
Read more

Working with the kids of Alexandra Primary School, Otago, New Zealand

Alexandra Primary School has a motto – ‘Indulge in Deep Learning – learning that sticks!’ Therefore, NIWA scientists joined forces with Alexandra Primary School teachers to engage kids aged 9 to 11 years in real world science this winter, make science less intimidating and more reachable.  We split our project in various branches including: Engage directly with scientists and break the ‘lab coat’ stereotypes! Learn the importance of data in science Learn to ask (and answer) why, what and how in daily life We posed questions based on local issues faced by the community in Alexandra. Our aim was to accelerate the uptake of science and increase their curiosity in science.  What is the air quality like in Alexandra, why is it that way and how could it be changed?  What is the air quality like in your homes, why is it that way and how could it be changed? How does air quality affect their health and perception? At the beginning of the project, a total o...
Post a Comment
Read more