EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY FIELDTRIPS

Educational Community Fieldtrips are an excellent method of fostering a sense of stewardship of the earth. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) has identified fieldtrips as an important aspect of the K-12 science curriculum along with laboratory activities and inquiry based instruction. These national science education standards are the guidelines for science curriculum in most states. Educational fieldtrips provide opportunities to investigate the forces in nature that sculpt the topography and drive evolution. The Earth is under constant change, fieldtrips allow us to identify the difference between natural change and change caused by man. In order to assure quality fieldtrips we have formed a coalition and developed a model for educational community fieldtrips. The model includes content experts in geosciences and experts in science education. Geosciences expert guides provide credibility when responding to technical questions by students and parents while educators assure local and state regulations are observed. Most communities have a resource of experts in the universities, colleges, private industry, institutions of informal science education, and civic groups who are experts in their community's ecosystem. These groups are the source of expert guides. Educators handle the logistics in planning the fieldtrip and assure curriculum requirements are addressed. Geosciences are the focus of fieldtrips; it is therefore our responsibility to actively support the education system in fostering a sense of stewardship of our natural resources. Everything we use in our daily life, everything around us, from the materials in home construction to the components in our computers comes from the earth. We are of a population, which consumes a disproportional large percent of the earth's resources; our goal is to develop respect for the environment and awareness of the delicate balance between the responsible consumption of resources and resource management.