PROSPECT PARK-AS-LAB: PLACE- AND INQUIRY-BASED GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION IN AN URBAN HIGH SCHOOL

The National Science Foundation Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) program, sponsored by Brooklyn College, promotes relationships between scientists in graduate education and inner city public schools. Working with underrepresented minority students in Brooklyn improves the Fellows’ teaching and communications skills while enriching the Earth Science Regents Curriculum for the students of S.T.A.R (Science Technology and Research) Early College High School in Brooklyn, New York. The Prospect Park-as-Lab project was designed in 2009 to introduce students to authentic, research-based experiences in which they collect data and perform geospatial analysis using GPS and GIS. The study, now in its second year, focuses on the effects of climate on trees, soils, and water systems of Brooklyn’s largest public park. Students are able to examine how these systems interact with each other and change throughout the year, particularly in the context of nutrient transportation among the interrelated systems. GK-12 Fellows collaborate with teachers to tailor the project to: 1) meet National and NY State science standards; 2) provide the appropriate academic rigor for high school students; and 3) find inexpensive and sustainable tools and resources for geoscience education. The fellows’ dedication to inquiry- and placed-based education has resulted in an increase in student attendance and participation in classroom activities, and improved students’ grades and interest in science as they build relationships with Brooklyn College faculty. This project also aims to provide a sustainable public project that can be used in the future in Prospect Park, in other parks around the country, and globally.