Minnesota Environment and Natural Resource Trust Fund dollars begin supporting the development of a raptor-oriented, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)-focused curriculum for 7th and 8th graders today.
The Raptor Center’s interpretive naturalist Mike Billington and the center’s executive director, Julia Ponder, D.V.M., will lead the development of an online curriculum alongside the U of M Learning Technologies Media Lab team. The curriculum will allow teen analysis and exploration of real-world data from The Raptor Center clinic.
“The idea is to engage and inspire the next generation of scientists,” said Billington.
By providing students a lens into the captivating world of raptor rehabilitation, the Raptor Lab should encourage teen interest in future careers within the sciences. A pilot version of the environmental education program went over well in three metro-area schools over the past few years. Participating students at one pilot school – the Rockford Middle School-Center for Environmental Studies – graphed and interpreted data, practiced technical writing, and received three visits from an interpretive naturalist over the course of a school year.
The full program should be ready statewide in 2016.
We’re already excited to try it out!
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