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Dalton News
Exploring STEAM and Environmental Connections in the Galapagos
Dr. Carmen Campos and Dr. Lori Langer de Ramirez received a PA Grant to travel to the Galapagos Islands last summer. While visiting the islands of Santa Cruz and San Cristobal, they gathered realia, didactic materials, books, photos, and videos (VR and 360-degree footage) for use in teaching their students in K-12 Spanish about this important region. They worked with a dedicated naturalist to explore the flora and fauna of the islands as well as the folklore and cultural traditions. They also visited a school and connected with a social activist, storyteller, and local artisans. Continue reading for further details.
What is the most important insight you gained from your experience? or highlight that you would like to share?
One highlight was our trip to a school on Santa Cruz. The students were excited to chat with us - in English and in Spanish - and would be an excellent source of school-to-school partnerships for Dalton. We also made valuable contacts in the Galapagos Islands - with naturalists, social activists, and local artisans - that we will continue to explore throughout the coming years. We both were impressed by the incredible wealth of resources and experiences that Galapagos would provide for our students, and we hope that one day we might organize a travel program for Spanish students.
How will your students benefit from your undertaking?
As our growing Spanish K-12 program continues to develop STEAM-based curricula, we have been drawn to areas like the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador as the source of strong cultural and content-area connections. Galapagos provides a fantastic science connection with its attention to environmental issues, plethora of animals, and unique geography. With the materials gathered and many more that we are creating using the photos and videos collected, we are developing thematic curriculum units that center around Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for our K-12 students. We are also scheduled to share our work with the broader Spanish-teaching community by presenting a workshop session at our national conference this coming November. The materials we gathered and the experiences we had on this travel program will continue to unfold in our teaching and curricula for years to come.
Story provided by Sheila Paloni, PA Treasurer Committee
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One highlight was our trip to a school on Santa Cruz. The students were excited to chat with us - in English and in Spanish - and would be an excellent source of school-to-school partnerships for Dalton. We also made valuable contacts in the Galapagos Islands - with naturalists, social activists, and local artisans - that we will continue to explore throughout the coming years. We both were impressed by the incredible wealth of resources and experiences that Galapagos would provide for our students, and we hope that one day we might organize a travel program for Spanish students.
How will your students benefit from your undertaking?
As our growing Spanish K-12 program continues to develop STEAM-based curricula, we have been drawn to areas like the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador as the source of strong cultural and content-area connections. Galapagos provides a fantastic science connection with its attention to environmental issues, plethora of animals, and unique geography. With the materials gathered and many more that we are creating using the photos and videos collected, we are developing thematic curriculum units that center around Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for our K-12 students. We are also scheduled to share our work with the broader Spanish-teaching community by presenting a workshop session at our national conference this coming November. The materials we gathered and the experiences we had on this travel program will continue to unfold in our teaching and curricula for years to come.
Story provided by Sheila Paloni, PA Treasurer Committee
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