Invasive Plant Species Education Kit

Dear Educator,

The Invasive Plant Species Education Lesson Guide and Kit has been developed to provide assistance and support to school districts that wish to teach students about caring for the environment and getting involved in their local community through the removal of invasive plant species. I highly recommend that you watch the Introduction to the IPS Education Kit video clip located in the teacher resource CD to get a overall understanding of the lessons and kit.

I feel blessed to have been chosen to be the teacher to pilot this outstanding educational training kit and to have my students be the first to try out the lessons. It is my hope that many teachers throughout the state will take advantage of this well written curriculum and will collaborate with their local environmental experts to plan and carry out an invasive species removal project.

You can make a difference! Within just the space of a few decades, the way children understand and experience nature has radically changed. Even as youth become more aware of global threats to the environment, their physical contact with nature is fading. This kit will help teachers address this challenge by creating classroom opportunities for students to explore the outdoors while also learning about forest ecology and invasive plant species.

This kit is designed with the teacher in mind. The lessons are easy to follow; my students enjoyed the variety of activities that are included in the curriculum. As a teacher, you can use the kit as a whole unit or pick certain parts to enhance your already existing teaching plans.

A critical element in this kit is your motivation to make connections with the experts in your local community. These individuals can help you carry out the most important part of these lessons- the actual removal of the invasive species in your area. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the environmental experts in your community and learn from them.

Also, encourage your students to connect their classroom experiences to their own neighborhoods to benefit themselves and others. Empower your students to be stewards of the earth. Studies show that adults with a greater environmental awareness had some transcendent experience in nature when they were children. Stewardship of our environment requires knowledge, skills, a positive attitude, and a commitment to making a difference for all who live on our earth. As teachers, we have the power to instill these attributes in our students.

In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught.

Enjoy!

Jean D’Angelo
Agriscience Teacher
Menomonie High School
Menomonie, WI

Invasive Plant Species Education Kit Lessons All Lessons Table of Contents The Forest Odyssey Exploring Ecosystems Restoring Biodiversity Outwit-Outplant-Outlast Plant Invaders Plant Hunters Introduction to GPS and GIS Technologies Monitoring Invasive Plant Species Invasive Plant Species Control Appendix The Cyclic Journey of an Atom Using a Compass Supplemental GPS Activities Level 1 Monitoring Glossary of Terms Resources IPS Education Kit Supply Information Author Biographies and Thank Yous NSTA .Cornell Scientific Research Series Choosing A Research Topic Research Design Checklist Research Planning Form 1 Research Planning Form	Dear Educator, The Invasive Plant Species Education Lesson Guide and Kit has been developed to provide assistance and support to school districts that wish to teach students about caring for the environment and getting involved in their local community through the removal of invasive plant species. I highly recommend that you watch the Introduction to the IPS Education Kit video clip located in the teacher resource CD to get a overall understanding of the lessons and kit. I feel blessed to have been chosen to be the teacher to pilot this outstanding educational training kit and to have my students be the first to try out the lessons. It is my hope that many teachers throughout the state will take advantage of this well written curriculum and will collaborate with their local environmental experts to plan and carry out an invasive species removal project. You can make a difference! Within just the space of a few decades, the way children understand and experience nature has radically changed. Even as youth become more aware of global threats to the environment, their physical contact with nature is fading. This kit will help teachers address this challenge by creating classroom opportunities for students to explore the outdoors while also learning about forest ecology and invasive plant species. This kit is designed with the teacher in mind. The lessons are easy to follow; my students enjoyed the variety of activities that are included in the curriculum. As a teacher, you can use the kit as a whole unit or pick certain parts to enhance your already existing teaching plans. A critical element in this kit is your motivation to make connections with the experts in your local community. These individuals can help you carry out the most important part of these lessons- the actual removal of the invasive species in your area. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the environmental experts in your community and learn from them. Also, encourage your students to connect their classroom experiences to their own neighborhoods to benefit themselves and others. Empower your students to be stewards of the earth. Studies show that adults with a greater environmental awareness had some transcendent experience in nature when they were children. Stewardship of our environment requires knowledge, skills, a positive attitude, and a commitment to making a difference for all who live on our earth. As teachers, we have the power to instill these attributes in our students. In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught. Enjoy! Jean D’Angelo Agriscience Teacher Menomonie High School Menomonie, WI	Jean D'Angelo Menomonie High School Agriscience Teacher & Member of the IPS Education Kit Curriculum Development Team For more information about the Invasive Plant Species Education Kit and Lessons Contact Krista James jamesk@uwstout.edu IPS Education Kit Press Release Video Clips IPS Lessons Overview Part 1 Part 2 Jennifer Elliot- Reading Along with "The Odyssey" Part 1 Part 2 Forest Story: Restoring Wisconsin's Treasure Mississippi Valley Conservancy Explores the Dangers of Invasive Plants (video link) Outwit-Outplant-Outlast Lesson Game Overview NASA Connect: Using GPS and GIS in Landscape Archaeology PowerPoint Presentations Forest Invasives Refresher by Rob Strand, DNR Forester What is GPS? from ESER GPS Intro from CitSci.org GPS Use from CitSci.org