Ecological justice and citizen science

This hands-on insect project taught elementary students, elementary teachers, and preservice teachers the value and importance of protecting insects while learning through fun and engaging integrated science pedagogies: Inquiry, ecological justice, and citizen science. Inservice and preservice teachers were supported through professional development opportunities through a co-planning model and/or a science methods course in which they learned about teaching with these approaches. Inquiry provided students with opportunities to decide the focus of their learning. This matters because we want to teach students to think and be curious about insects and the natural world. Ecological justice education is about teaching students to take action by protecting living systems and solving environmental problems that have been caused by people neglecting to understand the interconnectedness of living creatures and ecosystems. This matters because when students are taught the importance of ecological justice, they can be the change makers of today and tomorrow that protect the earth. Citizen Science is an experience that allows elementary students and their teachers to collect data for real scientists. This matters because students have a deeper understanding of what it means to be a scientist.This project was generously funded by the Chrysalis Grant.