Teachers invited to learn about natural resources in the forest
“The goal of the Forestry Institute for Teachers, or FIT, is to provide K-12 teachers with knowledge, skills and tools to teach their students about forest ecology and forest resource management practices and introduce them to environmental education curriculum such as Project Learning Tree, Project WILD and California's Education and the Environment,” said Mike De Lasaux, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension advisor for Plumas and Sierra counties and a FIT instructor.
The program, which is in its 23rd year, brings teachers from rural and urban settings together with natural resources experts to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between forest ecosystems and human use of natural resources. The environment becomes the basis for learning in many subject areas, including environmental science, physical science, social science, biology, forestry and history.
“FIT gave me a lot of physical group activities and ideas for how to get to know a new group of people,” said Renata Martin, who is a substitute teacher for grades 3 through 8 in the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Especially because I meet new kids every day, I've been able to use the lesson that we did around the campfire the first night with sharing important points in our lives as if they were tree cookies” or slices of a tree, said Martin.
FIT emphasizes California Department of Education Content Standards including Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Since 1993, more than 2,200 teachers have graduated from the program.
Using what they learn at the workshop, the participants conduct training for their colleagues and develop a forestry education project for their students during the school year.
Martin, who participated in FIT in 2014 in Plumas County, said she has adapted many of the lessons for her students based on their age, development and behavior.
Four 1-week FIT sessions are scheduled at four different locations: Plumas, Tuolumne, Shasta and Humboldt counties.
Two June sessions will be held at the University of California Forestry Camp, close to Quincy in Plumas County, and at Sierra Outdoor School near Sonora in Tuolumne County. The July sessions will be at Camp McCumber just east of Shingletown in Shasta County and at Humboldt State University in Arcata in Humboldt County.
The presenters and staff include public and private forest resource specialists and other natural resource managers, environmental activists and science and environmental education curriculum specialists. Groups are welcome to register as teams. There is an application fee of $25, but training, meals and lodging are free for first-time participants.
The deadline for applications is March 16. For more information and to apply, visit http://forestryinstitute.org or call the Forest Stewardship Helpline at (800) 783-8733.
The Forestry Institute for Teachers (FIT) workshop was developed by the Northern California Society of American Foresters, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension, Shasta County Office of Education, The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and Project Learning Tree. The FIT Program is underwritten by a consortium of public and private sources.
An initiative to maintain and enhance sustainable natural ecosystems is part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Strategic Vision 2025.
"Lengo la Taasisi ya Misitu kwa Walimu (FIT) ni kutoa K-12 walimu na maarifa, ujuzi na zana ya kufundisha wanafunzi wao kuhusu mazingira ya misitu na misitu rasilimali ya usimamizi wa mazoea na kuanzisha yao kwa elimu ya mazingira mtaala kama vile ""Project Tree Learning,"" ""Project WILD"" na ""California Elimu na Mazingira,"" alisema Mike DeLasso, UC Kilimo na Rasilimali za Asili Co-Operative Extension mshauri kwa Plumas na Sierra Counties." Programu hiyo, ambayo iko katika mwaka wake wa 23, inaleta walimu kutoka vijijini na mijini pamoja na wataalamu wa rasilimali za asili ili kupata uelewa wa kina wa uhusiano kati ya mifumo ya ikolojia ya misitu na matumizi ya binadamu ya rasilimali za asili. Mazingira inakuwa msingi wa kujifunza katika maeneo mengi ya somo, ikiwa ni pamoja na sayansi ya mazingira, sayansi ya fizikia, sayansi ya kijamii, biolojia, misitu na historia. "FIT ilinipa shughuli nyingi za kikundi cha kimwili na mawazo ya jinsi ya kupata kujua kundi jipya la watu, ""alisema Renata Martin, ambaye ni mwalimu wa badala kwa madarasa ya 3 hadi 8 katika San Francisco Bay Area." "Hasa kwa sababu mimi kukutana na watoto wapya kila siku, Nimekuwa na uwezo wa kutumia somo kwamba tulifanya karibu moto wa kambi usiku wa kwanza na kushiriki pointi muhimu katika maisha yetu kama kama wao walikuwa cookie mti ""au vipande vya mti", alisema Martin. California Department of Education (CED) inatoa viwango vya maudhui ya masomo ya msingi ya kawaida na viwango vya sayansi vya kizazi kijacho. Tangu mwaka 1993, zaidi ya walimu 2,200 wamehitimu kutoka kwa programu hiyo. Kutumia kile wanachojifunza katika warsha, washiriki huendesha mafunzo kwa wenzake na kuendeleza mradi wa elimu ya misitu kwa wanafunzi wao wakati wa mwaka wa shule. Martin, ambaye alishiriki katika FIT mnamo 2014 katika Kaunti ya Plumas, alisema amebadilisha masomo mengi kwa wanafunzi wake kulingana na umri wao, maendeleo na tabia. Mkutano wa wiki nne wa FIT umepangwa katika maeneo manne tofauti: Plumas, Tuolumne, Shasta na kaunti za Humboldt. Mkutano huo utafanyika katika Chuo Kikuu cha California Forestry Camp, karibu na Quincy katika Kaunti ya Plumas, na katika Shule ya Sierra Outdoor karibu na Sonora katika Kaunti ya Tuolumne. Mkutano huo utafanyika katika kambi ya McCumber mashariki ya Shingletown katika Kaunti ya Shasta na katika Chuo Kikuu cha Jimbo la Humboldt huko Arcata katika Kaunti ya Humboldt. Mwalimu wa utafiti wa misitu na wataalamu wa misitu ya umma na binafsi, wasimamizi wengine wa rasilimali za asili, wanaharakati wa mazingira na wataalamu wa sayansi na elimu ya mazingira. Vikundi vinaweza kujiandikisha kama timu. Mshahara wa maombi ni $ 25 na mafunzo, chakula na malazi ni bure kwa washiriki wa kwanza. Tarehe ya mwisho ya maombi ni Machi 16. Kwa maelezo zaidi, tafadhali tembelea www.forestschool.org au piga simu kwa mstari wa msaada wa usimamizi wa misitu (800) 783-8733. Shirika la California la Wanyama wa Miti na Mimea (NCSF), Chuo Kikuu cha California cha Kilimo na Rasilimali za Asili (UCA), Chuo Kikuu cha California cha Kilimo na Rasilimali za Asili (UCA), Chuo Kikuu cha California cha Kilimo na Misitu (CFIT), na Chuo Kikuu cha California cha Misitu na Ulinzi wa Moto (CFIT) Programu ya FIT imeandaliwa na shirika la vyanzo vya umma na binafsi. "Kupitia mradi wa ""Ukanda wa Usalama wa Kilimo na Rasilimali Asili"" wa UC, mradi wa ""Usalama wa Kilimo na Rasilimali Asili ya UC 2025"" umeundwa."