The first national park in American history was Yellowstone, designated in 1872 as “a public park or place of pleasure for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” Since then, 424 additional sites have been added to the National Park Systemwhich now spans all 50 states and offers more than 85 million acres of natural, historical and cultural learning opportunities.
Expeditions in education channels those vast resources into real-world STEM learning. The nonprofit was founded by former STEM educator Dacia Jones and her husband Steve, who now travel around the country 260 days a year, filming in national parks. At each stop, they talk to rangers, research the challenges facing the site, and then create content that includes a look at each park, its history, its place in the world, and a STEM challenge.
“On our website we have more than 140 videos filmed in national parks linked to the UN Global Goals,” says Dacia Jones. “Educators can choose any of these parks and connect them to what they are currently doing in the classroom. For example: If you are talking about weathering and erosion, you may choose to virtually visit Bryce Canyon. “All of these are completely free and available to anyone.”
Love the world, save the world
Growing up, the allure of national parks was instilled in the couple, whose separate families made regular pilgrimages to various sites for camping, hiking, picnicking and exploring. “As our paths intertwined when we married, we sought to continue this legacy, introducing our children to the enchanting kingdom of the Great Smoky Mountains,” Jones says.
As an educator, Jones realized that these places are ideal for STEM learning. “National parks are living, breathing repositories of knowledge,” he says. “They present unparalleled opportunities for genuine exploration. “Students and educators not only read about ecosystems, they witness them in real time.”
Through Expeditions in Education, students and teachers can also tap into first-hand expert knowledge by interacting directly with those on the ground at the sites.
“The nice thing is that we connect with all the rangers and education departments at the national parks,” says Rodney Crouse, a fifth-grade teacher at Guilford County Schools in North Carolina and an avid participant in the program. “So throughout the year, if we’re working on particular ecosystems or historical topics, rangers will do Zooms with our class and answer questions, and it’ll be one-on-one with experts.”
“It is truly magical to see students recognize a part of themselves in the passionate faces of these rangers,” Jones says. “This approach also fosters a deeper connection and respect for each other and the planet, laying the foundation for raising the next generation of empathetic, environmentally conscious and responsible citizens.”
Crouse recommends engaging students in nature journaling, using John Muir Laws as an example of “how to do it”. He says: “The most important thing is that we want children to save the world, but unless you teach them to love it and let them fall in love with it first, they won’t care.”
Live! Of . . .
Expeditions in Education organized regularly Crossing America LIVE events in schools during which students learn more about national parks. Crossing America LiveStreams also features periodically.
“Last year, over 13,000 people virtually joined us as we broadcast live from the ice lakes in Voyageurs National Park in February (-8 degrees on the ice lake!),” says Jones. “In April, more than 15,000 students from across the country tuned in as we spoke with Ranger Jody at the edge of Kilauea in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.”
For Crossing America events, Crouse suggests downloading the companion document so students can record the locations and information they learn from the experience. “When joining live events, be awkward! Ask questions! Get involved!” he says. “Keep going and keep going. Have students face the challenges posed by Dr. Drizzle and Sustainable Goals along with the National Parks.”
For the upcoming school year, five LiveStream events are scheduled, including:
- October 31: Visit the swamps of Big Cypress National Park in Florida to meet with park ranger Lisa and dispel myths about swamp water.
- November 9: Live broadcast from the tide pools of Acadia National Park in Maine, where attendees will meet the invasive European green crab.
- December 7: A trip to Jimmy Carter’s childhood home at Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Georgia.
All of these virtual events are free. Register at expeditionsineducation.org/4thgrade.html.
Don’t forget the S’mores!
In addition to virtual and in-school learning opportunities, teachers can participate in STEAM in the Park, a paid summer camp experience just for educators that runs from June to mid-August. Last year, more than 400 educators from across the country gathered at 12 national parks for hands-on learning opportunities.
Crouse recently attended a STEAM in the Park trip to Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota. “We met with the Voyageurs Wolf Conservancy project team, and the guy came out and showed us the collars and all the things they do,” he says. “He showed us his crazy wolf howl, and then the wolf cubs responded.”
Ultimately, national parks offer seemingly endless opportunities to learn.
“Our advice to future participating educators is simple: take the plunge!” Jones says. “It is crucial to foster an environment where students feel empowered to drive instruction and educators act as facilitators.”
“Jump in with both feet, sometimes literally,” adds Crouse. “And let the beauty of nature and the wonder of curiosity take you and your students on a new adventure!”