Do you teach high school biology or environmental studies?
Would you like to interact with ecological researchers, develop curriculum that links current research to Next Generation Science Standards, learn more about Kansas ecosystems, and work with other teachers across the state?
Then, apply to attend the
This year the institute will be held June 17-21, 2019 (arrive evening of June 16 if traveling from out of town) at the Konza Prairie Biological Station, 100 Konza Prairie Lane, Manhattan KS 66502.
While attending the institute, teachers will participate in a variety of activities from carrying out investigations and learning about current university-level research, to exploring diverse outdoor environments. Early in the week participants will be divided into groups based upon their areas of interest to work with Kansas State University researchers. Groups will spend time developing inquiry-based curriculum for their high school classrooms.
Teachers attending the summer institute will earn a stipend of $750 for actively participating in the week’s activities and writing curriculum.
A travel allowance will be provided for all participants and housing will be provided for participants who live more than an hour drive from the Konza Prairie Biological Station.
Applications are due April 1, 2019
To see how one teacher has used her 2018 institute experience in the classroom click here
To learn more about what you can expect, go to 2018 Ecosystems of Kansas Summer Institute
To learn more about the researchers who will be facilitating the small groups for the 2019 Ecosystems of Kansas Summer Institute as well as more about the MAPS researchers go to the People tab on the Kansas NSF EPSCoR MAPS outreach website.
Involvement in this program could lead to further collaboration through National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers (NSF RET) grants. Future programs will take place at the University of Kansas Field Station in 2020 and 2022 and at the Kansas State Konza Prairie Biological Station in the summer of 2021.
The summer institute is one of the educational outreach initiatives supported by the Kansas NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 Award OIA-1656006 titled: Microbiomes of Aquatic, Plant, and Soil Systems across Kansas (MAPS) and is under the direction of Dr. Peggy Schultz, Associate Specialist, Environmental Studies Program at the Kansas Biological Survey (KBS).
