Chattermarks

~ Photo by Jeremy Magee.

Last week the first climate change teacher workshop was held at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center. Twenty science teachers from Oregon and Washington were invited to spend a week at NCI’s Diablo Lake campus and discuss ideas and challenges for integrating climate change into curriculum and lessons. In an attempt to make direct connections between climate change and home communities, the workshop focused on regional evidence and effects of climate change in the Pacific Northwest.

Glaciers on a beach with Ian. ~  Photo by J. Magee.

Interpretive ranger Andrew Pringle welcomed us to the park and gave us an overview of the area. Racing the rising winds, we quickly jumped into the big canoes and went out on the lake with aquatic ecologist Ashley Rawhouser to gather data and zooplankton samples. Back in the classroom, Ashley explained how these fit into a lake system and what trends to pay attention to over the years.

Andrew and Ashley lowering the data logger. ~  Photo by Jack McLeod.

Collecting zooplankton and water temperature data. ~ Photo by J. McLeod.

Keying out zooplankton. ~ Photo by J. McLeod.

During the the next year, each teacher will undertake a service learning project with their students to connect lessons on climate change with actions that address it. They will be connecting their lessons to the National Park system in some way, and many of them are hoping to use the data that Ashley and other scientists have collected in the park.

Ashley laying out the ecology of the Skagit River. ~ Photo by D. Masterman.

The next day found us out on Railroad Grade with geologist Jon Riedel. Jon shared his work with glaciers over the past decade and fielded questions on a range of climate topics.

Jon shows old photos of the Easton glacier and its position. ~ Photo by J. McLeod.

Perusing glacier data sets in the field. ~  Photo by J. McLeod.

Mr. Magee enjoys the ride home. ~ Photo by J. McLeod.

Back in the classroom, teachers traded ideas on lesson plans, creative ways around barriers and shared their service project ideas. We created an online site for sharing documents and ideas and will be sharing our projects with other teachers nationwide with the launch of the Parks Climate Challenge website.

Andrew talks about interpreting climate change. ~ Photo by D. Masterman.

This program was started by an initial grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and further developed with funds from the National Park Foundation as part of a larger initiative called the Parks Climate Challenge.

A big thank you to our supporters and to all the teachers who took time out of their summer to participate in the workshop!

Mountain School is not yet over but the summer youth program team is already pulling big shifts and long hours in preparation for the arrival of the Cascade Climate Challenge and North Cascades Wild students. Countless calories must be packed and cached, payloads of gear have to be inventoried, cleaned and organized and mounds of student information needs to be reviewed and entered into spreadsheets. We assembled a few photos shot during the week to give folks a behind-the-scenes look into summer youth programs.

Ian, Amy and Kevin review equipment options.

(12 x 10 x 8) + (2 x 20 x 4) = ??? Tasha evaluates the food-packing progress.

Ian and Scott inventory and grade the condition of the equipment.

Amy outlines the structures and goals of the two summer youth programs in a presentation to new staff.

Still smiling, Kate prepares a bucket to be cached at the Ross Lake Resort.

Ian lays out the objectives of an instructor skills session.

One of the many spreadsheets and organizational charts we create and use.

102, 103, 104… Program T-shirts are inventoried.

Still packing food. Clint orders Codi to quit dancing and get back to work. Fortunately, she is ignoring him.

August is here and so is the second session of Cascades Climate Challenge!

As summer temperatures begin in earnest, the intrepid second session students have arrived and are getting set to head out into the field. After meeting at Seatac airport, we spent our first few days getting to know each other and our surroundings.

» Continue reading Starting Out Hot!!

How big is your social network? Use your e-powers for good and help Cascades Climate Challenge win a grant! Go to the  Brighter Planet Project Fund and vote up to 3 times. If we get the most votes, we win $5000.

The money will be used to buy new tents (our current ones aren’t going to make it through the summer), school bus fees (many school districts don’t have field trips because they can’t afford to hire the buses) and supplies for the students (we supply everything the students need for the summer—socks, long underwear, boots, water bottles, raingear, warm fleece, hats—you name it.)

Voting closes June 15, so please spread the word to everyone you know!

Photo (Above) Two Climate Challenge students enjoy Baker Lake in July.

The days of the hand-scrawled essay may be gone, but students still are telling stories to their peers, families and teachers about their summer experiences. We are pleased to be able to showcase two videos put together by members of the 2009 Parks Climate Challenge team. The first, by Laura Humes, is a testament to the power of her experience in the North Cascades. The second, by Sydney Jarol, was selected for honorable mention by KCTS in their My Parks! Digital Storytelling competition.

You know it’s serious business when you get a list outlining several different dress codes for the upcoming trip. Last week the Parks Climate Challenge team continued their odyssey, this time meeting in Washington D.C., where they substituted swimsuits for sport coats, hiking boots for heels, and PFDs for neckties. (See a “before” photo here.)

Colin, Jordan and Hannah prepare energy-saving kits.

Audrey and Yvonne plant seeds with students from Cesar Chavez Public Charter school.

Less than 24 hours after arriving, the students led other youth in a service project on the National Mall (radio story here), attended a reception on Capitol Hill, presented to Federal Agency representatives and met with Robert Stanton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy Management and Budget. In between engagements the students did some sightseeing, continued planning and developing their service projects and caught up with each other.

PCC students rehearse their presentations for the Federal agency representatives.

Somehow in the midst of prepping for DC, working on the upcoming service project and heading back to school, Sydney found time to create an entry for the KCTS Digital Storytelling Competition and won honorable mention!

Donya, Sydney and Araceli work the room.

“We are going to change the world”

They climbed up steep mountain trails into clouds; toured a dam powerhouse; bathed in freezing snowmelt streams; canoed across white-capped lakes; withstood a heat wave; taught fifth-graders about climate change; walked through old forest fire burns; sat out a lightning storm on Desolation Peak; interviewed scientists, rangers, firefighters, journalists and rodeo-watchers; and sang, hiked, documented and laughed their way across North Cascades National Park.

With many surprises, discoveries and ‘firsts’, the inaugural Parks Climate Challenge team completed the field phase of their experience in great style. After 33 days in the North Cascades studying climate change, what do the Parks Climate Challenge students have to say?

“We’re the ones who are going to influence the next generation. Once we get on track, they’re going to follow suit.”

“It’s our lifetime now and we’re the ones that are going to have to live with it. If we start early, then by the time we’re adults, we’ll be able to do something.”

“We are going to change the world.”