graduate students take to the field in k–12 education研究生需要在k - 12教育.pdfVIP

Community Page Graduate Students Take to the Field in K–12 Education Betsy J. Mitchell, Rosemary G. Gillespie* hildren are born curious, and nature is one of the most compelling targets for their C curiosity. Unfortunately, as the world becomes more urbanized, interactions between children and the natural world are becoming all too rare. Children today often express fear, apathy, or disdain toward nature, and some don’t even recognize plants as living things. In many cases a child’s parents or siblings are equally alienated from natural areas, and so cannot serve as role models to help preserve or mentor the child’s innate curiosity about nature. While this problem is widespread, it is especially troubling in California where, with a rapidly expanding human population, we face increasing degradation and loss of wild lands, with native species threatened by extinction through habitat modifi cation and invasion of exotic species. The irony here is doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050162.g001 that California is one of the world’s Brian Kraatz, a graduate student at the University of California Museum of biodiversity hotspots, a fact not Paleontology, introduces Adams Middle School students to the fl ora and fauna of the recognized by many of its citizens. Heath and Marjorie Angelo Coast Range Reserve in Mendocino County. Biology classes are one place where children can be introduced to nature, lack the funds to reach such sites. In universities to the K–12 community. where they can gain an understanding addition, with current emphasis on It also offers graduate students an and appreciation for the diversity of academic improvement (based on unparalleled opportunity to acquire life, its importance and its wonder. literac