Events and Highlights
Check out our quarterly highlights below!
Research Accelerators Continue to Support Student Inquiry Projects
March 20-22, 2019
The Research Accelerator team visited Milwaukee to continue to support learners on their scientific journeys. Our team worked with students to collect data and create projects using the scientific method. Student projects ranged from using the DOTS tools to make observations about garden plots to differentiating between impermeable and permeable surfaces on their playground.
To learn more about the Research Accelerators contact Isabelle Herde at isabelle.herde@wisc.edu
Organizations met with:
- La Escuela Fratney 5th grade science classes
- Urban Ecology Center - Menonomnoee Valley Young Scientist Club
- Maryland Avenue Montessori 7/8th grade science class
Research Accelerators Support Science Strikes Back Projects
January 14-16, 2019
The Research Accelerator team visited Milwaukee to support learners on their scientific journeys. Our team reviewed social science surveys, scientific procedures, data display, and talking about the state of science today and local environmental issues. Student projects ranged from water quality to green roofs in Milwaukee and how to create the best bath bomb.
To learn more about the Research Accelerators contact Isabelle Herde at isabelle.herde@wisc.edu
To learn more about Science Strikes Back Community Science Fair visit www.sciencestrikesback.com
Organizations met with:
- Ronald Reagan High School IB Environmental Science Class
- La Escuela Fratney 5th grade science classes
- Urban Ecology Center - Menonomnoee Valley Young Scientist Club
- Maryland Avenue Montessori 7/8th grade science class
- El Puente High School
Special thanks to coordination by Wehr Nature Center, Urban Ecology Center, and Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.
Research Accelerators in Milwaukee
December 12-14, 2018
The Research Accelerator team visited Milwaukee partners and schools to support student research projects. Our goal was to meet with prospective Science Strikes Back Community Science Fair participants and support their project through this visit and a subsequent visit in January. These visits focus on developing skills with the scientific process to empower students.
To learn more about the Research Accelerators contact Isabelle Herde at isabelle.herde@wisc.edu
To learn more about Science Strikes Back Community Science Fair visit www.sciencestrikesback.com
Research Accelerators met with individual student groups to help with projects ranging from creating and testing bath bombs to comparing conifer and deciduous trees. The Research Accelerators presented to schools on how to sign up for Science Strikes Back, what previous projects looked like, and how they could get started.
Science Strikes Back Kick Off
November 9, 2018
The kick off meeting for Science Strikes Back: Empowering Students and Educators to Impact Urban Watersheds was a success with 16 partners in attendance during the first snow in Milwaukee. Members from Friends of Wehr Nature Center, Reflo Sustainable Water Solutions, Escuela Verde, Urban Ecology Center-Menomonee Valley Branch, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and Upham Woods met up to spend time getting to know each other’s organizations as well as each others' personal investment in the project.
The day included reflection on the history, pedagogy and thinking that has built Science Strikes Back. We reviewed the goals and commitments made in the grant and created our own goals to build on those. A quick snapshot of of the personal partner goals: "For meaningful mentorship to occur and build a sustainable program" and for "For partners to tell the story and process of this grant with meaning and data" The team practiced inquiry activities that they could use with students. These inquiry and observation activities produced stories that reflected on the weather including this one: "An early snow, frozen crystals fall from the sky, accumulating on the world around us, in a blanket of monochromatic white covering up the kaleidoscope showcase of late bloomers. How many days until this photosynthetic machinery grinds to a halt?” Partners shared resources with each other throughout the course of the day and reflected on what they committed to in the grant and how to complete the work assigned to them.
Pictured below are members of the team from left to right on the top row: Isabelle Herde, Beverly Bryant, Joey Zocher, Max Myers and Laurel Wright. Left to right in the middle row: Jennifer Loveland, Joyce Harms, Erin Ganzke, Maggie Steinhauer and Annie Hooper. Left to right in on the bottom row: Justin Hegarty, Glenna Holstein, Justin Hougham and Tempestt Morgan.
Past Events
Digital Observation Technology Skills (DOTS) Training 11/10/18
If you or anyone you know is interested in digital technology use for environmental education and scientific inquiry come to our Digital Observation Technology Skills (DOTS) training. Information below.
Camp Salem DOTS Outreach with Lincoln Middle School
May 24th, 2018
Upham Woods naturalists had the chance to share their knowledge with seventh grade students from Lincoln Middle School at Camp Salem in Black River Falls! The camp aims to get students excited about nature and have fun outdoors while learning a thing or two along the way. Throughout the day, we worked with seven groups with eleven to thirteen students in each. While the main focus of the lesson was to test and compare the water quality of a stream, pond, and waterfall, we also studied the aquatic macro-invertebrates living there and saw how actions upstream affect the environment and people downstream, thanks to a nearby cranberry bog. Everyone involved had a blast and gained valuable skills and knowledge in a real-world setting. See the scientific stories below for the results of our experiments and photos of the students in action!
World Water Day 2018
March 22nd, 2018
Upham Woods is participating in World Water Day with our partners across the state of Wisconsin! World Water Day is an annual, global event initiated by the UN to raise awareness about freshwater resource issues around the world.
The theme for World Water Day 2018 is ‘Nature for Water’ – exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century. At Upham Woods, we are using the DOTS kits to collect water quality data from the Wisconsin River and one of its tributaries. Our partners are doing the same for the water resources in their communities. See below for scientific stories and photos from this day of water resource awareness.
Water Quality Workshop and Educator Training: March 12th-13th, 2018
On March 12th, 2018, Upham Woods hosted an environmental education workshop and training event featuring citizen science water quality monitoring techniques and DOTS technology. This water quality workshop brought together attendees from across Wisconsin with a shared interest in broadening access to environmental education through water quality monitoring. Participants included STEM teachers, camp facilitators, master naturalists, extension agents, and environmental specialists from a variety of organizations. The workshop kicked off on the morning of the 12th with field science activities that featured strategies for fostering learner inquiry in unstructured, outdoor learning environments. Next, participants familiarized themselves with the DOTS tools: portable, handheld devices that allow users to take measurements in their environment. They practiced taking atmospheric measurements with weather meters, finding GPS coordinates, and collecting water quality data with multi-parameter probes and test tablets. To read more about this workshop, click here.
For more information about the EPA Water Quality Monitoring Project, email Justin Hougham at justin.hougham@ces.uwex.edu
Wisconsin Youth Water Stories Summit
August 2-4, 2017
The summit kicked off on the morning of August 2nd with participants coming from Escuela Verde and Urban Ecology Center, both located in Milwaukee; La Crosse Schools; Bayfield and Washburn Counties; and Northland College. Students collected data on transects of the Wisconsin River by canoe, exploring a riparian ecosystem through observation and data collection on Black Hawk Island, completed a low ropes course and measuring water quality of the Wisconsin River Watershed. On August 4th a symposium was held with a total of 7 presentations with all students given time to speak in front of the group. The data everyone collected was revealed and explored.
June 20, 2017
Bad River Reservation, Learning from the Land with DOTS
Youth from Bad River Reservation (near Ashland, WI) explored their local waterway on the Bad River. They were able to use DOTS digital tools to more closely investigate how recent flood events altered local fishing spots. They paid close attention to native versus invasive plant species and developed inquiry into how invasive plants can affect an ecosystem. Keep up the great monitoring efforts!
June 20, 2017
The Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation, Ashland WI
The research team at Upham Woods met with researchers from the Burke Center to observe and inquire about their water monitoring efforts. Water issues in the Chequamegon Bay include E. coli congregation affecting beach-going safety. The Burke Center uses a model to predict advisories and closures and collects data for numerous health and nature departments. See the full story here.
April 21st, 2017 - Mississippi River Monitoring Effort
Youth from La Crosse explored the Mississippi River at Houska Park. They took water and soil quality samples for testing, searched for macroinvertebrates in the flood waters and took radiating heat measurements of both living and non-living objects. Keep up the great monitoring efforts!
April 5th, 2017 - Lincoln Middle School Visit
To kick off their own water monitoring and data collection efforts, students from Lincoln Middle School with the La Crosse School District visited Upham Woods. They interacted with the DOTS and Water Quality Monitoring tools at two different locations on property, discovering macro-invertebrates, water pollutants and soil conditions along the way.
The students were really excited about interacting with the tools and even learned a little Wisconsin geography when they discovered that the Wisconsin River and the Mississippi River do indeed connect. They also enjoyed hypothesizing questions and experiments that they could answer using the digital tools.
March 22, 2017 - WORLD WATER DAY
In celebration of World Water Day, Upham Staff checked in on the health of the Wisconsin River. Using the EPA Water Monitoring Kits, staff gathered data on the weather, thermal and water conditions, even spotting some neat macro-invertebrates in the cold water!
We hope everyone participates today in raising awareness of global uses of water, including sampling their local waterways.
World Water is a United Nations initiative to "take action to tackle the water crisis" worldwide. 2017 Theme: Wastewater. To find out more, check out http://www.worldwaterday.org/
January 11-12, 2017 - Educator Training
To kick off the new year, educators from the School District of La Crosse, Urban Ecology Center- Menomonee Valley Branch, and Escuela Verde teamed up with Upham Woods Staff for a two day training. Highlights from the training included hands-on interaction with DOTS tools, inquiry based instruction activities, and the collection of real data with the tools. Sadly, educators from Bayfield County 4-H Extension, and Northland College were unable to attend, but were able to interact with everyone through teleconferencing. Everyone greatly enjoyed working with the tools, and discussing upcoming events. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend.