As students return to their classrooms following Spring break, many will share their stories of beaches with friends and family.  But for thirteen students from the Derryfield School in New Hampshire, the conversation will be very different:

“So what did you do on Spring Break?”

Are you familiar with one of the BEST environmental education programs in the US? If not, then you need to get to know PROJECT LEARNING TREE (aka PLT)!  This award-winning environmental education program is designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12.

After poking around in the leaf litter and climbing into the canopy of the Amazon, it seems we might have discovered a new species of STEM. We affectionately call it by its common name, STEMazon.  Although not officially described by STEMologists, we have petitioned to give it a proper scientific name - Stemus amazonicus. 

Have you ever been awe-struck by nature’s engineering prowess and thought to yourself, “how in the world is that possible?” or “wouldn’t it be great if humans could do that?” Did it ever occur to you to think of nature as a big research and development firm with over 3 million consultants and over 3.8 billion years of experience?

Thirty educators from across the US departed for the Amazon last week to participate in a unique professional development program – The 2013 Educator Academy in the Amazon Rainforest sponsored by EcoTeach

Back in the day, science was often relegated to wealthy, self-funded explorers and “gentlemen scientists” the likes of Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin, and Isaac Newton. One could argue that they were the original “citizen scientists” but back then you had to have money and time to explore the world and formulate big thoughts.

Suddenly the treetops above us erupted in noise and chaos. We scrambled to grab our binoculars and craned our necks to find the source of mayhem high above our heads. Hearts beating fast, senses heightened, we quickly spotted a troop of tiny primates climbing and jumping through the canopy of the Amazon rainforest.

I started my teaching career as a traveling teacher - pushing my cart of science supplies from room to room. Boy has my definition of a traveling teacher changed! Now it means roaming the planet with a backpack, binoculars, and students.