Field Notes & First Steps

Overview

Ruby Jenco, a field instructor at Teton Science Schools (TSS), developed a set of winter videos to connect students with Wyoming scientists and support authentic field research experiences. Each "Research Day" at TSS engages students in question generation, data collection, analysis, and sharing, and these winter videos provide introductions and guidance to spark students' ideas and work. The three videos share connections to snow science, animal behavior, and ecological change across Wyoming.

Ruby's overview of this activity is linked HERE. Scroll down to the Resources & Links section of this page to check out her specific materials.

Goals

• Get students excited about data collection, synthesis, and problem solving
• Build student understanding of how scientists form research questions and collect data to answer those questions
• Engage students in authentic, place-based field research experiences
• Build connections between K-12 learners and Wyoming's research community
• Inspire interest in STEM-focused careers

Implementation & Outcomes

• Each video targets specific grade bands ranging from 4th-10th grade
• Each video introduces a scientist, background information on a research topic, and was used to kick off a student-led research project in a field learning setting
• Students worked in small, student-led research teams during full research days and shared findings with the larger group each evening
• Future plans include creating a summer research series and more data-driven investigations

Resources & Links

• Animal Tracking with Kevin Taylor (4th-6th grade)
• Ungulate Behavior with Amy Girard (6th-8th grade)
• Snow Stability with Cam Galt (8th-10th grade)

Contact for More Information

For more details about this program or to learn how to incorporate similar activities in your school, please reach out to the TRKE program coordinators at smtcpd@uwyo.edu.