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Check out my lesson plan for a field experiment introducing students to stream food webs, specifically regarding detrital resources. This lesson is great for students' first time in the field and prompts students to think about other ecoregions.

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Exploring Detritus-Based Food Webs in Streams

Author(s): Susan Washko ¹, Elizabeth Waring ²

1. University of Arizona 2. Northeastern State University

81 total view(s), 6 download(s)

Summary:

This two-part field lesson for mid- to upper-level undergraduates connects allochthonous inputs to the invertebrate consumers that depend on them. After preparing students with background information such as the stream continuum concept, 'brown'...

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This two-part field lesson for mid- to upper-level undergraduates connects allochthonous inputs to the invertebrate consumers that depend on them. After preparing students with background information such as the stream continuum concept, 'brown' versus 'green' food web components, and invertebrate functional feeding groups, students will be ready to embark into the stream. During the first part, students will sample organic matter using a variety of equipment, sort the organic matter into leaf packs, and deploy the leaf packs. During the second part, students will collect the leaf packs, inventory the inhabiting aquatic macroinvertebrates, and identify functional feeding groups present. Students will reflect on their experience by drawing a diagram of a detritus-based food web, writing a paragraph explaining the food web, and making comparisons of their data to data from other locations in the activity worksheet.

Description

This field lesson includes instructor notes (student safety, lesson context and engagement, equipment list, etc.) and the lesson plan (including foundational information for students, step-by-step field process, and assessment), a worksheet for students, a data sheet for students, and a completed example of the data sheet and worksheet. While this lesson is centered on the field activity and limits focus on data analysis, the authors include a list of other resources where data analysis is a central component of the lesson.

Cite this work

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

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quantitative undergraduate biology education and synthesis

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Exploring Detritus-Based Food Webs in Streams

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This two-part field lesson for mid- to upper-level undergraduates connects allochthonous inputs to the invertebrate consumers that depend on them. After preparing students with background information such as the stream continuum concept, 'brown' versus 'green' food web components, and invertebrate functional feeding groups, students will be ready to embark into the stream.

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Undergraduate Research Program Coordinator, RMBL

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Undergraduate Research Program Coordinator, RMBL

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Since summer 2022, I have served as the undergraduate research program coordinator at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado. I organize workshops, helped students with deadlines, aided students in navigating professional relationships with their mentors, etc.

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I have completed a professional development program through the River Field Studies Network. This program coaches undergraduate instructors on how to design field lessons, lead field experiences, and plan field courses safely. See my lesson plan here: https://qubeshub.org/publications/3598/1

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I am a certified instructor for The Carpentries, focusing on R for ecologists. As instructors, we use evidence-based pedagogies and strategies to build a positive, effective learning environment.

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Student researchers are often unsure of expectations, and both the student and advisor can make assumptions. To improve clarity, openness, and create a positive experience for students, I have created a document that serves as a conversation starter about expectations. Covering all aspects of the student's research project, the student and advisor fill out the form together to start the mentorship off on the same page.

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RMBL student & research mentor compact 2023

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Some students may not have much experience in the field to prepare them for menstruation scenarios. I wrote this quick guide to be transparent and help students who are too nervous to ask for advice.

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Thanks for stopping by!

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This syllabus for a 1-credit urban ecology course demonstrates my care for students through an open tone, use of personal pronouns, clear course explanation, and inclusive policies. Please explore the attached pdf.

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Please see my CV for a full list of my teaching experience, research background, publications, and awards.

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Through this certification, I took the following classes and earned the following mini-certificates:

Coursework

College Teaching Practice

Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom

Learner-Centered Teaching

Survival Skills and Ethics

Using Technology in Teaching

Mini-Certifications

Building Communities in Online Courses

Building Intentional Learning Relationships

Responsible Conduct in Research

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Designing an Asynchronous, Self-Led Aquatic Ecology Field Trip

https://doi.org/10.24918/cs.2021.34

This paper is a guide to designing aquatic ecology field trips that students take independently, with a focus on safety and equity. Online students deserve field trips too! This type of lesson will also work for in-person classes.

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Washko_Designing an Asynchronous Self-Led Aquatic Ecology Field Trip

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More than fun in the sun: The pedagogy of field trips improves student learning in higher education

https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2021.1984176

This paper describes the pedagogies used in field teaching, how those pedagogies are inclusive, and how to transition these pedagogies to the classroom when field trips are not possible.

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More than fun in the sun The pedagogy of field trips improves student learning in higher education

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Working in small groups and sharing information with the rest of the class builds a community where students learn from each other. This watershed activity gives each small group a reach, which is connected to the rest of the watershed on the whiteboard map. Small groups prepare their reach, then collate information across the whole watershed for a bigger picture that lends itself to student conclusions aligned with the learning objective. Attached is a description of the activity.

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I want students to be able to incorporate their personality and creativity into the work they do. To do this for a final project, I had each student create their own home in a wetland like Shrek, demonstrating their knowledge of wetland ecology through a personal creation. This assignment allows a lot of student choice-- in the type of wetland, the way they showcase the information, and how they design their 'home.' Attached is the assignment description.

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When lecturing online, I like to build community through group activities. During a live-online lesson on urban wildlife, student breakout groups came up with solutions to combat human-wildlife conflict for their assigned species. Attached is the activity instructions with the link to the padlet showcasing the students' work.

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When teaching, I want my students to know that I care about them and will keep them safe. This field handout helps students prepare for the upcoming journey, allowing them to be more comfortable in the field and showing them they have my support.

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The three tenets of my teaching philosophy are pedagogy of care, learner-centered teaching strategies, and field-based curricula.

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Welcome to my teaching portfolio! Here you can explore the three tenets of my teaching philosophy, my qualifications, and the artifacts that support them. Please reach out with any questions, and enjoy!