*ISSN 1045-4772

The Earth Scientist

Volume XL • Issue 1 • Spring 2023 $10.00*

Letter from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Letter from the Guest Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

25 Years Ago in TES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Advocates for Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Floating Wetlands for the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Clean Up Crew: 

Empowering Future Changemakers . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Beaumont Rain and Butterfly Garden . . . . . . . . . . 24

Keepers of Turtle Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Seminole High School Landscape 

Architectural Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Advertising in TES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

NESTA Membership Dues Structure . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Manuscript Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Outer Banks, Nags Head, NC

Photo Credit Billy Skaradek

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Issue Sponsored by NOAA’s Planet Stewards Program
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 2 The Earth Scientist

As the school year winds down, educator instincts kick in and I promptly begin to focus 

on intentions and aspirations for the next school year. Reflecting on both successes and 

challenges, I crave the time to evaluate and confront professional norms and consider 

new ways to connect with my students. The opportunity will soon arrive to permit many 

of us to let go of both the physical and mental day-to-day challenges that are a part of our 

classroom obligations. Soon the summer months will provide the time to put a spotlight on 

both self-care and self-evaluation. When this time is paired with administrative flexibility, 

creative ideas and solutions have the potential to emerge. New classroom ideas are 

conceived that celebrate diversity, promote equity, and continually seek to maximize the 

potential of all students.

The time for self-evaluation allows each of us to critically reflect on our practices and 

identify areas for improvement. Working on my own self-awareness, I contemplate how 

learning experiences should evolve in next year’s classroom. Focused on scientific literacy, 

I welcome that teaching with “Big Ideas” and anchoring phenomena supports professional 

creativity and encourages students to explore their cultural competency. Through an 

inclusive lens, challenging traditional paradigms and examining new strategies I seek to 

support a diverse range of learners. This ongoing process of reflection and improvement 

is not only crucial for my own personal development but also for the betterment of my 

students’ educational experiences and future success. 

I invite all members to join our NESTA Private Learning Community on Facebook 

(https://bit.ly/3XzxZBY) this summer. Follow along, while I explore changes to my 

instructional goals. Remember, the best part of NESTA is the potential to realize you are 

part of a community of like-minded colleagues that embrace life-long learning. Take the 

time to access your peers and share your ideas, risks, and challenges. Let’s support each 

other’s efforts to create learning environments that support diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Committed to connecting our community; 

One Earth, Our Future.

Natalie Macke

NESTA

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President

Natalie Macke

Past-President

Tom Ervin

President-Elect

VACANT

Secretary

Dr. Missy Holzer

Treasurer

Parker Pennington, IV

Board of Directors 

Representatives

Kimberley Norris-Jones

Matt Haverty

Executive Director and 

Association Contact

VACANT

NESTA Webmaster

Elaine Bohls-Graham

REGIONAL DIRECTORS

Region I - Michael Jabot

Region II - James Ebert

Region III - Andrea Mangold

Region IV - Chris Campbell

Region V - Jill Weaver

Region VI - DeEtta Anderson

Region VII - Matthew Haverty

Region VIII - VACANT

NESTA’S MISSION

Champion Excellence in 

Earth & Space Science 

Education for ALL through a 

community of support.

One Earth. Our Futur

Letter from the President

By Natalie Macke, NESTA President 2022-2024 | @NESTA_US

Region I - ME, MA, NH, 

RI, VT

Region II - NY

Region III - DE, MD, NJ, 

PA, VA, DC, WV

Region IV - AL, AR, FL, GA, 

LA, MS, NC, PR, SC, TN

Region V - IN, KY, MI, OH

Region VI - IL, IA, MN, MO, 

NE, ND, SD, WI, KS

Region VII - AZ, CO, ID, 

MT, NV, NM, OK, TX, UT

Region VIII - AK, CA, HI, 

WA, OR

NESTA Regions
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 3

Letter from the Guest Editor

By Bruce Moravchik, Coordinator, NOAA National Ocean Service Education

NESTA Coordinators

Merchandise Coordinator

George Bartuska

Membership Coordinator

Joe Monaco

E-News Editors

Diane Tom-Ogata 

Kimberley Norris-Jones

Professional Development 

Committee Facilitator

Ardis Herold

Marketing Committee Facilitator

VACANT

Healthy Organization Committee 

Facilitator

Natalie Macke

Finance Committee Facilitator

Parker Pennington IV

Elected Directors Facilitator

Matt Haverty

NESTA

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

Andrea Starks

Mike Koenig

Kimberley Norris-Jones

Diane Tom-Ogata

APPOINTED DIRECTORS

Dr. George Bartuska

Elaine Bohls-Graham

Tom Ervin

Don Haas 

Ardis Herrold 

Belinda Jacobs

Joe Monaco

Enrique Reyes

Angela Rizzi (NASA liaison)

Randall Sanders

David Thesenga

Anthony Thomas

Elizabeth Torres-Rodriguez

As I write this, it is already late June 2023. Last week the schools in my area finally let out 

for the summer, and it was truly difficult to tell who was more excited by the prospect of the 

break ahead – the students or the teachers. My money’s on the teachers. 

During the final week at my children’s school, I attended their Eighth grade promotion 

ceremony. One of their science teachers offered inspirational words to the students, their 

families, and friends. During his remarks, he showed a video made to Carl Sagan’s famous 

speech “The Pale Blue Dot” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWPFmdAWRZ0). If you’re 

not familiar, “The Pale Blue Dot” is a photograph of Earth taken in 1990 by the Voyager 1 

space probe from about 4 billion miles from Earth. Through his brief but moving words, 

Carl Sagan reflected on the fragility of Earth, our one and only home, and its our place in the 

universe. He talked about the human condition, how unkind we often behave toward one 

another, and how we must strive to do better. I am deeply moved every time I see it. 

As I watched the video, I thought about all the educators I am so fortunate to support through 

NOAA Planet Stewards who work tirelessly to actualize the message of “The Pale Blue Dot” by 

strengthening their own environmental knowledge and stewardship ethic, and imparting it to 

their students and communities through education and hands-on stewardship. 

In the following pages you’ll read a few examples of amazing educators and students supported 

by NOAA Planet Stewards. They have returned to their classrooms after the pandemic to restore 

and expand native habitats, reduce marine debris, and address a myriad of environmental 

impacts affecting their local communities and the world. They are making a difference.

During just the past year, these projects collectively made impressive progress. More than 

I6,650 students, educators, partners, and families engaged in 84,377 hours learning the 

science related to their stewardship projects and carrying out stewardship activities. They 

removed more than 840 pounds of marine debris from beaches and wetlands, as well as 262 

pounds of invasive zebra mussels, common carp, and quagga mussels, and 701 square feet 

of invasive plant biomass. They planted 1,712 native trees and shrubs, and restored more 

than five acres of land. Their work has led to a calculated reduction of more than 7.5 tons of 

atmospheric carbon dioxide just one year after planting.

I hope that as you read this issue, you will be inspired to expand your students’ or 

communities’ knowledge and stewardship ethic, encourage them to make a difference, and 

effect real change in our world, on our pale blue dot, here and now. 

Be sure to subscribe to the NOAA Planet Stewards Newsletter: The Watch https://

oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/planet-stewards/the-watcharchive.html and discover new and exciting opportunities for 

you and your students through NOAA and our partners. 

Bruce Moravchik

Coordinator, NOAA National Ocean Service Education 

(https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/) 

Manager, NOAA Planet Stewards

(https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/planet-stewards/) 

Join the NOAA 

Planet Stewards 

2023-2024 Book Club!

https://oceanservice.noaa.go

education/planet-stewards/

upcoming.html#bookclu
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 4 The Earth Scientist

Modeling Marine Ecosystems 

with Virtual Reality

Modeling Marine Ecosystems with Virtual Reality is made up of three 

NGSS aligned modules in which high school students explore how 

scientific models work. Students use the same scientific data and models 

used by NOAA scientists to explore human-caused changes in ocean 

ecosystems and the impacts these changes have on the animals in those 

ecosystems. All modules include student worksheets, NGSS alignment, 

and presentation graphics. 

The modules feature the Virtual Ecosystem Viewer, an interactive virtual 

reality model that NOAA scientists use to visualize changing ocean 

ecosystems.

Ocean Food Webs

Students use the concepts of food webs and 

trophic levels to explore populations of marine 

organisms. They research an organism and 

combine their data in a jigsaw activity to 

produce a food web diagram for that habitat. 

Students then collect biomass data during 

“virtual dives” to determine the relationship 

between biomass and trophic levels.

Observations and Models

Students learn about data derived from 

observations and data produced by models, 

including how to recognize each, and how 

each type is used to make predictions. 

Students also explore methods to estimate 

the size and composition of populations. 

Students then observe simulated marine 

habitats generated by models and 

observational data to estimate future 

populations of tuna and of lobster.

Predators and Prey

Students are introduced to models used to 

predict populations of organisms. Students 

first analyze a simple predator-prey system, 

optionally building and “running” a simple, 

spreadsheet-based model. They compare 

population graphs produced by the model with 

historical data from a similar, simple predatorprey system. Students then collect data in 

simulated marine habitats, gathering biomass 

data for predators and their prey in complex 

marine food webs, comparing changes over 

time to the dynamics in simpler systems with 

a single predator and its lone prey.

LEARN 

MORE 

HERE

SCHEDULE

Sep 12, 2023 Don’t Look Up 

Oct 10, 2023 Diary of a Young Naturalist

Nov 14, 2023 There’s Something in the Water: Environmental 

Racism in Indigenous and Black Communities

Dec 12, 2023 Escape Undersea 

Jan 9, 2024 Fragment, a climate crisis novel

Feb 13, 2024 Engage, Connect, and Protect: Empowering 

Diverse Youth as Environmental Leaders

Mar 12, 2024 The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science is 

Still a Boys’ Club

Apr 9, 2024 Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: 

Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism

May 14, 2024 Fen, Bog & Swamp 

Join the 

2023-2024 Book Club with 

books of thought-provoking 

topics to be discussed at 

monthly meetings. 
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 5

The Earth Scientist

EDITOR

 Peg Steffen

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Kristina Bartlett Brody

MARKETING COMMITTEE

Peg Steffen

Richard Jones

Ardis Herrold

Charlotte Riggs

Cee Nell

Hayley Corson-Dosch

Rachel Bryan

Emily Read

Nicole Felts 

Rebekah Redwine

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Jerry Cantrell

Ameila Cook

Amy Durham

Patrick Goff

Kelley Hodges

Deanna Orr

Kyla Trahan

The Earth Scientist is the journal of 

the National Earth Science Teachers 

Association (NESTA). It is published 

quarterly (January, March, June, 

September) and distributed to NESTA 

members. 

To become a member of NESTA visit 

nestanet.org.

To get more information about NESTA 

or advertising in our publications, 

contact, nestaearthscientist@gmail.com.

©2023 by the National Earth Science 

Teachers Association. All rights 

thereunder reserved; anything 

appearing in The Earth Scientist may 

not be reprinted either wholly or in part 

without written permission.

DISCLAIMER

The information contained herein is 

provided as a service to our members 

with the understanding that National 

Earth Science Teachers Association 

(NESTA) makes no warranties, either 

expressed or implied, concerning the 

accuracy, completeness, reliability, 

or suitability of the information. Nor 

does NESTA warrant that the use of 

this information is free of any claims of 

copyright infringement. In addition, the 

views expressed in The Earth Scientist are 

those of the authors and advertisers and 

may not reflect NESTA policy.

DESIGN/LAYOUT oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/planet-stewards Patty Schuster, Page Designs

25 Years Ago in TES

Twenty-Five years ago, in 1998, TES was in its fifteenth year of 

publication. The focus of the 1998 Spring 

issue was Minerology. The front cover is a 

photo showing a guide at an old stamp mill 

at the Otago Gold Field’s historic panning 

site in Queenstown, New Zealand. This 

stamp mill still operates. The Spring issue 

led off with a four-page summary of the 

1998 debate as to how to best use Utah’s 

remote Grand Staircase area, which is an 

area of over one million pristine acres 

of beauty with tremendous coal, oil and 

gas potential. This was followed by a 

five-page summary of the importance of 

the Crushed Stone Industry. Next was an eight-page article about 

importance of the Coal Industry, followed by a four-page article about the 

Colors of Minerals. The final pages included Media Reviews about Virtual 

Communities of Scholars and a discussion of Mining in Missouri.

By Tom Ervin
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 6 The Earth Scientist

Advocates for Change

Amy Durham Shea, Environmental Learning Center, Vero Beach, Florida

Abstract

Every day, people use and discard single-use plastic items, many of which make 

their way to coastal areas as marine debris. As the population of Vero Beach, Florida 

continues to grow, so does our community’s potential to use and discard single-use 

plastics unless something is done to inspire our members of our community to 

switch to more sustainable options. Through this project, funded by the NOAA 

Planet Stewards, middle and high school youth volunteers at the Environmental 

Learning Center in Vero Beach collected over 200 pounds of marine debris from 

local waterways. A large portion of this debris was plastics in various sizes 

and forms, ranging from plastic forks, beach toys, and candy wrappers to tiny, 

unidentifiable fragments. After collecting and analyzing the debris, the youth were 

given the platform to educate others about the causes and impact of marine debris 

and single-use plastics. They created an advocacy video for younger students and an 

artful, interactive display that incorporated all of the plastic they collected during 

their beach clean-ups. Together, these two advocacy pieces show the impact that 

youth can have in addressing environmental issues through direct stewardship 

action and by using their unique perspective to educate and inspire others to take 

action in our local community. 

Introduction

The Environmental Learning Center (ELC) is a nature center located on an island in a 

coastal estuary in Vero Beach, Florida. Like many Florida towns, Vero Beach is a growing 

metropolis. Thousands of new residents move to the area each year and are joined by an 

even larger number of tourists looking to spend their holidays somewhere warm and 

sunny. Every day, visitors and residents alike use plastic straws, cutlery, bags, and to-go 

containers, which are often used only one time before being discarded. Plastics, both large 

and microscopic, are one of the largest components of the growing amount of marine 

debris found in our oceans and Great Lakes (Wessel et al., 2019, NOAA, 2023). A five-year 

study in Florida showed that the most common types of plastic marine debris included 

single-use plastic items, such as straws, plastic bottles, and plastic bags (NOAA, 2017). The 

impacts of marine debris include damage to habitats, ingestion by and death of marine life, 

Debris along the eastern shoreline 

of Eastern Island before a 2016 

marine debris removal mission

Photo Credit: NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem 

Program
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 7

navigational issues, risks to human health, and even economic losses due to decreases in 

tourism (NOAA, 2017). As the number of people living in and visiting the Vero Beach area 

continues to grow, so will the use of plastics; unless we decide to make a change. 

The ELC seeks to inspire and empower all people to be active stewards of the environment. 

This mission means engaging people in stewardship activities, as well as helping them to see 

themselves as people who can make a meaningful difference in the world and inspire others to 

do the same. With this project, generously funded by NOAA Planet Stewards, our goals were: 

■ actively engage youth in stewardship action to remove marine debris from local 

waterways.

■ increase their knowledge about marine debris and single-use plastics and their 

impact on the environment.

■ empower youth to educate others through a youth-directed advocacy project. 

The First Steps 

Before we could give our students the platform to educate others, we wanted them to see 

first-hand the impact of debris in marine environments. We rallied our Green Teen! high 

school volunteers to plan and execute a series of beach clean-ups at one of the area’s publicly 

accessible beaches. However, the impacts of COVID-19 meant that we quickly had to alter 

our approach to this project. As a result of the pandemic, we had a much smaller number of 

high school volunteers than anticipated, so we refocused our efforts to also engage members 

of our middle school-aged environmental club. Our Junior Interpreters, as we call these 

dedicated middle school students, along with several community groups and professionals 

working in environmental fields, surpassed our expectations over a series of four coastal 

clean-ups, collecting double our targeted amount of 100 pounds of marine debris. 

In tandem with these clean-ups, we wanted to provide opportunities for the youth to 

understand the impact of marine debris on marine environments. At each clean-up, students 

sorted and logged the debris they collected in the Marine Debris Tracker app (https://

marinedebris.noaa.gov/partnerships/marine-debris-tracker) or (https://debristracker.

org) allowing them to contribute to a larger database and understand how prevalent 

plastic debris in particular is in marine environments. Through this process, they began 

to understand that plastic does not just disappear but instead degrades into smaller and 

smaller pieces. As they spent time sorting and counting increasingly miniscule plastic 

remains, they quickly identified this topic as a key area to address for their future advocacy 

campaign. Back at the ELC, we provided the youth with supporting opportunities to learn 

more about the impacts of marine debris and plastic pollution. They researched the impacts 

of plastic and how plastics break down in the environment. They also had the opportunity 

to dissect albatross boluses filled with plastic marine debris to understand how debris can 

reach animals and habitats across the globe. 

Advocating for Change

Empowered with knowledge and first-hand experience, we then asked these youth to take the 

lead in educating ELC visitors. We had previously identified the need for an exhibit in the 

visitor center and a way to engage our on-campus program attendees about plastic use. We 

aimed to balance these identified interpretive goals with the desire for the advocacy pieces 

to be student-led and saw these projects as an opportunity to provide youth with an audience 

and platform to allow their voices and perspectives to be shared. Rather than beginning with 
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 8 The Earth Scientist

a preset curriculum, we provided supporting lessons as needed. These lessons ranged from 

learning the basics of environmental interpretation and exhibit design to video editing and 

how to use simple power tools. 

Related Lesson Plan: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Nx3weUmb5VYHJbDwIFAW4C9

mOpK9BwD1INXDjpbmnOU/edit?usp=sharing

Over several months, students carefully cleaned and 

separated the plastic debris they found on the beach, 

sketched and refined exhibit designs, and wrote and revised 

interpretive scripts. 

The first advocacy piece they created was a video aimed 

at encouraging younger students to reduce the amount of 

single-use plastics they brought to on-campus events in 

their lunch boxes. The video featured a single-use plastic 

trash monster who is “trying to take over the world.” The 

trash monster is at the ELC attempting to spread plastic 

pollution. It highlights the various single-use plastics 

that younger students may bring in their lunch boxes to 

on-campus programs and provides suggestions for reusable 

alternatives helpful in the effort to “defeat single-use plastic 

trash monsters.” 

The second advocacy project was an artful, interactive 

exhibit in the ELC’s visitor center. This display piece 

incorporated all of the plastic debris collected 

during the beach clean-ups arranged as a 

giant wave of garbage that feels as though it 

may crash down over you. 

Since these students were struck by the 

particular prevalence of small fragments 

of plastics left behind as larger plastic 

items broke down in the sun and surf, their 

display included an interactive element 

that allows guests to sift through sand to see 

the small pieces of plastics hidden within. 

Accompanying interpretive signs focused on 

educating guests about marine debris and 

its sources and what happens to single-use 

plastics after their 

single use, as well as 

encouraging them to 

reduce their use of 

single-use plastics 

and take steps to 

reduce marine debris. 

Image 1. Student shares small plastic 

pieces found during the beach clean-up

Photo credit: Heather Kramer

Image 2. Student sorts the 

garbage found into categories 

to enter into the NOAA Marine 

Debris Tracker App

Photo credit: Heather Kramer

Image 3. Student adds marine debris collected 

during beach clean-ups to the “Wave of 

Garbage” interpretive exhibit

Photo credit: Heather Kramer

Images 4 and 5. “Wave of Garbage” 

interpretive, interactive exhibit on display 

at the ELC’s visitor center

Photo credit: Amy Durham Shea
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 9

Results 

Through this project, 57 youth were engaged in 375 hours of 

stewardship activities. They completed 4 clean-up activities and logged 

just over 223 pounds of marine debris in the Marine Debris Tracker 

app. The logged debris included thousands of individual pieces. In 

the first clean-up alone, students, volunteers, community mentors, 

and ELC staff members collected 1,343 individual pieces of debris, 

including 375 hard plastic pieces, 366 food wrappers, and 235 pieces 

of foam. In addition, pre- and post-assessments showed an increase of 

student knowledge about marine debris following the beach clean-ups 

and supporting learning opportunities, as shown in Figure 1. On the 

pre-assessment, students scored as an average of 69% compared to an 

average of 75% on the post-assessment.

ELC staff distributed the youth-created advocacy video to future 

program participants via email, asking participants and their parents 

or guardians to watch the advocacy video prior to coming to their on-campus program. 

ELC Youth Created Advocacy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk64Fdhs74I

Staff, youth volunteers, and interns measured the amount of single-use 

plastics that program participants brought to on-campus programs both 

before and after the distribution of the advocacy video by collecting 

and weighing all single-use plastics used during meals by program 

participants. This included plastic cutlery, plastic bags, bottles, and 

food wrappers. As seen in Figure 2, program participants without an 

opportunity to view the advocacy video brought significantly more 

single-use plastics (Mean score = 0.09 pounds per person, SD = 0.07, 

n = 137) than those participants who had the opportunity to view the 

advocacy video prior to their scheduled program (Mean score = 0.06 

pounds per person, Standard Deviation = 0.06, n = 140) (p < 0.01). It is, 

however, important to note that the ELC was unable to track or verify 

that program participants watched the video after it was made available, 

and additional factors, such as program participant demographics or 

frequency of participation in ELC programs, may have had an effect 

on single-use plastic use. Despite these factors, the results remain 

encouraging in showing the potential impact of youth-led advocacy for a local and global 

environmental issue. 

Due to visitor limitations caused by COVID-19, there was limited opportunity to assess 

the impact of the visitor center exhibit. A visitor survey was implemented both before 

and after the installation of the exhibit in order to measure impact on visitors’ knowledge 

of marine debris, beliefs about the importance of marine debris, and stated likelihood 

of taking actions to reduce marine debris. Visitors who completed the post-assessment 

after the installation of the exhibit scored an average score of 81% (n = 9) on the knowledge 

assessment portion compared to an average score of 63% (n = 6) by visitors who completed 

the pre-assessment prior to the installation of the exhibit. The majority of this increase in 

score can be attributed to an increased understanding of the sources of marine debris and 

ways to prevent marine debris. When asked to rank on a 5-point Likert scale how important 

of an issue they believe marine debris is and if their experience at the ELC increased that 

Figure 2. Amount of single-use plastics brought to on-campus 

programs by program participants without the opportunity to 

view and with the opportunity to view the advocacy video

66.0%

67.0%

68.0%

69.0%

70.0%

71.0%

72.0%

73.0%

74.0%

75.0%

76.0%

Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

Mean Score

Knowledge Gain

Figure 1. Results of pre- and post-assessments to measure 

knowledge gain about marine debris and its impact on the 

environment

0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.09

0.1

Without Video With Video

Pounds of Single-Use Plastic

Pounds of Single-Use Plastic per Program Participants
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 10 The Earth Scientist

likelihood of taking action to help address marine between, visitors who completed the 

post-assessment rated the importance of marine debris and their likelihood of taking action 

only slightly higher (Mean score = 4.90, n = 9 for both questions) than those visitors who 

completed the pre-assessment (Mean score = 4.67, n = 6 for both questions). Due to the small 

sample size, we were not able to determine if the exhibit had a significant impact on beliefs 

about the importance of marine debris or stated likelihood of taking action. However, the 

exhibit is undoubtedly a powerful reflection of these youths’ experiences, and its creation 

provided them the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy of their work with the potential to 

educate thousands of annual visitors in the coming years. 

Conclusion

In total, 57 middle and high school students spent 375 hours learning about and taking a 

stand against the growing problem of marine debris in our environment. They surpassed 

the amount of marine debris expected to be collected through this project, while carefully 

sorting each piece to contribute to a growing database tracking global marine debris. Beyond 

the direct impact of removing debris from local beaches, these youths used their collective 

voices to advocate for a more sustainable future. Supported with appropriate learning 

opportunities to create advocacy pieces that reflected their experiences and understanding 

of marine debris, these students demonstrated the impact a small group of dedicated 

youth can do to inspire the switch and make a larger impact on for their community and 

the environment. 

References

NOAA. 2017. Florida marine debris reduction guidance plan. NOAA Marine Debris Program. https://

marinedebris.noaa.gov/regional-action-plan/florida-marine-debris-reduction-plan. 

NOAA. 2023. Why is marine debris a problem? NOAA Marine Debris Program. https://marinedebris.

noaa.gov/discover-marine-debris/why-marine-debris-problem. 

Wessel, C., Swanson, K., Weatherall, T., & Cebrain, J. 2019. Accumulation and distribution of marine 

debris on barrier islands across the northern Gulf of Mexico. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 139, 14-22. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.023. 

About the Author

Amy Durham Shea became a Planet Steward in 2020 while working as an environmental educator 

at the Environmental Learning Center in Vero Beach, FL. She has an undergraduate degree in

psychology from the University of Arkansas, a master’s degree in education from Vanderbilt University, 

and professional certificates in free-choice learning and fisheries management from Oregon State 

University. She is a Certified Interpretive Guide and Certified Interpretive Trainer through the National

Association of Interpretation and a member of the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change 

Interpretation. She has worked in a variety of formal and informal educational settings since she

relocated to Florida from Arkansas over twelve years ago. She enjoys educating people of all ages

about fisheries, climate change, marine and estuarine ecosystems, and local Florida habitats through 

place-based experiences and has a strong interest in understanding how different messaging 

approaches impact people’s perceptions of environmental issues. Amy currently works as a Curator of

Education Programs at Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, FL and can be reached at akdurham@gmail.co
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 11

Abstract 

High school student volunteers at the Virginia Living Museum, inspired by the 

large amounts of litter they observed in their local waterways, wanted to complete 

a project focused on eliminating pollution and creating habitat for native wildlife. 

Through funding from NOAA Planet Stewards, the students learned about 

freshwater ecosystems, wetland habitats, and aquatic pollution while designing, 

building, and maintaining a floating wetland. During this project, the group worked 

together to build research skills, collect chemical and physical water quality 

data, remove pollution from the waterway, and develop an educational activity 

to encourage others to learn about the importance of protecting the Earth’s finite 

freshwater resources. At the conclusion of the project, students presented the 

work from the project along with their educational activity to the public at multiple 

events focused on the environment and conservation. 

Background

The Virginia Living Museum has a group of passionate homeschool and public school 

students who are constantly seeking to learn and be catalysts for change in their community. 

This group of teens observed litter flowing near the lake situated immediately adjacent to 

Museum grounds. After inquiring about where the litter was coming from, the teens learned 

it was coming in through the stormwater drains that feed into Deer Park Lake from a major 

road intersection and business district in Newport News, Virginia. This discovery prompted 

additional questions about where the water from Deer Park Lake drained and the lifecycle 

of the debris. Their investigation on local maps showed the water from Deer Park Lake was 

draining through a spillway into another local lake and then through another spillway out 

into the James River. Because Newport News is near the mouth of the James River, it was 

clear the litter they saw floating by would soon enter the Chesapeake Bay and eventually 

the Atlantic Ocean. This revelation led to the group’s mission to prevent as much waste as 

possible from exiting Deer Park Lake and further polluting local waterways. 

Floating Wetlands for the Future 

Deanna Orr, Virginia Living Museum, Newport News, Virginia

Wetland plants taken by D. O’Keefe,

Michigan Sea Grant

Photo Credit: NOAA/OAR/Great Lakes Environmental 

Research Laboratory
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 12 The Earth Scientist

Project Development

The key goal of applying to the NOAA Planet Stewards program and starting this project 

was to increase scientific literacy with high school students in the Virginia Living Museum’s 

volunteer program through a student-led project focused on environmental stewardship. 

Student involvement in each stage of the process from background research to project 

implementation was critical to each student’s learning process and the final product of the 

project. Staff and guest professionals provided guidance and assisted in problem solving, but 

the overall project was led by the students.

The students began their project by researching freshwater ecosystems and the origins of 

marine debris. Because this group of students was only meeting once a week to work on the 

project due to different schooling schedules, this research process was primarily studentdriven with guidance on reliable sources, modifying their queries to produce more relevant 

answers, and organizing their findings to share with the group. Each student researched 

a different topic and then shared their findings at the next meeting. While researching 

freshwater ecosystems, students investigated the role of wetlands in removing pollutants 

from aquatic environments. After reading (Chesapeake Bay Program, 2023) and (Coveney, 

et al., 2002), the students became concerned about the water quality of Deer Park Lake as 

it is small with approximately 20 sq ft of wetland habitat. The group became interested in 

removing litter from the waterway, and also in conducting a habitat restoration project 

to expand wetlands around the lake. Completing both 

projects was not going to be possible given the number 

of students and the amount of time they had together 

outside school hours. Further research including (Sample, 

2017) and (Bi, et al., 2019) helped put a combination 

project into perspective: utilizing a floating wetland to 

increase habitat area, improve water quality, and act as a 

physical barrier near the spillway to prevent litter from 

flowing downstream. 

Implementation

Once the idea was solidified, the teens worked to create 

their own list of additional topics they would need 

to research to complete the project: how to create a 

floating wetland, native wetland plants and the wildlife 

attracted to them, and water quality parameters. They 

did independent work and also worked together during 

group meetings to finalize the details for their project. 

With this newly established background knowledge, they 

wanted to meet with experts who could provide further 

details. They prepared questions and had meetings with 

horticulturists and an environmental consultant, along 

with an ornithology student and an environmental science 

student from two local colleges. 

This additional research and discussion with professionals 

began to put the realities of the project into focus: they 

likely wouldn’t have the time during their once weekly 

meetings to construct a floating wetland of the desired size 

Image 1. Students and mentors after one of the first litter cleanups on Deer 

Park Lake. Photo credit: Deanna Orr

Image 2. Students discuss types of native wetland plants suitable for the 

floating wetland with mentors. Photo credit: Deanna Orr
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 13

while also collecting litter, conducting water quality testing, and creating an educational 

activity to share about the project. The decision to purchase a prefabricated floating island 

was not made lightly as it utilized over 1/3 of the project’s total budget, but it was the correct 

call given the entire scope of the project. Two 3ft x 5ft floating islands were purchased from 

Floating Islands West (https://floatingislandswest.com/). While waiting for them to arrive, 

the students pressed forward with the other aspects of their project. 

The students began conducting a variety of water quality tests each week including air 

temperature, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, phosphate, salinity, turbidity, 

nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia levels. They also began weekly litter cleanups from canoes on 

Deer Park Lake. The litter they collected was left to dry after being collected from the lake, 

weighed, and then diverted into proper waste channels. The water quality testing and litter 

cleanups were done consistently for over 6 months. 

Once the prefabricated floating islands arrived, 

the students and some of the professionals 

who had provided guidance for the project 

worked together to plant the selected native 

wetland plants. The floating wetland was then 

secured next to the dock instead of immediately 

installing it in its permanent location. This 

allowed easier access to water the plants 

multiple times throughout the week while the 

plants established themselves and grew roots 

long enough to reach the lake water under the 

floating wetland.

After one month of watering, monitoring, 

and growth, the wetland was moved to its 

permanent location and secured 15 feet in front 

Image 4. Students and mentors with the floating wetland after planting was complete. Photo credit: Deanna Orr

Image 3. Students and mentors work to plant native plants 

into the prefabricated floating wetland. Photo credit: Alice Agnew

Image 5. The floating wetland was temporarily attached to the dock to allow easy access for 

watering and monitoring while the plants became established. Photo credit: Deanna Orr
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 14 The Earth Scientist

of the spillway. This placement did not impede the 

flow of water through the spillway, but did direct 

much of the litter flowing through Deer Park Lake 

towards the wetland where it gets caught on the 

leading edge of the structure.

In addition to installing the floating wetland, 

water quality data collection, and litter cleanups, 

the students also worked to create educational 

signage and a hands-on activity to demonstrate the 

importance of freshwater ecosystems.

The teens met with the Education Department at 

the Virginia Living Museum to learn about how 

to engage the public in environmental education 

and how to create a hands-on activity appropriate for a general 

audience. They also worked with the Exhibits Department 

to assist with designing and installing signage about the 

floating wetland. 

Conclusion

Students were involved in determining each and every step of 

the plan, a truly student-centered project. They used many of 

the science practices (NGSS, 2013) as they developed research 

questions, used analytical thinking skills, problem-solved each 

challenge, learned to collect and record data, and developed an 

educational activity to share with the public. 

Water Quality Data: After their initial idea to monitor water 

quality, the students realized their data would need to act as 

Image 6. Students paddle back to the dock after checking on the floating wetland 

after it was moved to its permanent location. Photo credit: Deanna Or

Image 7. Students work to create permanent educational 

signage about the floating wetland. Photo credit: Deanna Orr

Image 8. The permanent educational signage installed in front of the floating wetland. Photo credit:

Deanna Orr

Image 9. Students conduct water quality tests on the dock with the 

floating wetland in the background. Photo credit: Deanna Orr
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 15

baseline data because the floating wetland 

would not be installed for a large portion 

of the time they were collecting data. 

While collecting the water quality data 

did not result in any useful information 

in terms of the scope of this project, it did 

create a dataset to be used as reference in 

future projects and provided a learning 

opportunity for the teens. They learned 

to conduct water quality tests and utilize 

scientific tools.

Litter Collection: Collecting litter was by far 

the students’ favorite activity. They said 

they liked to see the immediate impact of 

their work. Their goal for the project was to 

collect 50 lbs of litter. Their efforts resulted 

in 121 lbs of litter being removed from Deer 

Park Lake. They also took notes about the 

types of litter they were collecting. They 

most often encountered drink bottles, food 

packaging, and cigarette butts.

Habitat Restoration: The students set a goal 

of creating 30 sq ft of wetland habitat on 

Deer Park Lake. They accomplished this 

goal which more than doubled the amount 

of wetland habitat in the lake. They selected 

12 native plant species for the floating 

wetland. Since being installed, a variety 

of birds, insects, and turtles have been 

observed utilizing the floating wetland. While it has not been directly observed, it is likely 

the variety of fish species in the lake are interacting with the root systems of the plants and 

utilizing the wetland. 

Educational Outreach: The students worked to develop an activity (https://tinyurl.com/

EARTHScientist) to demonstrate the various types of water and their respective volumes 

on Earth. By completing the measurements, the activity shows how freshwater sources like 

Deer Park Lake compare in volume to oceans, brackish water, and other sources. The second part 

of the activity encourages participants to “pollute” the freshwater sources with common 

household items and then filter the “polluted” water through a “wetland” created by different 

types of filters to demonstrate the role of wetlands in keeping freshwater sources clean. 

The students set a goal to reach 150 people with their educational activity. They presented 

their hands-on activity at multiple events held at the Virginia Living Museum including 

Earth Day, World Ocean Day, and Clean the Bay Day. They exceeded their goal with 233 

people completing the activity. Their activity was turned into a permanent educational 

option for interpretive volunteers and has continued to be shared with guests since the 

completion of the project. The students’ signage is in a public exhibit area and has been 

Figure 1. Ties to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2013)

Performance Expectation

5-ESS2-2.   Describe and graph the amounts of salt water and fresh water in various 

reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth

Science and Engineering Practice

• Describe and graph quantities such as area and volume to address scientific questions

Disciplinary Core Idea

• Nearly all of Earth’s available water is in the ocean. Most fresh water is in glaciers or

underground; only a tiny fraction is in streams, lakes, wetlands, and the atmosphere

Cross-Cutting Concept

• Standard units are used to measure and describe physical quantities such as weight 

and volume

Classroom Connections: Students measure out varying quantities of water to represent 

the distribution of freshwater and saltwater on Earth

Performance Expectation

MS-ESS3-3.   Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a 

human impact on the environment

Science and Engineering Practice

• Apply scientific principles to design an object, tool, process or system

Disciplinary Core Idea

• Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or 

destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes

to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different 

living things

Cross-Cutting Concept

• Relationships can be classified as causal or correlational, and correlation does not 

necessarily imply causation

Classroom Connections: Students will design a filter system to remove pollution from 

freshwater to minimize human impact on the environment
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 16 The Earth Scientist

viewed by tens of thousands of guests who have visited the Virginia 

Living Museum since the sign was installed. 

Project Continuation

Additional volunteers have continued collecting water quality data 

since the completion of the student project, but no changes have 

been seen as of February 2023. This is likely due to the size of the 

wetland in comparison to the volume of Deer Park Lake and the 

constant runoff from local roadways.

After completing the project, the students expressed a desire for the 

project to continue, so recruitment began for volunteers who were 

interested in removing litter from the stream feeding Deer Park 

Lake, the lake itself, and surrounding public grounds. There are now 

volunteers who complete 6 clean-ups per month. From September 

2021 through February 2023, these volunteers collected 1077 lbs of 

litter (1198 lbs total if combined with the students’ 121 lbs). What 

was originally a passion project from a small group of teens has 

expanded into sustained community stewardship action. 

References

Bi, R., Zhou, C., Jia, Y., Wang, S., Li, P., Reichwaldt, E. S., & Liu, W. 2019. Giving waterbodies the treatment 

they need: A critical review of the application of constructed floating wetlands. Journal of 

Environmental Management, 238, 484-498.

Chesapeake Bay Program. 2023. Stormwater runoff. Chesapeake Bay Program. Retrieved January 19, 

2023, from https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/threats-to-the-bay/stormwater-runoff

Coveney, M. F., Stites, D. L., Lowe, E. F., Battoe, L. E., & Conrow, R. 2002. Nutrient removal from eutrophic 

lake water by wetland filtration. Ecological Engineering, 19(2), 141-159.

NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. https://www.

nextgenscience.org/search-standards

Sample, D. 2017. Floating wetlands for treatment of urban and agricultural runoff in ... Environmental 

Protection Agency. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/sites/

static/files/2017-05/documents/floating-wetlands-treatment-urban-agricultural-runoff.pdf

Image 10. Litter clean-ups have been continuous since the official 

completion of the project. Photo credit: Deanna Orr

About the Author

Deanna Orr, Conservation and Ambassador Animal Manager at the Virginia Living Museum, has 8 

years of experience in conservation, informal science education, and environmental field work. She

received her Applied Global Conservation, B.S. from George Mason University. Before joining t

Virginia Living Museum, Deanna built career skills with the help of mentors at organizations including 

the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, the Virginia Institute 

of Marine Science, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. She enjoys hiking, kayaking,

relaxing at the beach, and improving her bird identification skills. Deanna can be contacted at deann

orr@thevlm.or

Additional support: Alice Agnew (Virginia Living Museum), Bo Baker (Virginia Living Museum), 

Emily Hoffman (Virginia Living Museum), Darl Fletcher (Virginia Living Museum), Meghan Garrity 

(Virginia Living Museum), Emmylou Kidder (Christopher Newport University), Ben Thompson (Dramby 

Environmental Consulting), and Katie Lee (College of William and Mary)
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 17

Abstract

“Clean Up Crew: Empowering Future Changemakers” is a NOAA Planet Stewards 

project designed to educate, inspire, and motivate students about marine debris 

mitigation in the K-5 public school setting. This was a year-long project integrating 

marine debris education, stewardship, and outreach with Next Generation Science 

Standards (NGSS, 2013). Students embarked on a journey to understand and learn 

how marine debris impacts our coastal community, school, and homes. Together, we 

removed 327 pounds of trash from area beaches, completed more than 800 acts of 

environmental stewardship, and shared our learning with our community through 

outreach and art. Students applied STEM principles throughout the project to 

address marine debris through personal and civic action to improve our world.

Introduction

“People protect what they love....” –Jacques Cousteau. For young children, their world 

includes home, school, the backyard, and the playground. At this stage, it is essential 

to foster empathy and encourage exploration of their environment. Our backyard and 

playgrounds are the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding waterways. Our students need 

learning experiences that reach beyond the classroom, allowing them to learn about local 

biodiversity and develop a lifelong love and understanding of the surrounding environment. 

Encouraging young learners to develop a deep love for the wildlife and ecosystems 

surrounding them will empower them to make choices that protect and preserve our 

precious resources.

Clean Up Crew: Empowering Future Changemakers is a NOAA Planet Stewards project 

designed to educate young learners about marine debris and its impact on beaches and 

marine life. As coastal community residents, we witness the impact of derelict fishing gear, 

single-use plastics, and abandoned recreational equipment on our beaches and waterways. 

It is common to see sand toys, water bottles, beach chairs, and tents left on the beach after a 

busy summer weekend. This debris damages our sensitive coastal and marine ecosystems, 

from the smallest microscopic organisms to larger animals like sharks, whales, and sea 

turtles (NOAA, 2021). The pressure placed on our sensitive marine ecosystems is immense, 

Clean Up Crew: 

Empowering Future Changemakers

Kelley Hodges, Patronis Elementary School and an Adjunct Professor of Science Education at Florida 

State University-Panama City Beach Florida

The walls of the Patronis 

Elementary School media center 

were transformed to showcase 

the importance of our waterways, 

marine animals, and marine 

ecosystems

Photo Credit: Kelley Hodges
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 18 The Earth Scientist

Table 1. Possible connections to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013)

Performance Expectations

2-PS1-1 Matter and Its Interactions: Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify kinds of materials by their observable properties

K-ESS3-3. Earth and Human Activity: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the

local environment

5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources 

and environment

Science and Engineering Practice

• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

• Analyzing and Interpreting Data

• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Disciplinary Core Idea

• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems: Things that people do to live comfortably can affect the world around the

• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem: Asking questions, making observations, and gathering information are helpful in thinking

about problems. 

• ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions: Designs can be conveyed through sketches, drawings, or physical model

• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems: Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land,

vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space

Cross-Cutting Concept

• Patterns: Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed

• Cause and Effect: Events have causes that generate observable patterns

• Energy and Matter: Objects may break into smaller pieces and be put together into larger pieces, or change shapes

Overview of Grade Level Plans for Each Nine Week Period 

First Quarter (August 10- October 8)

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Major Themes Nature of Science Nature of Science Nature of Science

Stewardship Beach Clean Up & Sea Turtle Beach Clean Up & Sea Turtle Beach Clean Up & Sea Turtle

Data Collection Count/Sort Marine Debris Count/Sort Marine Debris Count/Sort Marine Debris

Outreach Activities Share with school & social media Share with school & social media Share with school & social media

STEM Career Activities Nancy Evou-NOAA Nancy Evou-NOAA Nancy Evou-NOAA

Second Quarter (October 11 - December 22)

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Major Themes Energy & Transformations Earth's Features/FL Resources Climate & Weather

Stewardship Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

Data Collection Cafeteria Plastic Cafeteria Plastic Cafeteria Plastic

Outreach Activities Marine Debris Masks Marine Debris Masks Marine Debris Masks

STEM Career Activities GWMI-Virtual GWMI-Virtual GWMI-Virtual

Third Quarter (January 7 - March 11)

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Major Themes Plants Life Cycles Comparative Anatomy

Stewardship Civic Action Civic Action Civic Action

Data Collection Marine Debris Data Tracker Marine Debris Data Tracker Marine Debris Data Tracker

Outreach Activities Art Contest Art Contest Art Contest

STEM Career Activities NSA-PC Field Trip NSA-PC Field Trip NSA-PC Field Trip

Fourth Quarter (March 14- May 25)

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Major Themes Adaptations Adaptations & Food Chains Adaptations

Stewardship Earth Week Challenge (Choice Boards) Earth Week Challenge Earth Week Challenge

Data Collection Choice Boards & Trash Removal Choice Boards & Trash Removal Choice Boards & Trash Removal

Outreach Activities Marine Debris Art on Trash Cans Marine Debris Art on Trash Cans Marine Debris Art on Trash Cans

STEM Career Activities Michelle Duncan @ NOAA Michelle Duncan @ NOAA Michelle Duncan @ NOAA

Figure 1. Project Timeline and Stewardship Activities
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 19

and it is time to create meaningful educational and stewardship opportunities for our young 

learners and future changemakers.

The Process

This project integrated marine debris education, stewardship, and outreach with Next 

Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2013). 

Education is the most crucial step in marine debris mitigation and a critical part of the 

project’s long-term and lasting success. (Zeh, 2021). Broad goals in designing the project 

included guiding learners to become aware of marine debris in their community, within 

their schools and homes, and engaging learners in meaningful stewardship to reduce 

marine debris through personal action and community outreach.

We started by outlining a year-long educational plan and identifying the project’s 

stakeholders. They included our school administration, classroom educators, community 

partners, and local organizations. A quarterly plan was established and shared with the 

stakeholders (see Figure 1), and tentative dates were set prior to the school year. 

Project Outcomes

■ Mobilize elementary students to engage in environmental stewardship 

activities connected to removing and eliminating marine debris in our school 

and community.

■ Remove 300 pounds of trash from area beaches and our school campus

■ Inventory plastic generated in the school cafeteria over a week and use it to 

create trash art.

■ Implement NGSS-aligned science lessons to educate students about 

marine debris.

■ Engage our students in outreach activities that allow them to share their 

learning and stewardship with our local community.

Implementation

Looking Out: Trash and Debris on Our Beaches

Our school is just miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and interconnected waterways surround 

our community. Sea turtles and shorebirds nest on our beaches, and marine life include 

dolphins, manatees, sharks, and fish. Our community has local organizations dedicated to 

conservation and education. We partnered with a local non-profit, “Keep PCB Beautiful,” to 

offer beach cleanups on three Saturday mornings between August and October. 

Our school families removed 327 pounds of trash from area beaches. We collected the trash 

and displayed it at school for all students to see. They marveled at the things people leave 

behind (hats, sunglasses, and shoes) and wrinkled their noses at other trash items (cigarette 

butts, straws, and food wrappers). The trash was cleaned, sorted, measured, and weighed in 

the STEAM Lab and integrated with NGSS-aligned science lessons.

In addition to the beach cleanups, we adopted sea turtle nests through a local NOAA affiliate, 

Panama City Beach Turtle Watch (PCB Turtle Watch). Volunteers from PCB Turtle Watch 

allowed students and families to attend nest excavations. At the excavations, we counted the 

eggs, observed hatchlings, and learned from biologists about the nesting habits of sea turtles. 
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 20 The Earth Scientist

Continuing our learning about sea turtles, we invited Gulf World Marine Institute to our 

school to share with students their work to rescue and rehabilitate stranded marine animals. 

Students participated in a mock turtle stranding and viewed artifacts like the jawbone of a 

sperm whale. All of our community partners helped students make connections between 

marine species and the impact of marine debris on animals and ecosystems.

Looking In: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle at School and at Home

Opportunities for students to investigate and observe marine debris at school and at 

home started with collecting single-use plastic used in our school cafeteria. 100% of our 

students receive free and reduced lunch. We focused our collection and observations on 

plastic generated from the cafeteria and remained mindful that many students have little 

control over how their food is prepared or served. Student teams outfitted with gloves and 

a bucket collected plastic at the end of lunch. They collected sandwich bags, straws, lids, 

trays, utensils, and bowls. The plastic was cleaned and sorted, and displayed in the STEAM 

(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Lab. With each grade level, we 

discussed the types of plastic and the amount of plastic waste generated in a week and over 

a year. We created a list of actions students can take to reduce plastic waste, and we created 

Image 1. Marine debris from beach clean-ups is placed on a 

tarp outside of the STEAM Lab. The marine debris in this photo

was used in the STEAM Lab for students to sort, measure, and 

weigh. Photo Credit: Kelley Hodge

Image 2. Students are 

using marine debris 

to learn about the 

properties of matter

Photo Credit: Kelley Hodges

Image 3. Students 

are participating in a 

mock turtle stranding

In this photo, they are 

working alongside a 

scientist to measure, 

weigh, and observe 

a stranded turtle

Together they 

moved the turtle to 

a safe location for 

medical help

Photo Credit: Kelley Hodges
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 21

recommendations to reduce plastic in our cafeteria. Student observations included plastic 

utensils and Styrofoam trays used only once. Students created a list of recommendations for 

our cafeteria provider and wrote more than one hundred letters with specific examples to 

reduce single-use plastic in our cafeteria. We invited a representative from the food service 

company to visit with our students and listen to their concerns about single-use plastic in 

our cafeteria. The visit taught us that the Styrofoam trays and plastic-wrapped utensils were 

due to COVID guidelines. Many reusable items, like lunch trays and utensils, were stored 

away for the time being. While we were not successful in reducing plastic in our cafeteria, 

our students learned they could question our cafeteria providers and seek change through 

positive communication.

Taking Action: What Can We Do?

Stewardship is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s 

care. Our goal included guiding students to learn that they can make a difference in the 

world in which they live. An essential element is encouraging them to make personal 

choices at school and home to reduce single-use plastic and marine debris. Two stewardship 

challenges were offered to the entire school, one in the fall and one in the spring. A choice 

board with nine stewardship activities was sent home with students. The choice board 

included a parent letter explaining the goals for the challenge. Challenges included 

bringing a litterless lunch, a reusable water bottle, and picking up trash at school or in their 

neighborhood. Altogether, the choice board had nine challenges. We collected data on the 

number of challenges completed in the fall and compared the data with those completed in 

the spring.

Students’ excitement and desire to engage in environmental stewardship throughout the 

school year blossomed. By November, students formed clubs and used recess time to pick 

up trash in our schoolyard. Data collected from student-driven stewardship included 

participation in campus cleanups and weighing and sorting the amount of marine debris 

collected from beach and campus cleanups. 

Outreach

Art is a powerful way to communicate, educate, and inform. In this project, we used art to 

communicate and share the stewardship activities completed by our students. Students 

Figure 2. We collected data on the number of stewardship activities 

completed through the stewardship challenges

Figure 3. Pounds of debris removed during clean-up activities
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 22 The Earth Scientist

created trash art and participated in a school-wide marine debris art contest. Our art 

teacher, Jessica Hughson, found inspiration in the Washed Ashore curriculum and guided 

students to create art from marine debris collected during beach cleanups. 

Artwork included a sea turtle made from buckets and shovels, a crab made from spoons, 

birds made from cups and straws. The artwork caused people to stop and think and wonder. 

It also provided an educational opportunity 

for our community to learn about the 

impact of marine debris. The art contest 

allowed students to share their learning 

about marine debris in a creative format. 

The art contest 

was a school-wide 

event; we received 

more than 55 

submissions. 

Students drew 

pictures of sea 

turtles surrounded 

by fishing nets, 

plastic bottles, and 

spoons floating 

in an ocean filled 

with wildlife. They 

chose messages like 

“Save Our Beaches” 

and “Be a Part of 

the Solution...Not 

Image 4, 5, 6. A local fishing rodeo showcased our 3rd-grade 

trash art. 100 students’ art pieces were displayed at the art show,

along with posters communicating the purpose of the art and 

the stewardship activity of removing marine debris from area 

beaches. Photo Credit: Kelley Hodge

Image 7. 87 students submitted artwork for the marine debris 

art contest. The artwork was displayed in the STEAM Lab before

the winning artwork was chosen. This image shows the artwork

displayed in the classroom. Photo Credit: Kelley Hodge

Image 8. The trash cans created from the marine debris 

art contest are stacked in front of our school

Photo Credit: Kelley Hodges
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 23

the Pollution” to accompany their artwork. We sent the images from the winning artwork to 

a local company that transferred the images to vinyl and wrapped trash cans with them. The 

trash cans now line our school and continue to inform and educate visitors, students, and 

staff about the impact of marine debris on our ecosystems.

Results

Stewardship: 

■ 120 members from our school (parents and children) removed 327 pounds of 

marine debris from area beaches. 

■ 90 students completed 357 acts of stewardship in the fall and 105 students 

completed more than 490 acts of environmental stewardship in the spring. 

■ Outreach: 300 pieces of trash art were created by our third, fourth, and 

fifth-grade students.

Conclusion

We experienced a few challenges with the implementation of this project. Each challenge 

required communication, flexibility, and creativity to accomplish the vision of the project. 

Ongoing COVID restrictions limited off-campus field trips. This required us to coordinate 

with community organizations and offer events in alternative formats. We invited the 

experts to our school and embedded learning within the normal school day. We experienced 

additional unintended positive results as students felt empowered and energized to engage 

in stewardship. We had groups of students form environmental clubs and they used recess 

to pick up trash around the school campus. We also had a wonderful response from parents 

and our community supporting our efforts to encourage environmental stewardship.

References

NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. https://www.

nextgenscience.org/search-standards

NOAA. 2021. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 26 May 2021, https://www.noaa.gov/

education/resource-collections/marine-life. 

Zeh, J. 2021. Marine debris: What is it and how can you help? NAMEPA. Retrieved January 2, 2023, from 

https://namepa.net/2017/01/04/2017-1-3-marine-debris-what-is-it-and-how-can-you-help/

About the Author

Kelley Hodges is a Science Intervention Teacher at Patronis Elementary School and an Adjunct Professor of Science Education at Florida 

State University-Panama City. She lives in Panama City Beach, Florida, and is in her 20th year of teaching. Her career in education include

teaching college, high school, middle school, and elementary school science and mathematics. Her current role at Patronis Elementary

School includes hands-on inquiry-based science instruction for students in grades 3, 4, and 5 and science instructional support and 

guidance for all classroom teachers. Since joining Patronis Elementary School, she has secured funding to support science instruction and

environmental education and developed a schoolwide environmental stewardship program focused on marine debris and its impact on 

marine ecosystems. She established a multi-age First LEGO League robotics program at Patronis supporting efforts to bring coding, robotics,

fun, and core values to young learners. Her work in the community includes curriculum development and teacher training for STEM in a Box,

a joint effort between Florida State University and the Navy Lab-Panama City. Kelley earned a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Physiology and

Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego and a Master’s Degree in Science Education from Florida State University. Kelley

can be reached at hodgekc@bay.k12.fl.us or khodges1993@comcast.
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 24 The Earth Scientist

Abstract

Beaumont Middle School (BMS) wanted to increase the capacity of the current rain 

garden to better handle the stormwater runoff that was coming from the main 

section of the parking lot. By increasing the size of the rain garden system through 

funding from the NOAA Planet Stewards, we were able to increase the capacity to 

catch, mitigate and filter stormwater runoff from a large impermeable surface, 

the main section of a parking lot. This project gave students the opportunity to 

investigate science in a real-world setting. 

Introduction

Beaumont Middle School is located in a suburban landscape near the headwaters of the 

Wolf Run Watershed that does not have well-designed storm water mitigation plans. The 

school campus is located with a large roofed building (the school) and a large paved parking 

lot for the faculty and visitors. Currently, BMS has two rain gardens that were built but 

are not adequate to handle the volume of water that sheds off these two structures. Habitat 

conservation and restoration was the main focus of this project funded by the NOAA Planet 

Stewards. By helping mitigate the runoff at Beaumont Middle School, the project is helping 

Wolf Run become a healthier/stronger stream allowing for a better watershed system. A 

secondary goal was to build a butterfly garden to help build a habitat for local and migrating 

butterflies and bees. (Nature Conservancy, 2019)

Project Implementation

The teachers involved in this project had worked previously to install two rain gardens. 

This has created a new habitat for local wildlife on the school property, apartment complex 

and other houses in the local community. The established rain gardens are home to 

various squirrels, rabbits, robins, starlings, sparrows and a multitude of other animals. 

While working on those rain gardens, it became apparent that the current system was 

not large enough to adequately handle the runoff from the impermeable parking lots in 

order to process and filter more stormwater runoff. Another rain garden was needed. 

(Scubberly, 2021)

Beaumont Rain and Butterfly Garden

Patrick Goff and Kyla Trahan, Beaumont Middle School, Lexington, Kentucky

Photo Credit: Pennsylvania Department of 

Conservation and Natural Resources
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 25

Partners in the project included Kyla Trahan and Patrick Goff, BMS teacher representatives, 

Bruce Hutcheson, President of Friends of Wolf Run, and Nachie Braga, owner of Geomancer 

Permaculture. Mr. Hutcheson was the community liaison and expert on the local watershed. 

Nachie was the rain garden expert to help with site selection, plant selection, design and 

install of the rain gardens. Eight students were actively involved in the project.

Image 7. Bruce Hutcheson, President of Friends of Wolf Run, comes in to 

talk with our rain garden club about the importance of the rain garden on the 

Wolf Run watershed. Photo credit: Patrick Gof

Image 8. Nachi, helping explain why our students would want to use native 

plants in the rain garden system. Photo credit: Patrick Gof

Image 2. The butterfly garden after having been marked off. Photo credit: Patrick Gof

Table 1. Data that was collected by students.

Type of Data Data Collection Method Amount

Size of rain garden

Size of butterfly garden

Measured size of rain garden

Measured size of butterfly garden

980 square feet

750 square feet

Size of parking lot Measured size of parking area 39,000 square feet

Rainfall runoff collection Calculated amount of runoff from a 1 inch 

rainfall event

3,248 cubic feet of water

Rainfall volume Volume of rain garden original

Volume of rain garden addition

Rough 80% increase in volume

104.11 cubic feet of water could be hel

81.6 cubic feet of water could be hel

New Rain Garden Volume total – 185.71 cubic feet can be hel

The existing rain gardens, when measured, came to 2500 

square feet. The addition added another 980 square feet, 

bringing the total square footage to 3480 square feet. Students 

measured the surface of the parking lot, from which rain 

runoff would be captured, to assist in the calculation of the 

amount of runoff produced from this surface. 

Our club was formed with eight committed sixth and 

seventh grade students who wanted to see the rain garden 

be constructed at Beaumont Middle School. We wanted 

younger students so that they would buy into the program 

and want to see it maintained through their middle school 

years. Throughout the year, students would come and go 

and at one point during the construction and installation, 

Ms. Trahan and Mr. Goff were both able to have a class they 

teach be involved as well. 
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 26 The Earth Scientist

The students also calculated the volume of water that the rain gardens could hold before and 

after the expansion. The difference between these two numbers allowed students to realize 

how much additional contaminated water could be prevented from flowing straight in the 

Wolf Run watershed.

Three outcomes were achieved at the conclusion of the project. Overall, we effectively 

increased our rain garden system by approximately 81.6 square feet. That allowed for an 

additional 185.71 cubic feet of storm water runoff to be held and absorbed, not allowing it to 

go into the storm water system. 

Table 2. Timeline of activities during the 2021-2022 school year. 

Month Activities

September Students went outside and talked about the 2 existing rain gardens, looked at the various plants, snapped pictures of 

them and slowly worked through identifying what needed to be kept and what needed to be removed

October Student lesson “Fight Flooding and Pollution with...a Garden?” The students built and tested models of a miniature ra

garden in a plastic bottle

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/EnvSci_p066/environmental-science/rain-gard

November The students met with Bruce Hutcheson to investigate where BMS fits into the Wolf Run watershed through a map

December Students measured the size of the parking lot and rain gardens, 130 feet by 300 feet and our rain gardens measured in 

at approximately 2500 square feet

January Students met with our contractor, Nachie Braga, who would build both gardens, to learn about the history of our area and 

why rain gardens are important

February Mr. Braga brought in a list of possible native plants for our students to pick from and talked about the pros and cons

of each family type of plant for the gardens. Students then developed a list of plants that would be used. The student

were made aware of the fact that the specific plants picked would be dependent on availability and price. Students were

aware of the budget so they could understand the constraints on the project

April Mr. Braga came in on spring break to do the heavy equipment work of excavation and ground prep work for the rain

garden expansion and butterfly garden install. This was done for work vehicles to not interfere with traffic in the parking

lots and to not have to worry about students being near the work sites

May Planting was started and finished with the help of volunteers from Mrs. Trahsn’s science classe

Fall Future work includes mulching the gardens, creating signage for both gardens, and creating public service 

announcements about the gardens

Image 1. The butterfly garden after being planted. Photo

credit: Kyla Trahan

Image 3. The area in our walking track where we wanted the butterfly garden after having been 

cleared. Photo credit: Kyla Traha
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 27

Image 5. The rain garden expansion after having been planted. Photo credit:

Patrick Goff

Outcome #1 – Expansion of Rain Garden

This outcome allowed for an increase in the amount 

of rainfall that can be captured and diverted from the 

stormwater system.

Outcome #2 – Creation of Rain Garden Club

This outcome was of great pride for the educators involved 

because they were able to get 6th grade students to take 

interest and ownership in rain gardens. The club itself 

had eight student members but was able to involve about 

another 35 students in the planting of the materials through 

class time and school service projects.

Outcome #3 – Water quality improvement for the Wolf 

Run Watershed

This diversion allows the rainfall that has various 

pollutants, many from the 50 plus vehicles that park on the 

parking lot, to be absorbed by the ground prior to entering 

the Wolf Run watershed.

While the project was able to calculate the amount of runoff 

from the parking lot and the volume of runoff that the rain 

gardens could absorb, it did not calculate the rate at which the 

gardens would absorb the runoff. This additional piece of data 

will need to be calculated over the Fall and Spring of 2022-2023 

school year. This will allow for a better understanding of the 

amount of water that can be contained within the rain garden. 

This number will be used to determine future expansion needs 

of the rain garden.

Conclusion

Long term maintenance of the rain garden and butterfly 

garden will fall to future students and staff at BMS along with 

community volunteer members. Our communication was not 

what had been planned as the timeline of planting was pushed 

back because of issues obtaining plants and getting money 

processed through the school district. The current plan is to take 

the 2022-2023 school year and start publicizing to the school and 

wider community about the rain gardens and butterfly gardens. 

The project is also in talks of working with a local elementary 

school to help them write a grant to Kentucky American Water 

to install their own rain garden. 

There were several lessons learned over the course of 

the project. 

1. Organize meetings better and help guide the students in 

the process.

Image 6. Kyla and her students who helped plant the rain garden 

expansion. Photo credit: Patrick Gof

Image 4. Nachi Braga, the local environmental consultant, and Kyla 

Trahan helped plant our rain garden. Photo credit: Patrick Gof
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 28 The Earth Scientist

2. Get the planting done either in the fall of the school year 

OR earlier in the spring so one is not fighting the end of the 

school year. Project completion was delayed due to the need to 

remove some invasive plant species and put down the mulch. 

In conclusion, it was a great learning experience for all parties 

involved in the installation of a new rain garden and butterfly 

garden at our school. We have seen the gardens go from being just 

an idea to being a real-life rain garden and butterfly garden. Our 

students are excited at the chance to maintain and improve on what 

we have done so far. We are also excited that we now know that we 

have been able to make a difference in the downstream water quality 

from the rain gardens that have been installed, even if it is a small 

difference, it is still a difference the students are proud of.

References

The Nature Conservancy. 2019. Planting For Pollinators. https://www.

nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/kentucky/

stories-in-kentucky/planting-for-pollinators/

Scubberly. 2021. Benefits of Rain Garden for 2021. https://www.

raingardennetwork.com/benefits-of-planting-rain-gardens/

About the Authors

Patrick Goff is a 23 year veteran science teacher 

who works at Beaumont Middle School in Lexington, 

KY. He has his BS in Secondary Ed Earth/Space

Science and a Masters in Administration and 

Supervision along with his National Boards Science/

Early Adolescence. He has helped to oversee the

installation and expansion of the rain gardens at 

our school. Patrick can be reached at patrick.gof

fayette.kyschools.

Kyla Trahan is a 19 year veteran teacher with 

Beaumont Middle School located in Lexington, KY

Kyla teaches 6th grade science, has a Bachelor’s 

Degree in Elementary Education 1-8 with an add on 

of PreK- K, a Master’s Degree in Arts of Elementary 

Education, and a Rank 1 in Educational Technology

Kyla can be reached at kyla.trahan@fayett

kyschools.u
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 29

Abstract

Keepers of Turtle Island, a clan of Indigenous students, was an initiative to learn 

more about sustainable practices, revitalize Traditional Ecological Knowledge 

(TEK) with our Native American communities, and actively engage in stewardship 

of our environment. This NOAA Planet Stewards project was designed to address 

the damage caused to the environment in terms of the loss of biodiversity and the 

growing threat to ecosystems and cultural heritage. One of the main challenges 

that the project addressed was the decreasing number of pollinators due to various 

factors including the eradication of native plants such as milkweed. The project 

restored habitats for pollinators by growing native plants, which provide ecosystem 

services and opportunities for students to learn about them. The project also focused 

on reducing carbon emissions and sequestering carbon. By braiding Indigenous 

Science perspectives into environmental education, the project emphasized relations, 

responsibility, and stewardship towards the environment. The program engaged 

middle and high school students in calculating their carbon footprints, planting a 

native pollinator garden, and learning about the local ecosystem and climate through 

their Indigenous cultures. The project’s partners collaborated with the students to 

design the garden space and donated native plant species. The project also involved 

cultural educational experiences to bridge learning about Indigenous culture 

and science and build participants’ climate literacy. The Keepers of Turtle Island 

project provided culturally relevant and sustaining science learning experiences, 

built community, and limited the effects of climate change by integrating education, 

culture, and community approaches informed by Indigenous knowledge.

Introduction

Our relationship with Earth has deteriorated and much of the traditional ecological 

knowledge of our ancestors has been lost. Rekindling our community relationships through 

storytelling, listening, and learning through our Indigenous cultures could help increase the 

climate literacy and sustainability of our local community at large. Indigenous communities 

are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change with close dependence on 

climate-sensitive resources for their livelihoods, cultures, and economies. The intimate 

Keepers of Turtle Island

Amelia Cook, Keepers of Turtle Island

Native Youth Science Club, Norman High School, Norman, Oklahoma

Monarch lands on student at Tribal 

Alliance of Pollinators Butterfly 

Sanctuary

Photo credit: Amelia Cook. 
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 30 The Earth Scientist

connection with the land and ancestral knowledge of Indigenous peoples accumulated over 

centuries is a strength. Native people’s traditional methods of learning from the land, as well 

as their practice of passing down these traditions and knowledge through generations, have 

been recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2019) as critical 

for adaptation. The Panel’s report acknowledges the importance of Indigenous knowledge in 

accelerating societal behavior changes that align with the goals of adapting to and mitigating 

global warming. Integrating education, information, and community approaches informed 

by Indigenous knowledge can be an effective means of facilitating widespread adaptation 

and limiting the effects of climate change.

Today, overuse of chemicals, landscaping, and environmental mismanagement have 

damaged our lands and deepened the disconnection with nature. This disconnection to 

the community, both human and non-human relations alike, contributes to the loss of 

biodiversity and inability to collaboratively solve our environmental challenges, threatening 

our ecosystem as well as our cultural heritage. It is our responsibility to heal our connection 

to the land by restoring the native plants that sustain life and rekindling our community 

relationships. Humans can alter the land to a degree that none before have, but this change 

does not have to be exploitative. Through community education we have an opportunity to 

hold ourselves accountable and make an alteration for the better. We must do what we can to 

foster a relationship of reciprocity with the land and educate youth.

Globally, pollinator populations are shrinking. Several overlapping factors contribute to 

this disturbing global trend, including habitat fragmentation, pesticide use, and climate 

change. Pollinators are vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems. Most flowering plants 

depend on bees, butterflies, and other animals for pollination. Pollinators evolved with 

native plants, which are best adapted to the local growing season, climate, and soils. Many 

pollinators depend on specific plant species (e.g., milkweed is critical for the survival of 

monarchs, without it they cannot complete their life cycle). Milkweed has been eradicated 

both in agricultural areas as well as urban and suburban landscapes and is one of the reasons 

monarchs are threatened. Growing native plants adds important habitats for pollinators and 

supports important ecosystem services.

The level of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is 419 ppm (NASA, 2023), a level that has not 

been seen since the Pliocene Epoch. This is due to our ever-increasing emissions and the heat 

trapping properties of carbon dioxide combined with our vast reduction in carbon sinks 

from deforestation, monocropping, and the reduction in wetlands ecosystems around the 

globe. Humanity is committed to some level of climate change, how much the climate changes 

and how well our communities respond to these changes are up to us and the behaviors we 

choose. Despite increasing awareness of climate change, our emissions of greenhouse gasses 

continue to rise. 

The Project

Our NOAA Planet Stewards project presented opportunities to explore innovative 

approaches that blend Indigenous science, community development, and education with 

Western Science to learn about the local environment. By integrating these different bodies 

of knowledge, we created new and imaginative community learning experiences that value 

multiple perspectives, collaboration, and promote sustainability. Keepers of Turtle Island, a 

clan of students, learned about sustainable practices and Traditional Ecological Knowledge 

(TEK) with our Native American communities, and actively engaging in stewardship of our 

environment. Reducing our carbon footprints, sequestering carbon, and habitat restoration 
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 31

for native pollinators are important environmental challenges and the main focus of the 

Keepers of Turtle Island project.

This yearlong program engaged students in culturally sustaining and revitalizing science 

learning experiences incorporating Native languages, story work, and cultural and science 

experts from the community. Students calculated their carbon footprints, learned about the 

local ecosystem and climate, and planted a native pollinator garden. Students learned about 

culturally significant plants and native pollinators, how to change their behaviors to reduce 

their carbon footprint, and discovered ways to sequester carbon through campus gardening 

and greening unused spaces. These educational experiences provided opportunities to 

challenge students to think in new ways about Indigenous science, community building, 

and education as a tool for sustainability. Incorporating Indigenous science perspectives 

emphasized connection with one another and Mother Earth, as well as responsibility and 

stewardship. The Tribal Alliance of Pollinators, the South-Central Climate Adaptation 

Science Center, and the Chickasaw Nation collaborated with middle and high school students 

to design the garden space as well as donated native plant species. The University of 

Oklahoma’s (OU) Beekeepers Association, a student organization that educates and engages 

with the community to raise awareness about the importance of honeybees, collaborated 

on native plant research, facilitated learning activities about the importance and role of 

pollinators, and helped build our raised beds. Norman Public Schools students involved in 

the project ranged in age from 6th to 12th grade.

Each meeting of the students followed an experiential learning cycle engaging with the 

Native American cultures of the students to learn science from an Indigenous perspective. 

Fall activities included visitors from local Native Nations and storytelling. Loksi, is the 

Chickasaw word for turtle, became a central theme for the club. Students created, Earth on 

Turtle’s Back, a paper mâché collaborative diorama art project that modeled the Canadian 

River valley and local Cross Timbers ecosystem’s flora and fauna on the back of Loksi’s shell. 

Stewardship activities included carbon footprint calculations, the International Student 

Carbon Footprint Challenge, and a biodiversity survey of campus. In Spring meetings, 

students learned about local climate change impacts, native and culturally significant plants, 

and designed, built, and planted a native pollinator garden in collaboration with the OU 

Beekeepers Association.

The club’s curriculum followed an Indigenous Science instructional framework 

emphasizing land-based, student-centered, active learning with Elders and other Knowledge 

Image 1. Lawn before the project. Photo credit: Amelia Cook Image 2. Students built raised beds for pollinator garden Photo credit: Amelia Coo
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 32 The Earth Scientist

Keepers, science experts, and families in the community, respectfully braiding Western and 

Indigenous Science perspectives together valuing multiple perspectives, connecting with 

the past and preparing for the future, building an ecosystem of good relations and practice 

to investigate and act on a community-based science issue.

Lessons were developed using experiential learning cycles of experiencing, reflecting, 

making meaning, and acting phases with a 5E instructional sequence. Participants built 

relationships with the local environment through Nature Journaling (Laws & Lygren, 2020) 

activities and cultivating personal and cultural connections in scientific investigations 

utilizing environmental 

data (NASA GRACE, 

2023) and engaging with 

community collaborative 

science programs, Nature’s 

Notebook (https://

www.usanpn.org/nn/

education) and NASA’s 

Globe Observer (https://

observer.globe.gov/

do-globe-observer).

A survey measuring 

climate attitude and 

interest was administered 

at the beginning and end of 

the school year.

Not all students agreed 

that climate change was 

occurring at the beginning 

of the semester, however, 

100% of respondents agreed 

Image 5. Rattlesnake Master 

blooming during the first growing 

season.. Photo credit: Amelia Co

Image 4. Lawn After Project. South Bed with new plants  Photo credit: Amelia CoImage 3. Lawn after. North bed with native

plants.. Photo credit: Amelia Co

28%

52%

9%

2% 6% 3%

33%

25%

17%

5%

10% 9%

Alarmed Concerned Cautious Disengaged Doubtful Dismissive

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Group Data

National Estimate

Group Data vs. National Estimates (September 2021)

44%

52%

4%

33%

25%

17%

5%

10% 9%

Alarmed Concerned Cautious Disengaged Doubtful Dismissive

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Group Data

National Estimate

Group Data vs. National Estimates (September 2021)

Audience Segmentation

Concerned

51.6%

Alarmed

28.1%

Cautious

9.4%

Doubtful

6.3%

Dismissive

3.1% Disengaged

1.5%

Audience Segmentation

Concerned

52.0%

Alarmed

44.0%

Cautious

4.0%

Figures 1 and 1a. Climate Change Survey Results Pre-Project

Figures 2 and 2a. Climate Change Survey Results Post-Project
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 33

that climate change was occurring in the final survey in May. The group’s average confidence 

in that climate change was occurring changed from somewhat sure to very sure. Overall 

student opinion regarding if the climate was changing due to human activities changed from 

a majority agreeing changes were caused “equally by human activity and natural events” 

to “largely or entirely by human activity.” The distribution of students changed in the Six 

Americas categories (Yale 2021) (Figures 1 & 2) with more alarmed students and no one 

responding as disengaged, doubtful, nor dismissive at the end of the year. Students reported 

they still “rarely” talk about climate change but also reported they had more information 

to discuss climate change at the end of the year. More students reported they believed they 

could do something and were ready to take action regarding climate change at the end of 

the year. 

There were many significant outcomes of the project. Students learned how to calculate their 

ecological footprints and increased their knowledge of behaviors to reduce their families’ 

environmental impact. Many students (and parents!) reported changes they were making 

to reduce footprints, an estimated 10-20% reduction in our collective footprints. Keepers 

of Turtle Island made a measurable improvement in the health of the campus ecosystem. 

Students completed a biodiversity survey of the area on campus where the pollinator garden 

was planted before and after the project. Species diversity increased from two plant species 

to 15 species, and two animal species to six; a 650% increase in plant biodiversity and a 200% 

increase in animal diversity. The pollinator habitat restoration project added Native and 

culturally significant plants including: 

■ Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum)

■ Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)

■ Many-Rayed Aster (Symphyotrichum anomalum)

■ Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

■ Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

■ Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)

■ Blue Vine (Ampelamus albidus)

■ Antelope-Horns Milkweed (Asclepias asperula)

■ Little BlueStem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

■ Whiteleaf Mountainmint (Pycnanthemum albescens)

■ Bee Balm (Monarda citriodora)

■ Sunflower (Helianthus mollis) 

■ Coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) 

Approximately 100 square feet of pollinator habitat was restored increasing the carbon 

sequestration capacity of campus. Students estimated the new garden would sequester 

between four to eight pounds of carbon in the first growing season, increasing each year as 

the perennial native plant species grow in size and increase biomass. Students learned of 

carbon sequestration in soil and plan to “green” more unused spaces on campus to sequester 

carbon in soil and plant biomass. The native pollinator garden was planted in a prominent 

location on campus and has generated a lot of interest from the community. There are 

plans to build more beds in the future. This garden will continue to inspire and inform 

the community.
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 34 The Earth Scientist

Conclusion

The Keepers of Turtle Island project encouraged Indigenous Science 

and interdisciplinary learning to address local climate change issues 

and take action on projects, such as restoring native pollinator 

habitats. By working alongside Elders, local scientists, and subject 

matter experts, students designed and conducted environmental 

science investigations, while also learning about the issues through 

a curriculum that combined Western science with local Indigenous 

knowledge. Utilizing the knowledge and data they collected, they 

implemented a stewardship project that targeted the declining 

pollinator populations, a core climate change issue within the 

community. As a result of their efforts, there was a significant shift in 

attitudes towards climate change in participants, cultural knowledge 

improved, and the ecosystem health of campus improved remarkably.

This project encouraged us to challenge our thinking and embrace new 

perspectives in science learning. Incorporating Indigenous Science 

perspectives into environmental education emphasizes connection, 

responsibility, and meaning. 

References

IPCC, 2019. Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report 

on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food 

security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems [P.R. Shukla, J. Skea, E. Calvo 

Buendia, V. Masson-Delmotte, H.- O. Pörtner, D. C. Roberts, P. Zhai, R. Slade, S. Connors, R. van 

Diemen, M. Ferrat, E. Haughey, S. Luz, S. Neogi, M. Pathak, J. Petzold, J. Portugal Pereira, P. 

Vyas, E. Huntley, K. Kissick, M. Belkacemi, J. Malley, (eds.)]. https://www.ipcc.

ch/srccl/

Laws, J., Lygren, E. 2020. How To Teach Nature Journaling (Heyday Books, 

Berkeley, California).

NASA Global Climate Change. 2023. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://

climate.nasa.gov/

NASA GRACE-Based Shallow Groundwater Drought Indicator. 2023. https://

nasagrace.unl.edu/Default.aspx

U.S. Drought Monitor. 2023. https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap.aspx

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. 2021. Global Warming’s 

Six Americas, September 2021. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/

publications/global-warmings-six-americas-september-2021/

Image 6. Students planting native plants

Photo credit: Amelia Cook

About the Author

Ameila Cook is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, 

Science Education doctoral student at the University 

of Oklahoma, and high school science educator in 

Oklahoma. Amelia is a teacher ambassador with

the National Center for Science Education, EcoRise, 

and a NOAA Planet Steward. Ameila can be reached

at ameliacook@ou.ed
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 35

Abstract

The Landscape Architectural Project, an environmental awareness project funded 

by NOAA Planet Stewards, enabled students to take ownership in designing, 

creating, and maintaining natural gardens around Seminole High School (SHS). 

Students had, and continue to have, opportunities to earn service hours, and 

become leaders within the school community. Approximately 350 – 400 students, 

8 educators, a high school administrator, and 2 outside horticulture experts were 

involved from Pinellas County Schools Gardens and the University of Florida (UF) 

Urban Horticulture Extension. Restoring Florida native plants to the campus 

and expanding access to the gardens by educators who have used them for lesson 

enhancements for their students are measures of success for this project. 

Introduction

Seminole High School (SHS) is a 64-acre 

campus that has minimal vegetation on it. The 

Landscape Architectural Project was designed 

for students to build a native landscape 

promoting shelter and food for native wildlife, 

biodiversity, and stewardship of nature, and 

will increase the aesthetic value of the student’s 

educational experience (NOAA, 2021).

A variety of Florida native plants might grow 

optimally within the 64-acre campus at SHS and 

provide many benefits. Native plants provide 

nectar, pollen, and seeds that are important 

food sources for regional species of butterflies, 

insects, birds, and other animals (Pitchford, 

2019). Native landscaping provides local habitat that is necessary for species that are 

indigenous to the area (Florida Wildflower Foundation, 2021). Additionally, native plants do 

not require fertilizer and reduce the need for pesticides. These plants require less water as 

Seminole High 

School Landscape 

Architectural Project

Jerry Cantrell, Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida

Monarch on milkweed plant

Photo Credit: Billy Skaradek

Image 1. Seminole High School garden before planting Photo Credit: Jerry Cantrell
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 36 The Earth Scientist

well as prevent erosion (e.g., water runoff and flooding in the local area will be minimized) 

(US Forest Service, 2021). Finally, native landscaping reduces carbon from the air, which in 

turn assists in reducing air pollution. 

The Project

The Landscape Architectural Project has engaged many educators at SHS and their students 

in activities relating to the gardens. SHS has used the Landscape Architecture Project 

to direct a focus on high school-wide STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, 

Mathematics) education. 

The vision of Seminole High School’s STEAM program is to develop specialized and 

innovative skills through exploration, critical thinking, and problem solving (Webster 

University, 2022), (The Glossary of Education Reform, 2016), (UMass Chan Medical 

School, 2022). The Secondary STEAM offerings at SHS are rooted in the interdisciplinary 

application and interaction of all STEAM fields. Real-Life approaches to STEAM-oriented 

issues are gained through hands-on STEAM challenges and implementation of the 

engineering design process (Back, 2017). Participation in the STEAM program allow 

students to:

■ Address specific design challenges.

■ Use a variety of technologies to enhance their understanding of STEAM tasks.

■ Practice communication and leadership skills.

■ Explore STEAM careers and their associated pathways.

■ Provide avenues for students to use interdisciplinary skills to accomplish 

learning goals. 

■ Provide opportunities to compete in the Pinellas Regional Science and 

Engineering Fair and the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair.

All 85 teachers and 2,000 students have access to use the gardens to teach cross-curricular 

connections of environmental sustainability as they relate to science, engineering, math, the 

Arts, and related technologies (Royal Academy of Engineering, 2014). SHS is Pinellas County 

Schools’ first school to initiate STEAM for the entire High School. 

Image 2. Seminole High School propagation garden space prior to 

improvements Photo Credit: Jerry Cantrell

Image 3. Seminole High School propagation garden space with clearing

Photo Credit: Jerry Cantrell
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 37

The Sustainable Engineering Academy of SHS uses the gardens to teach unmanned aircraft 

system operation: filming, light differentiation, ESRI ArcGIS integration based on vegetation 

as well as water quality data. Language Arts continues to use the gardens to explore nature 

and interpretation of nature through an author’s lens. Foreign language uses the gardening 

for students to teach how to give directions in Spanish. Visual arts students add artwork 

to the garden: on the ground, in the trees, and on the walls. Science uses the gardens to 

demonstrate real world examples of species population and their associated life cycles. 

There have been 80 students actively involved in maintaining and cultivating 

the gardens every week. The species planted are listed in Table 1. 

SHS is expanding the gardens this year to include a hydroponics garden. 

Pinellas County Schools worked with the Sustainable Engineering Academy 

to build out a space that will house the hydroponics system. The goal this 

year is to begin working on obtaining materials to have students build a 

greenhouse over the vegetable/propagation garden. 

SHS has added CAPE Certifications (industry specific certifications) to its 

offerings partially because of the Landscape Architectural Project. We 

offer USI Safety Level 1 Unmanned Aircraft Certification opportunities to 

students; 33 certifications were obtained last academic year and 60 additional 

are expected in the 2022 – 2023 academic year. In the next academic year, 

the Sustainable Engineering Academy is adding ESRI ArcGIS Desktop Entry 

Certification, AutoCAD Certification, Aquaculture Certification (hydroponics), and Ecology 

Conservation Certification. 

School year timeline:

■ Students discussed the launch of the project on May 26, 2021. 

■ Soil sampling took place throughout the 64-acre campus of Seminole High 

School. Environmental analysis probeware through Vernier was used along 

with the student’s phones to determine soil pH levels. Students mapped the pH 

measurements and communicated these to Theresa Badurek of UF. Theresa 

provided input regarding the soil and plant species that are suitable. 

■ The soil was sampled in the 

summer of 2021 (Table 2). SHS 

worked in collaboration with 

the University of Florida to 

accomplish this task. 

■ Students decided that the 

Landscape Architectural 

Project will be called SHS 

Beautify at Seminole High School, August 2021.

■ Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) came to the school and worked with students 

and educators. FNPS provided guidance on the appropriate plants to place and 

the times of year to plant them. Additionally, valuable information regarding the 

vegetable garden and native species to plant was obtained in October 2021.

■ Students from the Graphics Media course as well as STEAM Academy 

created videos for school publication, writings for the school newspaper, and 

Table 1. Species Planted in the garden

Qty Description

80 Native Groundcover

50 Native Vine 

80 Native Wildflower 

60 Butterfly Larval Host Plants 

60 Butterfly Nectar Plants 

30 Exceptional Pollinator Plant 

30 Exceptional Bird Food Source Plant 

30 Native Fruit Plants

100 Wildflower Seeds 

30 Soil Amendments 

Table 2. Project Data Collection Types

Type of Data Data Collection Method Amount

Soil pH Probeware detecting pH 3 sites, 10 samples each

Survey of student’s 

interest

Verbal communication and data 

research for gardening

40 students

CO2 Sequestration Measurement and estimation 10 students and 2 teachers
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 38 The Earth Scientist

communications through the school’s The Morning Show to inform and engage 

students in SHS Beautify Project.

■ August 2021, the students planted a butterfly garden and began creating a 

community space. 

■ October 2021, students began conditioning the soil of the propagation garden 

for planting. Students also cleared seashell from the gardens so they could plant 

the gardens.

■ October 2021 - January 2022, (ongoing) students have worked 

with Wilcox Nursery to design, select, and plant three 

landscapes at Seminole High School. The students have planted 

one landscape in front of the school, created an improved 

memorial garden for students who have passed on as they 

attended Seminole High School, began creation of a studentcentered community space and garden, began planting a shade 

garden near the auditorium, and began clearing space and 

improving the allocated vegetable/propagation garden space.

■ September 2021, the students were surveyed regarding 

their understanding of the need for native plants in the local 

environment during this time (e.g., benefits, aesthetics, how 

to continue engaging students in activities, their desires to 

improve and continue gardening efforts).

■ September 2021 - current, students are planting suitable sources of nectar and 

food for indigenous butterfly species

■ November 2021 - current, students began propagating a small quantity of native 

plant species through its propagation garden. 

■ Academic year 2022 - 2023, students are maintaining the created gardens, 

building a vegetable garden, and researching aquaponics.

Student surveys were conducted in the fall of 2021 and the spring of 2022 to determine 

the student’s level of interest. The spring survey was used to determine knowledge of the 

students and was a baseline 

measurement that will be used 

as the program moves forward.

Based on EcoMatcher’s carbon 

sequestration formula, the 

carbon dioxide sequestered 

in one year was 13,408 lbs 

(Fransen, 2019). There were 

more than 570 wildflower 

plants, trees, shrubs, and 

vines planted. In the process 

of restoring native vegetation 

to the school’s campus, 4.62 

tons of crushed coquina 

shells were removed from 

the memorial garden.

Image 4. Seminole High School wildflower garden after planting in 2022

Photo Credit: Jerry Cantrell

Image 5. Memorial Garden Photo Credit: Jerry Cantrell Image 6. Wildflowers Photo Credit: Jerry Cantrell
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 39

Many SHS educators wanted to be involved in this project, but curriculum sharing and 

integration had to occur, so we have taken an approach of collaborating in cross-disciplinary 

teams. The goal of the teams is to better understand the student’s needs and to provide 

STEAM-centered learning opportunities. A group of educator leaders and administrators 

met monthly to discuss moving this idea forward. One year’s theme for education was 

“water” and many lessons incorporated a water concept. Each discipline within the school 

created a “water” project to present to the student body via our Morning Show, a studentcreated news aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays. There was also a cross-functional team 

of teachers working with educators regarding the process of building collaborative teams 

and brainstorm ideas. The educators now see that sharing/integration can be successful and 

are consistently looking for ways to integrate sustainability into their coursework. 

Conclusion

Students have been successful in restoring native wildflowers on SHS’s 64-acre campus. 

There are 5 distinct garden spaces, with plants established over roughly three acres of land. 

The gardens created at SHS offered valuable teaching experiences that cultivate the potential 

in every student to thrive as a global citizen by inspiring a love of learning, encouraging 

civic engagement, challenging and supporting every student to achieve academic excellence, 

while embracing the full richness and diversity of our community. SHS has used the 

Landscape Architectural Project to grow its STEAM concept which is improving the teaching 

and learning environment at Seminole High School. It is also promoting new, innovative, 

and captivating learning experiences for students. 

The Landscape Architectural Project continues to be student-run, provides practical, hands-on 

experiences in farming and gardening, business management, community relations, and nature 

observation. Additionally, students are anticipating research projects, scientific inquiry, as well 

as places for reflection and creativity in the cultivation of the native plant habitat.

References

Back, J. 2017. Integrating the Engineering Design Process and Challenge-Based Learning 

in STEM. Retrieved from Getting Smart: https://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/10/19/

integrating-edp-and-cbl-in-stem/

Florida Wildflower Foundation. 2021. Native Wildflower Habitat: Protected through education, 

conservation, planting, and research.: https://www.flawildflowers.org/

Fransen, B. 2019. How to Calculate CO2 Sequestration. Retrieved from EcoMatcher: https://www.

ecomatcher.com/how-to-calculate-co2-sequestration/

NOAA. 2021. NOAA Southeast Habitat in the Southeast. Retrieved from Habitat in the Southeast: 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/southeast#habitat

Pitchford, Z. 2019. How to Develop a Florida Native Landscape Design. Retrieved from Wilcox 

Nursery & Landscape, Landscaping: https://www.wilcoxnursery.com/landscaping/

develop-florida-native-landscape-design/

Royal Academy of Engineering. 2014. Think Like and Engineer Full Report. Retrieved from 

Thinking Like an Engineer Implications for the Education System: https://raeng.org.uk/

media/brjjknt3/thinking-like-an-engineer-full-report.pdf

The Glossary of Education Reform. 2016. Capstone Project. Retrieved from The Glossary of 

Education Reform for Journalists, Parents, and Community Members: https://www.

edglossary.org/capstone-project/

UMass Chan Medical School. 2022. Capstone Resources. Retrieved from Lamar Soutter Library: 

https://libraryguides.umassmed.edu/capstone-resources/parts-of-paper

Webster University. 2022. Capstone & Thesis Research. Retrieved from Webster University 

Library: https://libguides.webster.edu/capstone

About the Author

Jerry Cantrell is a science and 

engineering teacher at Seminole 

High School in Seminole, Florida.

Jerry holds a BS from Southern 

Polytechnic State University in 

Electrical Engineering and an 

MS from University of South 

Florida in Environmental Science, 

Policy, and Geography. He has

taught science and engineering 

in Pinellas County Schools for 

8 years; prior to teaching Jerry 

was a biomedical engineer and 

had served 15 years in the US 

Army. Additionally, Jerry is a Top

10 Finalist for Pinellas County 

Schools 2023 Teacher of the 

Year. Jerry can be reached at

cantrellj@pcsb.or
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 40 The Earth Scientist

https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov

FREE! NASA Earth System 

Science Resources

• Organized by Earth System Sphere 

& Phenomena

• Aligned to NGSS Standards

• Ready to Use Content

 – Student Facing Mini Lessons

 – Interactive Lessons

 – Teacher Lesson Plans

 – Data Literacy Cubes
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 41
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 42 The Earth Scientist

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