America's Largest Classroom

Jessica L. Thompson

Published by University of California Press 2020

America's Largest Classroom

What We Learn from Our National Parks

Jessica L. Thompson

https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520974555

Overview
Contents

About this book

Over the past 100 years, visitor learning at America’s national parks has grown and evolved. Today, there are over 400 National Park Service (NPS) sites, representing over eighty million acres. Sites exist in every US state and territory and are located on land, at sea, in remote areas, and in major urban centers. Every year, more than 300 million people visit national parks, and several million of them are children engaged in one of many educational programs hosted by the NPS.

America’s Largest Classrooms offers insight and practical advice for improving educational outreach at national parks as well as suggestions for classroom educators on how to meaningfully incorporate parks into their curricula. Via a wide collection of case studies—ranging from addressing inclusivity at parks and public lands to teaching about science and social issues—this book illustrates innovations and solutions that will be of interest to nature interpreters, outdoor educators, and policy makers, as well as professors in the sciences writ large.

Author information

ThompsonJessica L.:

Jessica L. Thompson is Associate Professor in the College of Business at Northern Michigan University.

Ana K. Houseal is Associate Professor and Science Outreach Educator in the Science and Mathematics Teaching Center at the University of Wyoming.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Contributors Publicly Available Download PDF	xi
Foreword. National Parks: “America’s Best” Outdoor Classrooms Milton Chen Publicly Available Download PDF	xiii
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	xix
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	xxi
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1. Dynamic Learning Landscapes: The Evolution of Education in Our National Parks Julia Washburn Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	5
2. Commentary: Perspectives on Heritage Leadership Theresa Coble Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	23
3. Invoking the Spirit of History on the Journey through Hallowed Ground James A. Percoco Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	29
4. Two Different Ways of Knowing the Glacier Area Donal Carbaugh Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	37
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	49
5. Learning about Climate Change in Our National Parks Shawn Davis and Jessica L. Thompson Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	53
6. Place-Based Education at Teton Science Schools: Inspiring Curiosity, Engagement, and Leadership in National Parks and Beyond Kevin Krasnow, Nate McClennen, Amanda Kern, Patrick Leary and Greg Peck Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	73
7. Three-Dimensional Learning: “Upping the Game” in Citizen Science Projects Ana K. Houseal Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	83
8. Mentoring Mountain Raingers: Beyond Basic Hydrological Field Research in the Great Smoky Mountains Douglas K. Miller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	97
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	111
9. Learning Environmental Psychology in the National Parks Donna K. McMillan Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	115
10. Can Signage Influence Healthy Behavior? The Case of Catoctin Mountain National Park Mallika Bose, Lara Nagle, Jacob Benfield, Heather Costigan, Jeremy Wimpey and B. Derrick Taff Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	127
11. Learning Historic Places with Diverse Populations: An Exploratory Study of Student Perceptions Jenice L. View and Andrea Guiden Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	137
12. “I Felt Like a Scientist!”: Accessing America’s National Parks on Every Campus Natalie Bursztyn, Richard Goode and Colleen McDonough Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	151
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	167
13. Place-Based Learning Fosters Engagement and Opportunities for Innovative Partnerships Susan Newton Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	171
14. A Partnership Model of Education at Cuyahoga Valley National Park Deb Yandala, Katie Wright and Jesús Sánchez Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
15.Pura Vida Inspires Diversity and Engagement at Grand Teton National Park Teddi (Hofmann) Freedman Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	189
16. What Really “Matters” at Stephen T. Mather Building Arts and Craftsmanship High School Deborah Shanley and Lois Adams-Rodgers Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	195
17. Learning Historic Places with Diverse Populations: Making the Case for Teacher-Ranger Professional Development Jenice L. View and Paula Cristina Azevedo Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	201
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	217
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	217
18. Lessons Learned from Museums: Family Learning in National Parks Colleen Bourque and Ana K. Houseal Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	221
19. Identifying Outcomes for Environmental Education at National Parks Robert B. Powell, Marc J. Stern and B. Troy Frensley Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	245
20. Valuing Education and Learning in the National Parks Tim Marlowe, Linda J. Bilmes and John Loomis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	259
21. Commentary: National Parks as Places for Free-Choice Learning Martin Storksdieck and John Falk Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	265
Afterword Jonathan B. Jarvis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	271
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	275