Yosemite InstituteMERCED – On May 13, 1999, UC Merced entered into a formal partnership for research, education, and outreach with Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks. As part of our collaborative efforts, the UC Merced Office of Academic Programs and the Yosemite Institute will fund a trip to the Yosemite National Park for students from several K-12 schools around the Valley. The Yosemite Institute’s Residential Field Science Program is designed to challenge students intellectually, personally, and physically. Learning is facilitated by professional field teachers who lead students in explorations, investigations, discussions and reflection. The educational framework themes of Sense of Place, Interconnections, and Stewardship guide the development of these presentations, and choices in teaching sites and activities. Presentations are developmentally-appropriate, challenging and fun, and meet state science framework guidelines. Learning takes place in Yosemite’s natural “classrooms” where scientific and ecological concepts come alive. Students learn by direct observation of the local environments, and learning and living cooperatively with their classmates. Sixty fifth graders from elementary schools in the Parlier Unified School District and Veva Blunt Elementary School in Visalia Unified School District attended a 3-day residential field science program at the Yosemite Institute in the end of February. Sixty seventh or eighth grade students from Parlier Junior High School in Parlier, Steve Garvey Junior High School in Lindsay, Mountain View Middle School in Lamont, and La Joya Middle School in Visalia will attend a 4-day residential field science program at the Yosemite Institute in May. For more information contact Diana Ralls at (559) 241-7406, diana.ralls@ucop.edu |