Portland
State
University
Capstone - Effective Environmental Interpretation
Spring Term 2008
Office:
Nature
Center
,
Tryon
Creek
State Park
Office Hours: Wednesday and Friday 1:00 – 5:00 pm by appointment
Course Number: CRN 64074 UNST 421 584
Credit Hours: 6 credits
Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 2 – June 10, 2008, 9:00 am - noon
Meeting Place:
Nature
Center
,
Tryon
Creek
State Park
This course focuses on the preparation and presentation of environmental education programs for visitors to
Tryon
Creek
State Park
. Collaborative groups will work to develop and analyze materials and programs dedicated to educating the public about a variety of environmental topics relevant to understanding the natural history of
Tryon
Creek
State Park
.
Programs will focus on the Nature Explorations for School Groups field trips presented at the Park during the spring. Class participants will function as Nature Guides for small groups of students visiting the park. As our population has become more urbanized and technology oriented, children have fewer and fewer opportunities to interact with the natural world. We are all dependent on healthy ecosystems to support life on our planet, including our own, and we are increasingly asked to examine issues involving the environment. In order to make informed decisions about our personal role in supporting the environment, the Friends of Tryon Creek feesl it is important to experience the natural world directly. The programs offered at the Park are oriented toward helping individuals develop personal connections to the living earth. It will be the role of class participants to assist children in their explorations of the Park and help them develop a comfort with our natural systems.
CONTACT INFORMATION
