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NAME: Patty Marshall
SCHOOL: Johnson Central High School
SCHOOL ADDRESS: 257 North Mayo Trail
Paintsville, KY 41240
E-MAIL:pmarshal@johnson.k12.ky.usI graduated from Prestonsburg Community College with an AA and an AS in 1991. I then attended Morehead State University majoring in mathematics and minoring in computer science. I graduated from Morehead State University in 1993 with a BS degree. I have a secondary (9-12) teaching certificate.
In 1993 I started teaching Mathematics at Johnson Central High School in Paintsville, Kentucky. I have been there ever since. I primarily teach freshman Algebra I. However, I have taught Pre-Algebra, Geometry, and Practical Statistics.
I applied to attend the WWNFF Environmental Science Institute with two colleagues, Marsha Colvin (science teacher) and Tracy Runyon (math/science teacher). We all work primarily with freshman and do some integrated projects together. We felt that the opportunity to travel to a Rainforest would enhance our knowledge base and help us to integrate math and science in ways that would peak the interest of our students.
We saw a Fer de Lance up close and personal during a presentation on
Costa Rican snakes.
We visited Volcano Poas. We hiked to one of the craters (above).
San Jose was a very interesting city. I enjoyed visiting the open market and witnessing the diversity of the city.
We visited the Dole banana plantation on the way to La Selva.
I didn't think that banana production would be so much work.
La Selva was crawling with animals. We observed numerous animal species in their natural habitats. One of my favorite animals was the poison dart frog. I was very suprised that the poison dart frog was so small. It was about the size of the end of your thumb.
This is a Poison Dart Frog found at La Selva.
I am holding a Poison Dart Frog. You can see that the frog is very small.For our first project, my group chose to look at morphospecies diversity found in Bromeliads growing in the cocao plantation with primary growth characteristics and forest gap areas in the same region. We spent several hours collecting specimens and analyzing data.
This is a picture of Marsha Colvin and me sorting through a Bromeliad specimen looking for macroorganisms. One of the best finds was a small scorpion.
One of my favorite experiences at La Selva was a visit to an area school. I was shocked to see the state of the school system we visited. I feel very fortunate to teach in a great school.
This is one of the many classrooms we observed.
HIGHLIGHTS OF
PALO VERDE
Palo Verde was crawling with Iguanas. You could walk out of the room and see ten Iguanas in a matter of minutes.
While at Palo Verde we enjoyed a horseback ride through the country
side.
While on a boat ride we saw several crocodiles and caimans.
While on a boat ride we saw a group of Howler Monkeys.
My group and I decided to do our second research project on nuclear trees found in areas with and without cattle. We looked at the number of trees and the biodiversity of the tree species found underneath and outside of the nuclear tree canopy.
Nuclear tree project group organizing
tree leaf specimens.
On the way to Los Cruces we detoured at the the Del Rio Mar resort. While there we went to the beach. We had a day of much needed rest and relaxation.
The Del Rio Mar resort.
Group picture taken at the beach.
Wilson Botanical Garden
Group picture taken before hiking the Wilson Botanical Garden and the
Los Cruces Secondary Forest.
Jumping Viper found on trail in the primary forest.
For my third project my group and I decided to study the placement of bat tents in the Botanical Garden, the secondary forest, and the primary forest. We searched for bat tents for several hours in each site. We then analyzed the data collected and wrote a research paper.
I feel that the opportunity to visit, study, and experience Costa Rica has vastly widened my knowledge base. This has been a once in a lifetime opportunity to do research in a Rainforest and experience the culture and diversity of another country. I feel that the knowledge I have gained will enhance my teaching ability especially when it comes to integrating math and science. Due to this experience, I have become aware of many global change issues that effect the world around us. I also realize that global change is in my own back yard. Hopefully, I will be able to get this message across to my peers and students. Lets all work together to make this world a better place for everyone and everything.
In closing, I would like to thank the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation (WWNFF), the Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for this great opportunity. I also hope that many educators will have the opportunity to attend this institute in the future.
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