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Tropical course to brighten state science classes

By Maria Bowie
University of Georgia

A steamy jungle in Costa Rica may seem an unlikely place to find Georgia high school teachers and graduate student teaching fellows. But during July, 20 Georgians journeyed there for a unique study of the agriculture and ecology of tropical America.

The course included University of Georgia faculty, graduate students in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and high school science teachers. It covered major food crops from the farm to worldwide distribution and consumption.

It was part of the "Science Behind our Food" project, funded by a National Science Foundation grant to help UGA enhance science learning in Georgia high school classrooms.

In the project, CAES doctoral students (teaching fellows) are paired with high school science teachers for three years. The fellows bring UGA and CAES resources into the classroom through research opportunities, classroom instruction and lesson preparation.

Sexy science

Jeremy Peacock, a Ph.D. student in aquatic toxicology, plans to bring Costa Rica into Columbia High School physical and environmental science classes in DeKalb County.

He and CHS teacher Danielle Armstrong hope to make learning chemistry fun and relevant for students. They're planning chemistry lessons by having students make chocolate from the fruit of the cacao tree.

"Getting to experience a different culture and way of life was intriguing for graduate students and the teachers involved," Peacock said after his first study-abroad trip.

Amy Heidt, a Tift County High School science teacher in Tifton, Ga., is paired with Chris Wildman, a Ph.D. student in animal and dairy sciences. They plan to have their students compare U.S. farm practices with those of Costa Rica and help develop a native plants exhibition area on the school's campus.

Heidt's favorite part of the trip, she said, was "tasting the many different kinds of fruit, such as the peach palm, which provides 22 of 23 essential amino acids."

Intense study

Less than one-third of Costa Rica's original forest cover remains, according to The Nature Conservancy. The conflict among the needs to expand farm crops, raise the country's standard of living and preserve the environment provided the class some intense study.

The group's journey began in Costa Rica's capital, San Jose. From there, they visited the Irazu volcano, learning how volcanic ash contributes to soil fertility. As they traveled down from the summit, they explored high-elevation vegetable production.

They checked out a high-tech leatherleaf fern facility that ships greenery to florists worldwide. Then they visited the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza.

CATIE's research and graduate programs help Central American countries develop sustainable farm and forestry technologies. The day included studies of Costa Rica's pejibaye, cassava, coffee and timber production.

A visit to EARTH

The group spent two days at EARTH (Escuela de Agricultura de la Region Tropical Humeda) University. There, 400 students work in banana and pineapple plantations, dairy, organic farm and processing and recycling facilities while studying agricultural sciences and natural resources. The school's mission is to help sustainable development in the tropics.

The class included a plant taxonomy workshop comparing rain forest, cloud forest and dry forest species. It provided tours of banana and pineapple plantations, a fruit juice processing plant and cattle farms. And it added waterfall hikes and studies around the UGA Ecolodge and Research Station in San Luis.

Other Georgia schools taking part in the SBOF project include Cedar Shoals High in Athens, Jackson County Comprehensive High in Jefferson, Madison County High in Danielsville, Morgan County High in Madison, Oglethorpe County High in Lexington and Turner County High in Ashburn.

To learn more about the Science Behind Our Food, call program coordinator Stacey Gay at (706) 543-0116, or e-mail her at skgay@uga.edu. Or visit the Web site at www.uga.edu/discover/sbof.

(Maria Bowie is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

Maria Bowie is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Experts/Sources:
Stacey Kinney Gay Ms.
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