Page 4 - BGUT Magazine Summer/Fall 2022 FINAL FINAL

The Bronx Bronx Institute at Lehman College • Bronx Bronx GEAR UP THRIVES The Bronx Bronx Institute at Lehman College • Bronx Bronx GEAR UP THRIVES www TheBronxInstitute org www TheBronxInstitute org GEAR GEAR UP UP GEAR GEAR UP UP The Bronx Bronx Institute Bronx Bronx GEAR UP THRIVES partners
ThE ThE BRonx InSTITUTE hAS AlSo PARTnERED wITh PRESTIGIoUS STEM InSTITUTIonS In In In ThE ThE REGIon SUch AS ThE ThE wAVE hIll PUBlIc hoRTIcUlTURAl GARDEnS ThESE PARTnERShIPS offER BRonx STUDEnTS UnIqUE oPPoRTUnITIES In ThE foRM of of AfTERSchool clASSES fIElD TRIPS MUlTI-DAy woRkShoPS AnD wEEklonG PRoGRAMS Wave Hill
OVER THE THE COURSE OF A A A MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP THE THE WAVE HILL PUBLIC HORTICULTURAL GARDEN HAS PROVIDED A A A RARE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS STUDENTS LAST SPRING STUDENTS STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN IN AN EXCITING THREE- DAY SCIENCE WORKSHOP ALLOWING THEM TO GAIN IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF WOODLAND ECOLOGY PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON FIELDWORK AND AND CONDUCT REAL SCIENCE RESEARCH Wave Hill
offered three sessions as part of of their Forest Ecology program • URBAN FOREST ECOLOGY Students explored the native Bronx woodlands with an an eye for urban wildlife and learned about the biodiversity of New York City’s green spaces Through site exploration and data collection students learned what an an ecological niche is and how species with different adaptations manage to thrive in urban forests • EARTHWORMS
Students learned how to do an invasive earthworm survey in in the woods and collect data on on the local earthworm population They graphed and and analyzed their data and and learned about the the importance of ecological monitoring in in in in in maintaining biodiversity of native species in NYC woodlands • TREE STEWARDSHIP
Students became field researchers for the day focusing on how trees play a a a a a a key role in in forest ecosystems as an an indicator of an an ecosystem’s health and a a a a a a vital tool to to fight climate change Students identified different species of trees using field guides hands-on measurements and and scientific data to estimate the age of the trees Students summarized their Wave Hill
experience by creating a a a a zine booklet focusing on a a a a chosen species of plant or animal they connected with over the the three sessions Using found materials students illustrated the the the roles their species play in the the the ecosystem and and why we should care for and and protect them 45