Environmental Educator

Imagine carefully wading through knee-deep pools of water and thick, brown mud. Behind you trail five elementary students, each carrying a glass bottle and a small magnifying glass like the one in your hand. You are an environmental educator, and today you are leading a field trip of seven- and eight-year-olds along the edge of an important wetland, looking for insects. These students have spent the last four months learning about insects in their science class and have been brought here today to see some bugs up close.

As an environmental educator, you regularly participate in field trips like this one and enjoy providing students with a living lesson to accompany what they have learned in the classroom. You started this morning by explaining to the class what a wetland is, what it does, and why it is important. You explained that wetlands act like natural filters, helping to remove contaminants and harmful chemicals from the water. Next, you split the kids into smaller groups that you are leading one at a time out into the wetland.

In addition to the glass jar and magnifying glass, each child is outfitted in a pair of rubber boots and a safari hat. You describe to the students the kinds of insects that live in the water and mud and explain how these insects contribute to this ecosystem. You show the group how to pick up some water in their jars and use their magnifying glasses to see the living things inside. In your jar, you pick up a water boatman and share the find with your young audience. You explain how water boatmen move on the water’s surface, and then you put your specimen back so the kids can watch it swim away.

After a few more minutes exploring, you will take this group back to where a table and drawing supplies have been set up, so they can diagram what they’ve seen, and you can take another group out exploring. As an environmental educator, you know these students will go home today with greater knowledge and appreciation for insects and wetlands.