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Education

"Given the choice between hours of instruction in their normal classrooms and a day spent exploring the Smokies, most school kids would opt for the wooded expanse of the nation’s most visited National Park. So would their teachers. An educational field trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park places students in one of the most species-rich wild areas in the world." - Doris Gove, Sightline Magazine. Pi Beta Phi students
Pi Beta Phi students move their classroom to the Park to participate in Biodiversity Day.

Activities, Lessons, and Links

Exploring your own schoolyard or a nearby park can be an adventure in discovery for you and your students! Not only is it fun to get outside, but the direct involvement of students and teachers in making inquiries, developing and testing hypotheses, and using knowledge for conservation is applicable to many curriculum standards.

Educators

From teacher training workshops, curricula and lesson plans, to presentations at professional environmental education conferences, there are numerous activities available. Educators may wish to get their students involved in an ATBI in their schoolyard, the design of scientific projects, or field work in the Smokies.

Students

Educational programs are available for elementary students to graduate students. Programs such as Parks as Classrooms, camps, workshops, Upward Bound, and college consortiums give students of all ages the opportunity to become involved with the ATBI.

Internships

Students can become directly involved with the ATBI and Great Smoky Mountains National Park by participating in one of several internships available through the park.

Public Education

Community members can learn more about the ATBI and the Park through a variety of programs, workshops, and classes offered at the Park. Community groups and businesses can arrange for DLIA and Park staff to speak at meetings and conferences.

Educational Resources

There are several resources available that provide more information on biodiversity in North America, the ATBI taking place in the Smokies, and future ATBIs around the nation. Educational products, such as brochures and videos, are also available to increase public awareness and understanding of the ATBI.
Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob

Educational Facilities

Hubs of science and education are being developed around the Park. Although each facility has a different mixture of science and education, programs at these sites further the educational mission of DLIA, the ATBI, and the National Park Service. The DLIA Education Committee is developing biodiversity curricula and materials such as "Biodiversity Boxes", to be available for loan. For more information, please contact Wanda DeWaard earthkin@icx.net, of the DLIA Education Committee.

The following educational facilities are located in the park:

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
Parks as Classrooms
Smoky Mountain Field School

Goals of the DLIA Education Committee

The education committee is comprised of DLIA and Park staff, and a variety of partners who share the following educational goals:

  1. Educate students, teachers, Park visitors, community members, scientists, and volunteers about science, taxonomy, and biodiversity through the activities of the ATBI.
  2. Develop, implement, evaluate, and export innovative models for science education.
  3. Inspire, mentor, and develop future scientists and naturalists.
  4. Use the scientific findings of the ATBI for improved decision-making that fosters stewardship and resource conservation.
  5. Identify and garner human and financial resources; evaluate and document our effectiveness; disseminate information.