About HI-MOES
Thirteen middle and high school teachers from West Hawai‘i schools are currently working with The Kohala Center and The Kohala Watershed Partnership on a one-year program that focuses on Bay and Watershed Education. The aim of HI-MOES (Hawai‘i Island Meaningful Outdoor Experiences for Students) is to assist teachers on Hawai‘i Island with meaningful, science-based outdoor learning experiences for their students, while meeting Hawai‘i Content and Performance Standards.
An outdoor educator in each ahupua‘a studied will provide technical assistance and curricular support to classroom teachers throughout the program. In addition, scientists and cultural experts from the ahupua‘a will participate in the program through classroom presentations and/or field project support. The program will culminate in the Hawai‘i Island Environmental Education Conference in May 2010, at which students will share the findings of their research projects.
Participating teachers receive:
- Consulting support from an outdoor educator for both classroom and field activities;
- Classroom presentations during the year on bay and watershed theory and science, the scientific method, presentations from cultural practitioners and scientists working in the area;
- Field trips to selected sites in the ahupua‘a where the school is located;
- Mini-grants to support project-related supplies and substitute teachers;
- Assistance with implementing a hands-on, investigative research project from outdoor educators and scientists;
- Access to curricular resources compiled to support the program;
- Access to a Web site and blog that will facilitate information sharing between teachers and students working on the program.
Brief Timeline:
- September 2009 – Teacher field trip and scheduling meetings
- October 2009 - Classroom presentations
- October—December 2009 – Identification of class project
- December—May, 2010 – Research projects underway
- May 2010 - Year-end conference
The outdoor educators for HI-MOES are Melora Purell and Samantha Birch. Melora holds a masters degree in tropical conservation biology, is a sixteen-year veteran classroom teacher for middle and high school sciences, and currently coordinates outreach and environmental education for The Kohala Watershed Partnership. Samantha Birch, field educator for The Kohala Center, holds a master’s degree in protected area management and is an experienced marine educator who has worked with K-12 classes and special programs in marine and environmental education.
HI-MOES is in partnership with The Kohala Watershed Partnership and is supported by
NOAA B-WET funding.
