Merging Environmental Science, Literacy, and Creative Communication Technologies

This semester The Bio/Diversity Project is partnering with Recharge the Rain and the Water Resources Research Institute to increase access to environmental science education that combines science, literacy, and creative communication technologies through the CREATES Literacy Project. 

CREATES (Communicating Research Enveloping Art and Thoughtful Environmental Storytelling) Literacy aims to increase access to integrated STEAM (STEM + Arts) and literacy education in Pima County by working with teachers to develop and pilot integrated lessons that combine environmental science, literacy, and creative communication technologies. Over the course of the spring semester, 3rd-9th grade educators from the Tucson metro area will participate in a series of professional development workshops focused on literacy and science integration and creative communication technologies/approaches including Esri StoryMaps, Nature’s Notebook, Environmental Storytelling, and AdobeSpark.  Educators will then work in groups to develop educational modules that build on already existing lessons to more robustly integrate literacy development through the use of creative communication technologies.  Modules will then be piloted in the late spring before being shared publicly.  Throughout the process, educators will be supported by former Bio/Diversity Project student interns trained in culturally relevant lesson planning and hands-on educational approaches.

This project is made possible by generous funding from The Stocker Foundation.  For more information contact Jill Williams at JillMWilliams@arizona.edu.