Visiting artists and members of the KBS community have transformed the science of prairie strips into art that celebrates the beauty and resilience of agricultural landscapes. Rooted in sustainable agriculture and scientific discovery, MiSTRIPS has reached far beyond the original audience of farmers and agricultural conservation groups to cultivates creativity and community connection at KBS. While originally focused on increasing understanding and adoption of the conservation practice of prairie strips, MiSTRIPS now crosses disciplines and inspires artists to interpret the beauty and
Graduate student joins Artist-in-Residence program through KBS Outreach Fellowship
Morgan Clark is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Janzen Lab at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. She studies behavioral ecology, working to understand how individual animals exhibit consistent variation in behavior and how these behavior types may influence their interactions with one another and their environment. As a kid, I fell in love with art in an after-school program called “Bright Futures”. Each day after school, for a specific segment of the year, I would have the opportunity to learn about art across various media from local artists and instructors. I carried this with
Kara Haas, KBS LTER K-12 Partnership Coordinator, wins MSU award for community engagement
Kara Haas, coordinator for the KBS LTER K-12 Partnership program, has been honored with an award from the Michigan State University Office of University Outreach and Engagement. The Graduate Student Award for Community Engagement Scholarship recognizes students for exemplary community-engaged scholarship during their years of graduate study. The award is given annually, to up to four students per year. Educators voice their support Among the statements of support for her nomination: “One of Kara’s greatest strengths is disseminating the scientific information gathered fro
Kellogg Biological Station’s K-12 Partnership Summer Institute to mark its 25th anniversary this month
Hickory Corners, Mich. — Teachers and informal educators of K-12 students are invited to engage in science teaching professional development this summer at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. The 25th annual K-12 Partnership Summer Institute is set for 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, through Thursday, June 27. This year’s theme is “The Power of Long-term Partnerships.” About the Summer Institute Each day will start with a lecture from someone whose career has been impacted by their participation in the Partnership, includi
Melissa Frost, KBS LTER RET, named Michigan Department of Education’s Region 7 Teacher of the Year!
BUCHANAN, MI - Buchanan Community Schools proudly announces that Melissa Frost, esteemed educator and dedicated science teacher of Buchanan High School, has been honored as the Michigan Department of Education’s Region 7 Teacher of the Year for the academic year 2024-2025. The Teacher of the Year program, organized by the Michigan Department of Education, aims to recognize and celebrate outstanding educators who demonstrate exemplary dedication to their profession and make significant contributions to the field of education. Melissa Frost exemplifies these qualities through her unwavering co
Data Nuggets: small activities with big impacts for students
Guest blog post by Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) graduate students Liz Schultheis and Melissa Kjelvik The landscape of science education is undergoing a fundamental shift. Updated standards, to be followed by all science teachers in Michigan, emphasize that science is an active process: instead of the memorization of facts in textbooks, students should be taught the ability to generate new knowledge by testing hypotheses and interpreting data. In other words, students should be taught how to use the scientific method and make arguments from evidence. However, with the scientific
K-12 Partnership teachers travel to Alaska for research experience
In July and August of 2012, three K-12 Partnership teachers traveled to Toolik, Alaska to participate in a research experience as a part of the LTER Math Science Partnership. Marty Buehler from Hastings High School, Mary Grintals from Northeast Middle School, and Lisa Wininger from Plainwell Middle School all made the two-day trip up to Toolik to help collect data for the annual “Toolik Pluck.” The teachers spent long hours in the field and the lab collecting plant, soil, and microbial samples. The teachers flew from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Anchorage, Alaska, and finally to Deadhorse, Ala