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MARIANNA – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today
joined officials from the Jackson County School Board and seventh graders from
Malone School to open a new Learning in Florida’s Environment (LIFE) program
site. Located at DEP’s Florida Caverns State Park, the LIFE site will provide
students with an opportunity to experience science education outside the
classroom.
“By participating in an interactive program, these Jackson County students
and teachers are gaining first-hand knowledge and experiences that encourage
future environmental stewardship,” said Greg Ira, Director of DEP’s Office of
Environmental Education. “Since the launch of our first LIFE site in 2004, we
have used the methods of science to introduce students to the interactions
between people and the environments they live in.”
The student’s trip is the first of four they will make to Florida Caverns
State Park this school-year to conduct hands-on, scientific field labs written
by DEP’s environmental education staff along with local teachers. Today’s
activity included three labs. In the first lab, students made scientific
measurements using the scientific units for volume, mass, weight, time and
temperature. Another lab examined two ways of looking at motion and the change
in an objects position. The third lab involved a cave exploration where students
examined cave formations and the conditions that gave rise to them. Each lab
makes use of the unique resources at Florida Caverns State Park to illustrate
and enrich the standards-based curriculum of the school.
Along with the DEP, the Florida Caverns State Park LIFE program site is
supported by the Florida Springs Initiative, Chipola College, the Chipola Area
Goundwater Outreach Program and the Jackson County School District. As part of
the program, DEP will provide equipment and professional development
opportunities for teachers. In addition, students will be encouraged to learn
more about Florida’s environment, while improving their understanding of math
and science.
Since 2004, more than 2,600 future scientists and stewards have participated
in the LIFE program. The LIFE initiative seeks to establish a series of
field-based, environmental-science education programs around the state. Each of
the nine existing programs is a partnership between the DEP and a local school
district. The goals of the LIFE program are increased student achievement,
teacher professional development in science, increased participation of
underserved and under-represented populations, and increased stewardship of
public lands.
For more information on DEP’s LIFE program, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/ed.
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