Investigating the Educational Potential of a Case Study of Regrowth in the El Yunque Rainforest

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9908438McGEEIn the fall of 1998 Hurricane Georges rocked the Caribbean. For the Caribbean National Rainforest in Puerto Rico, known as El Yunque, hurricanes are a natural part of life and Hurricane George destroyed all but the most hurricane-sturdy plants. A natural disaster provides opportunities for students to learn science as well as to understand the impact of nature on human lives.This exploratory grant will provide the means to gather the necessary resources while regeneration is taking place (within a year of the hurricane) and to develop pilot modules so that students may learn about erosion, nutrient cycling, plant growth and biodiversity. A set of materials based on this pilot would expose students to cutting edge techniques used in eco-system science so that the school science they are doing would mirror the activities of a professional scientist. Based on the success of this pilot project, a complete set of ten modules could be produced.