Schoolyard LTER is an offshoot of the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).  LTER sites are outdoor laboratories used by scientists for the study of the major ecosystems of the world. The Schoolyard LTER program began in the fall of 1998 when the NSF granted funds to each of 12 LTER sites for a science education program for K-12 students. With the NSF funds, teacher workshops were developed and offered to inform teachers of the resources available to them at the LTER site closest to their school.  So the idea of a "Schoolyard" LTER was born.  Activities were developed for children that teach the processes of science using methods unique to the long-term research ecologist. A cadre of teachers are assembled at the workshops who can incorporate the science activities into their classrooms.

     At the workshops teachers carry out the activities with Konza staff and evaluate them for clarity, appropriateness, and possible improvements. Three major categories were developed:

Stream Ecology:  long-term inventories of stream invertebrates and monitoring long-term changes in stream channels (geomorphology)

Insect Dynamics on the Prairie:  long-term inventories and collections of tall grass prairie insects
                    Grasshoppers
                    Gall insect sampling

Effects of Fire on Plant Diversity:  monitoring the effect of fire on plant diversity
                    Forbs
                    Woody Plants    
                    Grasses

    Students of the Konza Prairie Schoolyard LTER carry out research projects parallel or in addition to a particular researcher's work.  This type of program allows the students to give something back to the site by generating new data that is of value to researchers.  In addition, students are given an opportunity to see how long-term data bases are necessary to provide meaningful information about ecosystem dynamics.  The activities are appropriate for a range of grade levels.

     Long-term inventories and collections can readily be carried out by children.  The teacher ties the activity to the classroom as a regular part of the curriculum.  One example is collecting insects on a transect as done by the LTER researchers.  This authentic experience might also allow a high school entomology class to develop their required class collection.  These student efforts help Konza acquire a reference collection of grasshoppers.  Scientists are involved with the students.  Faculty, staff and graduate students help carry out the activity, talk about their own research, and teach the students how to pin and identify the insects collected.

     We emphasize the importance of taking accurate measurements and the fact that the students are doing real research.  Data collected by the students are maintained in data bases to show the long-term trends unique to LTER research.  Although individual students in the early years of data collecting may not see these trends, teachers bring their classes back over several years or other teachers will continue with the same process so that the data bases grow.  The students input their data directly into KEEP programs especially designed for this purpose.  Teachers and students are able to manipulate the data, produce graphs and reports in the classroom by logging onto the KEEP web site with a special password.  June 2000