Field Trip Agricultural Environment - ECHO in North Fort Myers on 5/27/11

This is me using the well pump. I got a little tired!

On Friday, May 27, 2011 I took an adventure to Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization also known as ECHO with my friend whom is also taking University Colloquium. We arrived at the site a little before 10 o’clock ready to go on our tour for the day. Throughout the tour I learned many new aspects about agriculture. I was able to understand the agricultural challenges rural farmers face around the world, which includes water resources, crop trading, and crop growing. I believe teaching and good knowledge of these agricultural aspects would help the rural farmers improve their agriculture. ECHO brings seeds to other countries and teaches them to grow and create trade with neighboring areas. During the tour I was able to use the well pump. I found the well pump to be a genius way to pump water more efficiently. I also loved seeing the variety of ways ECHO used tires since it is bad for the environment to burn tires. They use them to make stairs, flower pots, or garden surroundings. I was able to achieve the learning goals at ECHO throughout the tour. I found the tour to be very interesting and informational.

Reading #6 - Moving Ecoagriculture into the Mainstream

I have never heard of the terms agroecological farming or ecoagriculture landscapes. Agroecological farming relies on biologically based, integrated soil-plant-animal cropping systems, and ecoagriculture is based on the science of landscape ecology that asses patterns and flows of nutrients, water, people, and wildlife. I was unaware how important landscape ecology is. It is very interesting the way different crops are placed depending on the aspects on the environment. I found it fascinating that David Kuria researched in Kenya to help with their forests and watersheds. They started seeing healthier agriculture, and this helped prove there are better ways to practice agriculture. These new ways need to be used worldwide, so our agriculture can improve.

Reading #5 - Charting a New Path to Eliminating Hunger

While reading Chapter 1: Charting a New Path to Eliminating Hunger, I was shocked to read that 925 million people are undernourished. I found this statistic fascinating for how much food we waste in the United States. I also was shocked to read that many children are undernourished, and they are dying ever six seconds. This chapter explained many ways to improve world hunger, such as ways to store food or help grow food. I believe these ways should be focused on to help stop world hunger. While reading I noticed a focus of African undernourishment; however, I believe the United States also has a lot of undernourished people. It is amazing how many organizations and people are trying to help feed the hungry, and I hope these organizations stay together to help stop world hunger. Overall, this chapter was very interesting.

Reading #4 - Life's Challenges

Ken Robinson stated, “We are educating people out of their creativity.” I agree with Ken Robinson. Our schools are not allowing students to think for themselves or build their own reasoning skills. We are forced to follow a strict curriculum, which most students do not intend to ever use in the future. I understand our education needs to be diverse and well rounded; however there is a lot of wasted time and subjects within the school system. I believe more time could be spent outside to widen the student’s horizon.

I have always been a kinesthetic learner, and I have never known a teacher other than science teachers to use this type of teaching. I am now a nursing major, and I believe my way of learning is the major reason why I am pursuing my career in nursing. Teachers should try using a variety of methods for students. It may also help students pay attention better.

I believe if my school would have permitted field trips I would appreciate nature and the environment more. In school we were never taken outside therefore I was not able to be hands on with nature, and the only hands on time I received was at home with my family. Since I moved to Florida I have found myself constantly going to school and working. I have never really appreciated the beauty of the environment down here. However, since I started nursing school here at Florida Gulf Coast University I have noticed myself going outside again like I used to when I was little and lived up north. Being outside in nature makes me relaxed and it helps me to focus on my tasks at hand.

“By bolstering children’s attention resources, green spaces may enable children to think more clearly and cope more effectively with life stress,” writes Nancy Wells. Even as a nursing student I was unaware of the ability nature has on children with ADHD. I can appreciate this because I notice what nature has done for me and my studies. Even though children think they are only going outside to play they are really learning something new about nature or the environment every time they go outside. I intend to further appreciate the environment to help me stay focused and relaxed through stressful times.

Reading #3 - John Dewey

I have learned many new lessons from this exercise. The one aspect that stuck out the most to me was that students need to learn more from experience rather than technology. I believe many schools are focusing too much on technology. Students are learning from reading information off a computer screen when they should be going out to learn from life experiences. Fields trips have been cut back in many schools. In my high school the principal cancelled all field trips starting my freshman year, so I never went on a field trip in high school. I was constantly stuck inside the classroom. I feel like I missed out of a lot when it comes to life experiences.

I have many friends going to college to become teachers, and I am going to recommend that they take their classes on field trips and to go outside. I also believe teachers should let students think for themselves and let them adapt to the changing world, so they can learn from their experiences. Also, I have learned that I need to go out and experience more in the world in order to become more diverse, so I can adapt to the changing world, too. I believe it is very important to stay active and learning new things will help me do this.

Species Discovery

Alligator Flag

Alligator flag plants are found in swamps, marshes, and ponds. From June through November, purple flowers grow at the end of the flower stalks. These plants grow best in the sunlight to light shade. The soil must be moist in order for alligator flags to survive, and they do not tolerate salt.

http://www.nababutterfly.com/alligator_flag.html

Wax Myrtle

Malaleuca

Cabbage Palm

Personal Journal #1 - 5/16/11

This morning my roommate and I decided it would be a great day to go for a bike ride. The weather was perfect; there were a few clouds to hide the hot sun. While we rode down three oaks parkway with the wind blowing through our hair I recognized a wide variety of bird species. I saw ducks, egrets, herons, and others that I could not name. Along the side of the road was a concrete drainage canal, and the water level was very low and dirty. I wonder if it is ever maintained by someone.

On our way back to my house we stopped at the three oaks park and sat on the swings for a little while. As we were swinging we noticed a bunch of little flies that were very attracted to us. I am not sure what kind of flies they were, but they were annoying, so we left and started biking home. As we biked passed the canal a second time we spotted four fish, but we have no idea where they came from or how they got there. Our bike ride was relaxing and educational.

My Neighboorhood Walk-About

This afternoon my roommate and I went on a walk throughout our neighborhood, Timberwalk. The sun was behind the fluffy white clouds, and there was a nice breeze blowing through my hair. I have lived here for over a year now, and I have always loved taking walks around the neighborhood, but I saw many new aspects of nature that I have never seen before.

Our townhouse backs up to a pond, so we started the walk-about by walking around the pond. The first thing I always notice when I walk by the pond is the decreased level of the water in the pond. I find it fascinating where the original water line used to be. I was able to recognize that the pond was mainly surrounded by alligator flag plants. The one thing I have never noticed around my neighborhood was all the littering. We found a variety of bottles, cans, flips flops, and buckets around the pond. We picked up all the litter we found, and we were able to fill a grocery bag!

After walking around the pond we went on an adventure behind our neighbors’ house, and we found a hidden trail. While walking on the trail we realized there was a large amount of trees that had fallen down or had been cut down. I am very curious why there were so many trees on the ground. We also came across a dead animal that we think might have once been a raccoon, but we were not quite sure. This neighborhood walk opened my eyes to new parts of nature and the environment.

My ten questions:
1. What is this tall plant surrounding the pond?
2. How long does it take for a bottle to decompose in nature?
3. What kinds of fish live in the pond behind my townhouse?
4. Why do alligator flag plants dominate the surrounding area of the pond?
5. What kind of animal did this used to be?
6. What kind of animal killed this animal?
7. What kind of trees are these, and why are most of them on the ground?
8. Why does the water level change so often throughout the year?
9. Are the roads made out of recycled materials?
10. Why was there so much litter in the pond?

Reading #2 - Quality Enhancement Plan

The key terms in the quality enhancement plan can all be applied in this class and in my life. One of the key terms that sticks out to me is service-learning, which is an educational experience designed to meet mutually identified community and university needs. I believe doing service-learning along with this course will help me to understand and appreciate the different aspects we will be learning in this course. I am excited to take part in service-learning activities, along with all the field trips. Another key term that is very important in this course and my life is civic engagement. Civic engagement is working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to make that difference. I believe this term is very important to help make a difference within the community, and I think this course will help me learn how to use these combinations to help make a difference within the community.

Reading #1 - Orientation

I would like to get an A in this course. I would also like to become more aware of my surroundings. I am not able to name any kind of foliage, therefore I would like to learn more about the environment. Not only would I like to learn the names of various foliage, but also how to take care of them and the best kind of environments they survive in. Hopefully, one day I will be able to walk down the road and be able to name and know some information about my surrounding environment.

About Me

My name is Sara Rieveley. I am 21 years old. I am a senior nursing student at Florida Gulf Coast University. I hope to work in a women's and children's hospital one day in the future. I am expected to graduate May 2012, and I intend to go back to graduate school after working for a couple years. My favorite color is pink, and I love shopping. I am a Canadian citizen, and I am proud of it!