Explore a Tropical Rainforest
An Earth Day Project, 2009

Field trips may have disappeared into the cloud of economic distress, but TeachersFirst is cooperating with another non-profit, The RiverRidge Foundation for Environmental Research and Education (RiverRidge), for some special events for you to “be there” as scientists, as part of you observance of Earth Day. RiverRidge invites TeachersFirst users and their students to virtually Explore a Rainforest along with a group of 8th-12th grade scientists who visited Costa Rica, April 4-12, 2009.  

The RiverRidge team established GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) research sites while in Costa Rica and used the tools and  protocols of GLOBE to collect and share data, then uploading it to the GLOBE server.  Teachers and students can look at this data from anywhere in the world without joining anything. You and your students do not need to be members of GLOBE to examine the data on the GLOBE website.  GLOBE is funded by NASA and the NSF.

Explore a Rainforest “revolves” around an online wiki page as the tool for this virtual experience. They also used DimDim, a free online meeting tool to hold live Q/A sessions. Now that the actual trip has been completed, here are ways you can participate:

1. You/your class can visit the project wiki page to see the itinerary (pdf file, requires Acrobat Reader) and experiments.
2. Check out input from others who joined in "virutally," using the Discussion tab there.
3. Read through daily accounts written from Costa Rica on the Earth Day Project wiki page.
4. Explore the The Costa Rica team's uploaded video and images and collected data on site, including responses to selected viewer questions.
5. Join in discussion with the Costa Rica team, available for a LIVE Q/A period via the Internet on Earth Day
   
   April 22, 2009 at 7 pm EASTERN TIME
   
   using the same DimDim tool they used to host evening discussions during the trip. Click to enter the DimDim discussion from a link on the wiki! You and your students can share inquiry with their peer young scientists. Read full details about the evening discussion on the wiki.