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Our five lesson NGSS unit on the plight of the Rusty Patched Bumblebee
is now being piloted in schools throughout Illinois! Updates here!

Backstory
When we read this excellent NC State study published in Nature Climate Change we were inspired to bring the approach they used to Illinois schools. The study demonstrated that a rigorous NGSS unit on climate change when (i) focussed on local impacts and (ii) combined with parent engagement pieces and outdoor service projects not only taught the students to care more about climate and environment but promoted parent/guardian environmental concern too - even among those traditionally hardest to convince. That is a huge win for our community.

Our Unit
In collaboration with expert NGSS writer Jesse Semeyn and the Center for Educational Initiatives at Illinois State University our first unit on the plight of our native Rusty Patched Bumblebee will soon be available free for Illinois schools everywhere. With versions for both middle and high schools the unit guides students in using science and engineering practices to make sense of the functioning of the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee’s ecosystem. Students figure out the effects of changes to the ecosystem on the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee. The unit introduces the changing patterns in our climate and students apply their learning to predict the effects of Climate Change on the ecosystem and the species that rely on it.  Learning is extended beyond the walls of the classroom when students create blog posts, engage in intergenerational conversations, and design actionable solutions to the problem of the decline of this keystone species.

Teachers LOVED this unit in focus groups and training sessions and now we are moving forward with a pilot program with schools throughout Illinois. Contact