Jornada Basin Schoolyard LTER

Schoolyard Desert Discovery Project

Program Components

How to Participate

Background

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"The students' association with Asombro Institute scientists allows them to go beyond long held stereotypes. They know first hand real scientists, not just the exaggerated ones they see in the movies. Their attitudes change from 'Science is hard and boring' to 'Science is fun and interesting'. This is a great leap in that it may very well give them the confidence to take their very first tentative steps towards a career related to science, math and technology."

- Mary Lessman, Science teacher, Lynn Middle School

What is the Schoolyard Desert Discovery Project?

The Schoolyard Desert Discovery Project is a unique science education program that:

  • Brings locally relevant environmental science to more than 15,000 K-12 students throughout New Mexico and West Texas each year
  • Is part of the national Long-Term Ecological Research Network (LTER), a collaborative network of more than 1800 scientists and students at 26 sites researching long-term ecological phenomena in the United States
  • Provides classroom education, field trips and teaching materials through a collaboration of the Asombro Institute for Science Education, the Jornada Basin LTER, and the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range