{"id":73,"date":"2017-03-07T14:44:31","date_gmt":"2017-03-07T20:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mohl\/?p=73"},"modified":"2017-05-29T22:01:36","modified_gmt":"2017-05-30T03:01:36","slug":"2017-got-milkweed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/mohl\/2017\/03\/07\/2017-got-milkweed\/","title":{"rendered":"2017 Summer Workshop for Educators"},"content":{"rendered":"

Got Milkweed? Collecting Data about Milkweed to Inform Our Response to the Monarch Population Decline. \u00a0July 11-13, 2017. \u00a0St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Monarch caterpillars only eat one kind of plant–milkweed. As monarch butterfly populations are declining and more people are planting milkweed, what is important to understand about this food source? This workshop introduces participants to a distributed research project designed to help students understand evolution and ecology through inquiry about milkweed plants while simultaneously gathering data to answer important scientific questions, such as: \u201cWhat should we do to slow the decline of the monarch butterfly populations?\u201d and \u00a0\u201cDoes the origin of milkweed seeds affect their growth?\u201d<\/p>\n

Participating institutions will plant milkweed seeds from local and non-local populations and gather data on milkweed growth annually in spring and fall to determine whether milkweed populations are locally adapted, meaning it would be beneficial to plant locally-sourced milkweed genotypes, or whether there are certain superior milkweed genotypes that perform better in all locations.\u00a0 Learning opportunities align well with Life Science<\/strong> Next Generation Science Standards at both middle and high school levels<\/strong>. The project requires a one-time collection of common milkweed seeds from a naturally occurring (not planted) local population, space and time to plant 20 or more milkweed plants, and a commitment to work with students annually to follow specific protocols for data collection in the spring and fall for multiple years. \u00a0Optional extensions for data collection during the summer are in development.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: We welcome new and returning participants from across the native range of common milkweed.\u00a0 We especially encourage participants from New England and Midwest regions of the United States and educators who work with students under-represented in the sciences.\u00a0 We have reached capacity for in-person attendees,\u00a0but you can still\u00a0apply to virtually participate<\/strong> in parts of the workshop. \u00a0You can also sign up to receive an email link to view recordings of the sessions. Certificates for CEUs<\/strong> will be available to those who participate in person or virtually. Groups of teachers from the same school or district are encouraged to apply.<\/p>\n

Apply Now!<\/a>\u00a0 Applications will next be reviewed\u00a0during the week of May 8.<\/p>\n

Tentative Schedule:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Items in blue italics are suitable for virtual participation<\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Day 1. Tuesday, July 11 (starts mid-day to accommodate travelers)<\/p>\n

Question of the Day: What should we do about declining monarch populations?<\/strong><\/p>\n