For Teachers — Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

Maui Invasive Species Committee Hosts Teacher Development Workshop Over Fall Break

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Serena Fukushima

Click Here To Register For The Fall 2022 Workshop!

The Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) is holding a teacher development workshop for K-12 teachers and environmental educators on October 6th and 7th, featuring the place-based Hōʻike o Haleakalā curriculum. The curriculum features multi-disciplinary science lessons rooted in Hawai’i and is designed to engage students in the study of the unique ecosystems of our islands. The classroom portion of the workshop will begin on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at the Maui Invasive Species Committee’s Baseyard at Old Maui High School. It will cover lessons from the curriculum’s Alpine/Aeolian, Rainforest, and Coastal Modules; engage participants in hands-on activities from the curriculum, and feature guest speakers from Haleakalā National Park, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaiʻi, and the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Participants will then attend a huakaʻi (field trip) to The Nature Conservancy’s Waikamoi Preserve the following day. Waikamoi Preserve is one of Hawaiʻi’s last remaining native ecosystems and provides an important sanctuary for hundreds of native Hawaiian plants and animals, many of which are endangered. The Preserve also protects part of the 100,000-acre East Maui Watershed, which provides 60 billion gallons of clean water annually to Maui’s residents, businesses, and agricultural community. Teacher workshop participants will embark on an educational guided hike on the Preserve’s boardwalk trail, which is only accessible by reservation for guided hikes, educational trips, and research opportunities.

The registration fee for the two-day workshop is $45.00. Lunch is provided on both days, and all participants will receive tools and resources after the workshop to use in their classrooms to help students learn more about Hawaii’s natural world.

Teacher workshop participants in 2019 embark on a guided educational hike through The Nature Conservancy’s Waikamoi Preserve. MISC’s two-day workshop in October will feature a huakaʻi to the Preserve, along with lessons about Hawaiʻi’s watersheds, invasive species, and Haleakalā’s ecology for teachers to utilize back in the classroom. Registration is open until September 14th. Photo: MISC

To learn more and register, click this link. All registration forms, waivers, and registration fees must be received by September 14, 2022. For questions, please contact Serena Fukushima, MISC Public Relations and Education Specialist, at (808) 344-2756 or miscpr@hawaii.edu.

MISC Hosts Hōʻike o Haleakalā Curriculum Teacher Workshop Over Spring Break

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Serena Fukushima

The Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) is holding a teacher development workshop for K-12 teachers and environmental educators on March 14 and 15 featuring the place-based Hōʻike o Haleakalā curriculum. The Hōʻike o Haleakalā curriculum is designed to engage students in the study of the unique ecosystems of Hawaii. The workshop is hybrid, allowing for virtual participation and an optional outdoor learning opportunity.

The virtual classroom workshop will take place on March 14 from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. and will cover lessons from the Coastal and Marine modules, have interactive activities adapted for remote and hybrid learning environments, and feature guest speakers from the East Maui Watershed Partnership and Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife. The first day of the workshop is open to educators across Hawaiʻi.

Maui-based participants that attend the March 14 workshop are invited to attend an outdoor field trip the following day, March 15, to the anchialine ponds at ʻĀhihi Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve. These biological gems are landlocked brackish ponds in the middle of Maui’s last lava flow and home to a native species of shrimp found nowhere else in the world. Registration is limited to 12 and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Jeff Bagshaw, Communications and Outreach Specialist with the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, will lead the hike. This field trip will supplement the lessons covered in the virtual workshop and connect educators to conservation professionals and resources. Lunch will be provided for all field trip participants.

Maui-based participants that attend the March 14 virtual workshop are invited to attend a field trip the following day on a guided hike to the anchialine ponds at ʻĀhihi Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve. Photos: Forest and Kim Starr

The registration fee is $10.00 for one-day virtual attendees and $25.00 for two-day participants. All participants will receive tools and resources after the workshop to use in their classrooms to help students learn more about Hawaiʻi’s natural world.

To learn more and register, visit mauiinvasive.org/workshops. All registration forms and payments must be received by March 8, 2022. For questions, please contact Serena Fukushima, MISC Public Relations and Education Specialist, at (808) 344-2756 or miscpr@hawaii.edu.

Educator Workshop on Maui

Posted on July 11, 2013 by MISC Leave a Comment

Hō‘ike o Haleakalā Curriculum-35 million years of Hawaiian natural history over 3 days

Educator workshop on Maui Workshop Dates:
-Friday, August 16, 9-4 (Classroom)
-Saturday, August 17, 10-4 (Hike into The Nature Conservancy’s Waikamoi Preserve)
-Saturday, August 24, 9-4pm (Classroom)

Where: Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) Office, 820 Pi‘iholo Road, Makawao

COST: $30 workshop cost covers lunch and supplies for classroom use. Check payable to Tri-Isle RC&D, mail to MISC, PO Box 983, Makawao, HI 96768

Earn 3 DOE professional development credits—search for course title on PDE3 site
Portfolio review date: Saturday, November 9, 2013

Learn new ways to teach science using examples from Hawaiian ecosystems. This course will cover the emergence of the Hawaiian Islands, native flora and fauna, and present day invasive species issues. Play with glo-germ, Google Earth, and a fast-paced forest bird card game. Workshop includes two days of hands-on activities and guest scientists with a half day field trip into The Nature Conservancy’s Waikamoi Preserve.

Registration Deadline: August 1, 2013. Register via this link: Hō‘ike o Haleakalā Curriculum-35 million years of Hawaiian natural history over 3 days

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” —the Once-ler from “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss

Posted on February 29, 2012 by MISC Leave a Comment

In anticipation of “The Lorax” movie opening March 2, a national restaurant chain has been giving away bookmarks with seeds of blue-spruce and Canadian white pine.

A press release dated February 21^st 2012 explains the program: “In keeping with the animated adventure’s theme that one person can make a difference, IHOP is distributing three million limited-edition bookmarks embedded with seed paper that can be planted to flourish across a range of climates and forest condition.”

It’s great to encourage kids to plant trees. Unfortunately these aren’t the Truffula trees that the Lorax fought to protect. Planting alien trees in Hawai‘i can be tricky. The characteristics of the bookmark trees that allow them flourish across a range of climates and forest conditions can also help them invade and outcompete native species. In Hawai‘i pines have a reputation of escaping cultivation into high-elevation ecosystems. Think twice before planting these pines in our forests. As the voiceover from the movie trailer says when the boy receives the last seed of the Truffula tree, “It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.”

After concerns were raised, distribution of the seeds was discontinued in Hawaii.

Make the Lorax proud and plant a tree that is regionally appropriate to the area. Find suggestions of native Hawaiian plants here: www.nativeplants.hawaii.edu

And on a final note: ever notice how a lehua blossom on an ‘ōh‘ia looks a bit like a Truffula tree?

A Truffula tree for Hawai‘i (‘ōh‘ia photos by Forest & Kim Starr).

Teachers and environmental educators: get your hands on hot new Maui-based science tools!

Posted on December 21, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

Workshops participants experience lessons as students would, preparing them to teach the lesson in the classroom.

The Ho’ike o Haleakala Steering Committee will be hosting a series of one- and two-day teacher’s workshops starting in January 2012.

Join us in exploring exciting new lessons that spotlight native and invasive species issues on Maui. You will leave with innovative tools for teaching native Hawaiian science in the classroom and field. Commit to testing these materials in your classroom and receive a $75 stipend.

One day workshops:
January 14
March 10
Two day workshop:
February 18-19

R.S.V.P required. Workshops run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) Headquarters in Pi’iholo. Space is limited; call 573-6472 or email miscpr@hawaii.edu to reserve your spot and for directions.

The one-day workshops will include hands-on experience and demonstration. The two-day February workshop adds a native Hawaiian forest hike and participants will receive an advance hard copy of Ho’ike o Haleakala’s new Invasive Species Module, including multimedia components and game pieces.

A sampling of the activities we will cover:

“Raindrops and Watersheds.” In this lab, students recreate the effect of miconia leaves on rainfall and watershed functionality. Can the size of a leaf change the health of a forest? Find out!
“Pathways and Vectors.” Students employ Google Earth technology to investigate the wiliwili gall wasp invasion of 2005, that threatened Maui’s native wiliwili forest. Working in small groups and using real-life data, students predict how the wasp spread and how it was ultimately controlled.
“Hotel Manager Scenario.” Students grapple with the economics of invasive species while balancing the budget for a hotel overrun with coqui frogs. This multidisciplinary activity incorporates math, problem-solving, and delegation.
“What’s in a Name?” This creative writing and drawing activity uses naupaka as a platform to discuss the usage of scientific, common, and Hawaiian names.
“Mascots, Icons, & Amakua.” This thought-provoking lesson asks students to investigate state and national symbols, such as the American bald eagle, and the qualities they embody. Why are so many Hawaiian schools represented by non-native mascots? In answer to this, students craft arguments for or against changing their school’s mascot.
“Weed Risk Assessment Bingo.” This fun, fast-paced game mimics the official Weed Risk Assessment tool, helping students determine which characteristics make a plant a potential weedy threat.
“Introducing Invasives.” What makes one plant native and another invasive? Why do biologists call Hawaii “an unparalleled showcase for evolution?” Students gain a basic understanding of how island ecosystems formed and how they work today by watching a dynamic slide show and completing a crossword.
“Timeline.” When did the first mosquito hit Hawaiian shores? Students identify key points in the natural history of the Islands, from the emergence of Kure Atoll to today. They create a visual tool for assessing the dramatic increase in biological “traffic” to the Islands.

Come learn how to use Hawaii as a perfect natural laboratory for your students.
Mark your calendar!

If you can’t attend the workshop, but would like to test these activities, email miscpr@hawaii.edu or call (808) 573-MISC.

Maui Invasive Species Committee Hosts Teacher Development Workshop Over Fall Break

MISC Hosts Hōʻike o Haleakalā Curriculum Teacher Workshop Over Spring Break

Educator Workshop on Maui

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” —the Once-ler from “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss

Teachers and environmental educators: get your hands on hot new Maui-based science tools!

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