The advent of the 21st Century promises an exciting ascent into the future. As Fermilab discovers
the top quark and stands on the brink of establishing answers to some of the most elusive questions in
our universe, we pause to look back on a time not so very long ago. Rediscovering the majesty of the
prairie throuigh observation of Fermilab's prairie reconstruction is
made possible through Particles and Prairies: The Fermilab Prairie Savannah.
The goal of this collaborative project between teachers and scientists is
to provide midlevel students with the opportunity to be scientists. Gathering data and making
observations will increase students' knowledge and appreciation of the prairie while providing vital
data. This data, in turn, will help the ongoing prairie restoration project at Fermilab.
The hands-on, interactive focus of this instructional unit is designed to enlighten a future
generation to this fragile, beautiful world. In so doing, we want to accentuate the student's
responsibility to maintain what remains or has been restored of our forefathers' prairie.
The Particles and Prairies: The Fermilab Prairie teachers guide was written
and edited by six teachers. A
classroom kit including the teachers guide may be purchased from Fermilab.
A Particles and Prairies field trip to Fermilab provides students a close, hands-on look at the abiotic and biotic aspects
of the prairie, the savannah and the aquatic environments of Fermilab. Teachers must attend a
workshop in order to schedule field trips for their students to do both lab
and field studies at Fermilab.
We have prepared this sampler (827 kB) to give educators a preview of the unit. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.)