Bay Studies: Blending Environmental and Experiential Education into Educating for Sustainability
The Gunston School’s Bay Studies program has entered its third decade with renewed focus and vision. The weeklong program of off-campus seminars based on developing a meaningful understanding of the role the Bay plays in shaping our history, culture, industry, and future.
Students choose from a catalog of programs that further the mission and vision of the school. The progressive curriculum builds on students’ experiences and utilizes the Bay as a case study for understanding global environmental challenges. Students complete reflective projects and earn academic credit.
Bay Studies continues to provide transformational experiences and cultivate a sense of place for all Gunston students. Global and environmental aspects of Gunston’s mission blend during trips beyond the Chesapeake Bay watershed where students study analogous systems and share their knowledge. The evolving curriculum offers exciting potential for increasing local and global partnerships that strengthen environmental teaching and learning here at Gunston. New program areas include expanding STEM opportunities, assisting in professional research with leading institutions, and new expeditions.
Additionally, Gunston added a new requirement to the Bay Studies program in 2018: in order to graduate, all students must complete a climate change-focused Bay Studies course. These courses cover topics like sea level rise, ocean acidification, and biodiversity loss. This decision reflects Gunston's commitment to prepare students for the increasingly relevant environmental challenges of our planet's future.
By the numbers:
1 Week a year
15 Trips
24 Faculty
182 Students
500 Hours of experiential and environmental education
The Gunston School’s Bay Studies program has entered its third decade with renewed focus and vision. The weeklong program of off-campus seminars based on developing a meaningful understanding of the role the Bay plays in shaping our history, culture, industry, and future.
Students choose from a catalog of programs that further the mission and vision of the school. The progressive curriculum builds on students’ experiences and utilizes the Bay as a case study for understanding global environmental challenges. Students complete reflective projects and earn academic credit.
Bay Studies continues to provide transformational experiences and cultivate a sense of place for all Gunston students. Global and environmental aspects of Gunston’s mission blend during trips beyond the Chesapeake Bay watershed where students study analogous systems and share their knowledge. The evolving curriculum offers exciting potential for increasing local and global partnerships that strengthen environmental teaching and learning here at Gunston. New program areas include expanding STEM opportunities, assisting in professional research with leading institutions, and new expeditions.
Additionally, Gunston added a new requirement to the Bay Studies program in 2018: in order to graduate, all students must complete a climate change-focused Bay Studies course. These courses cover topics like sea level rise, ocean acidification, and biodiversity loss. This decision reflects Gunston's commitment to prepare students for the increasingly relevant environmental challenges of our planet's future.
By the numbers:
1 Week a year
15 Trips
24 Faculty
182 Students
500 Hours of experiential and environmental education
bay_studies_offerings_2016.pdf | |
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bay_studies_offerings_2017.pdf | |
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bay_studies_offerings_2018.pdf | |
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bay_studies_offerings_2019.pdf | |
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