Urban Ecology in New York City
Urban Ecology and Urban Planning will be explored hand in hand in this 45 hour P-credit course. Through this course we will dig into the historical design and long-lasting impacts of urban planning within New York City and examine urban development decisions from colonial to modern times. In addition to classroom and zoo grounds explorations covering topics including woodlands ecosystem ecology, water cycles, carbon cycles, and species adaptation to urbanization, one full day of our course will be a walking and learning tour of Lower Manhattan (total walking distance approximately 2.4 miles). During this walking exploration we will examine ecological systems management in NYC including storm water runoff, coastal planning, urban biodiversity, urban population growth, and greenhouse gas emission. As part of the culminating course project, teachers will collaborate to design visions for the future of New York City that effectively address issues explored during the course, utilizing web-based modeling platforms. Teachers can bring all this new knowledge back to their classrooms, supported by our exploration of inquiry teaching and learning methodologies and constructivism, in the design of a lesson or unit for their classrooms that allows students to explore issues of urban ecology.
Location: Bronx Zoo with a fieldtrip to Lower Manhattan
Date & Time: April 18 - April 23, 2022 from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Price: $250
Course is eligible for: 45 CTLE Hours
& 3 P-Credits or A+ Credits
Registration opens January 2022
For information on our 2021-2022 In-Person Safety Plan, click here. In person participants must read and agree to our Code of Conduct.
All in-person courses will follow current NYC COVID safety guidelines and mandates. For more information see the Bronx Zoo's Know Before You Go page.
For more information about Professional Development courses, please contact: teacherinfo@wcs.org or (718) 220-5136
Meet Your Instructor
Christine DeMauro
Christine DeMauro has a passion for wildlife conservation that she hopes to inspire within you and your students. Christine obtained her M.S. in Biology at Hofstra University, doing research on the behavior and physiology of seastars - sparking a love for marine invertebrates. During this time, while an adjunct instructor at Hofstra University, she obtained a graduate degree in education and became a licensed NYS secondary education biology teacher. After working briefly for the Department of Education as a teacher, Christine joined WCS in 2011.