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, examine urban development decisions from colonial to modern times and discuss the equity issues that can arise from urban planning and decision making. 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 1.1 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. 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
Please note that this course includes 1-2 miles of walking outside every day, as well as climbing a flight a stairs. All zoo paths are wheelchair accessible, but the classroom is not, see our webpage for more accessibility information. If you have any concerns or require accommodations, please contact your instructor.
Dates: July 29 - August 3, 2024
Times: 8:00am-4:30pm
Price: $250
This Course is Eligible For: 45 CTLE Hours & 3 P-Credits or A+ Credit
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
Nuno Peixoto (he/his)
Nuno is a Professional Development Coordinator whose love for wildlife, conversation, and education is present in all that he does here at WCS. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Childhood Education with a concentration in Biology, and his Master of Science in Teaching, Literacy. He has over 5 years of teaching experience at the elementary level, and he hopes to use these past experiences to partner with educators to expand their knowledge of the natural world and pedagogy. His goal is to foster a community of educators who will make meaningful changes in their classrooms and communities to help not only their students succeed, but also to inspire them to appreciate and care for animals and nature.