Project Advisors Heather Halstead Executive Director Reach the World Ajith Basu Chief Program Executive Agastya Ellen Lovejoy Vice President A+E Networks Bonnie Monteleone Director of Science & Research Plastic Ocean Project Tony Thompson Operations Manager World Bank Jeff Weiner Director Young Mind Interactive Dr. Emily Johnston Crew Medical Advisor International Mountain Guides Liz Perl SVP Marketing Simon and Schuster Dr. Elizabeth Crawford Assistant Director UNCW School of Education George Kalan Offshore Passage Advisor
Project Leaders Tonia Lovejoy Project Leader tonia@beautifulnationproject.org Jessica Lee Outreach Coordinator jess@beautifulnationproject.org Shannon Hagen Marine Science Educator shannon@beautifulnationproject.org Masha Gvozdov Videographer masha@beautifulnationproject.org Justin Farrow Web Master justin@beautifulnationproject.org
About The Beautiful Nation Project (BNP) is an online education platform designed to engage students in real-world global conversations about the environment and promote hands-on science learning in the classroom. The platform tracks and logs the global expeditions of the “Makulu” Crew - a team of women sailors, educators, scientists, artists and explorers - reporting on life from the vantage point of the sea. Sponsors and Partners The project follows the educational models and best practices of its fiscal sponsor, global education nonprofit Reach the World, and its international science education partner, Agastya. A&E/The History Channel’s History Classroom is the official media partner of BNP. Global Marine Networks provides satellite airtime at sea. Education and advocacy groups such as Plastic Ocean Project and World Water Monitoring Day Challenge provide supporting science education activities for classrooms. Program BNP publishes engaging and meaningful reports from its global expeditions. Educators use the interdisciplinary articles, colorful photos and instructional videos to help teach global competence (interdisciplinary literacy, core STEM concepts, social studies, geography, and digital media literacy). The 2014-2015 thematic focus is “Investigating the Effects of Marine Debris on Water Quality”. Participating classrooms (Grades 2-8) collect and analyze water quality data along with the explorers, participate in a virtual science fair through the project’s website, and volunteer for a local conservation project in the community. Classroom projects incorporate the use of specialized mobile apps used by research scientists to reinforce the idea of handheld technology as tools for learning. BNP’s learning platform leverages technology to offer classrooms: + real-time interactions with global explorers (webcast, podcast, videocalls) + rich, colorful and educational digital media stories from around the globe + virtual ‘citizen science’ activities and apps + classroom-to-classroom collaboration + rewards/badges for students and educators in global competence (educators can earn accreditation through the NMC Academy) Research There is a growing need in the digital age for education programs that teach critical thinking and problem-solving on a global scale (Pearson Foundation). To meet this need, classrooms must experience interdisciplinary, real-world content and curriculum. BNP utilizes the research-backed approaches of Reach the World and Agastya to provide classrooms a direct link to real-world learning, so that students can ask questions and investigate life in real-time along with science educators and mentors working internationally. 2014-2015 Expeditions: Plastic Ocean Project Expedition, Atlantic Ocean (October) Panama Canal Expedition, Panama Canal (November) Pacific Crossing Expedition, Pacific Ocean (December) Pangea Explorations Expeditions, Caribbean Sea (January)
www.beautifulnationproject.org