In this paper I share my understandings of an elective outdoor environmental education course, a significant component of which was a field school. I helped develop this course at the Canadian university where I work as an academic, with the field school conducted on the island of Kaua'i in Hawaii. The paper describes the university field school…

In these activities, middle school and high school students examine the threat of nonnative plant species to Hawaiian ecosystems. Students explore different viewpoints on alien plants and consider how beliefs and attitudes may affect others' decisions concerning nonnative plant species. Students also identify invasive plant characteristics and…

Primary students at one Hawaiian elementary school learn science through direct experience, gaining firsthand knowledge from their gardens and fieldwork. The article describes a garden project involving students and parents. The project, which was originally intended to teach students about plants, actually expanded their knowledge in a variety of…