James Brown

Brown, a 6th grade math and science teacher at Sand Creek Middle School, developed the "In Our Backyard" environmental/life science and physical education program to create an opportunity for learning and applying concepts in the real world and to increase students' physical activity. Life science students will be taught how to measure their initial lung volume, pulse rate and blood pressure. Using Excel, students will chart/graph their progress over the course of a year, allowing for a visual depiction of what impact an increase in physical activity will have on their bodies. Students will also be immersed in the many habitats found right in "our own back yard." they will gather scientific data on types of habitats, frequency and types of flora and fauna, seasonal changes in the environment and animal and plant adaptations. The environmental science students will adopt the park habitats, removing any trash they encounter. Two hundred and fifty students and 15 teachers at the sixth grade level will be impacted. Brown lives in Stillwater.