The Earth Around Us Tent program is a partnership between the USDA Forest Service, the Leitzel Center at the University of New Hampshire GLOBE Partnership, the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire, and the White Mountain National Forest.
Soil Tent Development
In 2016, the Soil Tent was prototyped through a series of three interdisciplinary STEAM residencies in New Hampshire public school fourth-grade classrooms. The residencies combined Elementary GLOBE soil curriculum materials, hands-on soil science observation with White Mountain National Forest Soil Scientist Andy Colter, and production of large-scale soil murals in collaboration with Artist in Residence Julie Püttgen.
Learn more about the Soil Tent development here. The Soil Tent program is available to schools and community groups local to New Hampshire.
Water Tent Development
The Water Tent began in October 2022 with fourth and fifth grade students from Maple Street Magnet School in Rochester, NH, walking with their teachers to a local park along the Cocheco River. At the river they met members of the NH GLOBE Program, the USDA Forest Service, and UNH STEM Docent volunteers to measure water quality data, collect and identify aquatic macroinvertebrates, and observe and sketch the landscape and wildlife along the river.
They repeated these activities again in April and June 2023. Visiting and observing the river during different seasons helped the students understand the changing dynamics of a river ecosystem.
The Maple Street Magnet School students worked with their art teacher to turn their sketches into murals to represent the river during the three seasons. Their artwork was then given to local artist Taylor Rose, who incorporated the students’ art into digital murals.
The murals were printed on panels that are the walls of a 10-by-10-foot pop-up tent. The Water Tent and water monitoring equipment are available for schools and community groups around New Hampshire to borrow to conduct their own water studies.
Reserve a Tent
Interested in having the Soil Tent or Water Tent visit your school or community group? Contact the Earth Around Us Tent Program Coordinator, Beth Young, Beth.Young@unh.edu.
